Gaurav Mangla’s Black Mango India Designs Wins ‘Best F&B Space Developer’ at Food Connoisseurs India Awards 2026

For Gaurav, the recognition came alongside his participation as a speaker at the two-day industry gathering, where he contributed to discussions around the changing nature of hospitality spaces and customer experiences.

GAURAV MANGLA ON THE FUTURE OF EXPERIENTIAL DINING

Gaurav was part of the speaker panel for the session “Creating Exceptional Customer Experiences: The Future of Experiential Dining”, a discussion focused on the growing importance of experience-led hospitality.

The session examined how dining spaces are increasingly being designed around more than food alone, with ambience, storytelling, entertainment, sensory engagement, technology and service becoming important elements of the overall customer journey. The FCIC agenda specifically highlighted the shift towards immersive and experience-led hospitality and the need for brands to create environments that can strengthen customer satisfaction, emotional connection and loyalty.

As a designer and developer working exclusively in the F&B and hospitality space, Gaurav brought the perspective of someone involved in translating restaurant and hospitality concepts into physical destinations.

His participation also reflected the changing role of design within the Indian F&B industry, where the restaurant environment is increasingly viewed as an extension of a brand’s identity and customer proposition.

350+ F&B SPACES ACROSS 45 CITIES

Gaurav Mangla is the Founder of Black Mango India Designs LLP and has 15 years of experience in F&B space design and development.

A design graduate from the College of Art, Delhi University, Gaurav pursued his Masters from the University of the Arts London before returning to India. Over the course of his career, he has developed 350+ F&B spaces across 45 cities, collaborating with more than 70 hospitality and F&B names, according to the company.

His work spans boutique cafés, restaurants, clubs and hotels, with projects ranging from approximately 1,000 sq ft to 25,000 sq ft. Black Mango India Designs operates across the end-to-end development process, combining design, planning, execution and development for hospitality properties.

The company’s work has included projects across different F&B formats, reflecting the growing demand among hospitality brands for spaces that combine distinctive design with operational functionality and customer experience.

AWARD RECOGNITION AT A KEY INDUSTRY PLATFORM

The Food Connoisseurs India Convention – National Edition 2026 brought together food, beverage and hospitality professionals for discussions, networking, exhibitions and the awards programme. The platform featured more than 200 awards and brought together industry leaders including restaurateurs, chefs, investors and hospitality professionals.

Against this backdrop, the ‘Best F&B Space Developer’ recognition places the spotlight on a segment of the hospitality industry that often works behind the scenes but plays a significant role in shaping how customers experience restaurants, cafés, clubs and hotels.

For Black Mango India Designs, the award also comes at a time when experiential dining is becoming a stronger focus for hospitality brands looking to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive F&B market.

FROM AWARD STAGE TO A PODCAST CONVERSATION

Following the recognition, Gaurav also participated in a podcast where he spoke about the award, his journey and the work of Black Mango India Designs.

The conversation gave him an opportunity to discuss the thinking behind the company’s approach to F&B spaces and the changing expectations of hospitality customers, while reflecting on the significance of the national recognition.

With his work spanning hundreds of F&B spaces and multiple Indian cities, Gaurav’s presence at the FCIC 2026 conference and his recognition at its awards programme underline the growing importance of specialised design and development expertise within India’s hospitality ecosystem.

For Black Mango India Designs, the ‘Best F&B Space Developer’ award marks a significant industry milestone, while Gaurav’s participation in the experiential-dining discussion places the company’s work within a larger conversation about how India’s restaurants and hospitality destinations will be designed for the next generation of customers.

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