Foodie News
P.F. CHANG’S EXPANDS ITS PRESENCE WITH NEW KHAR OUTLET: THIRD LOCATION IN INDIA, OPENS IN MUMBAI
MUMBAI, INDIA /PRNewswire/ — P.F. Chang’s, a global pioneer in elevated Pan-Asian cuisine, is delighted to announce its continued expansion into India, with the upcoming launch of its second dine-in location in Khar, Mumbai, third in India in 2024. This iconic location in the heart of Mumbai marks the commencement of another exciting culinary journey as P.F. Chang’s brings its world-renowned heritage, cravable flavors, and creative philosophies to the well-traveled Indian’s love for authentic Pan-Asian cuisine.
Gourmet Investments Pvt Ltd, a dynamic and forward-thinking organization, is proud to expand its partnership with P.F. Chang’s, across India. This exciting collaboration is set to introduce a unique dining experience that perfectly aligns with GIPL’s commitment to culinary excellence and innovation.
P.F. Chang’s heritage lies in the tale of a brand that has spent three remarkable decades celebrating life, family, and the art of savoring exceptional food; spanning over 20 countries with more than 300 restaurants worldwide. “We are excited to celebrate the grand opening of P.F. Chang’s in Khar West, Mumbai, and the third in India. Our relationship with GIPL continues to prosper and strengthen. The remarkable planned growth our partner is methodically executing only demonstrates their dedication to the plan we have put in place. We are equally committed to supporting their future expansions. Together, we aim to build on this momentum and bring more exciting experiences to our P.F. Chang’s family and valued customers in India,” said Rafik Farouk, Sr. Director – Global Brand Development at P.F. Chang’s
“We are thrilled to bring P.F. Chang’s to Khar, marking an exciting chapter in our journey to becoming a world-renowned destination for Asian cuisine. P.F. Chang’s is celebrated for its bold flavors, thanks to our unique cooking techniques. Unlike many Asian restaurants in India, we use a specialized wok technique, perfected over 2,000 years, that achieves 700°F. This ensures our dishes retain their nutritional value while intensifying the flavors. We look forward to becoming an integral part of the Khar community, sharing our passion for exceptional Asian cuisine,” said Ramit Bharti Mittal, Executive Chairman & Director, Gourmet Investments Pvt. Ltd. It’s a tradition upheld with honor, living up to the “Always served with honor” food philosophy. Guests will delight in their culinary journey with trademark dishes such as the Original Dynamite Shrimp, Chang’s Lettuce Wraps, Spicy Kimchi Fried Rice, Lo Mein, Orange Chicken & Mongolian Tenderloin.
P.F. Chang’s commitment to quality is evident as dishes are proudly served completely MSG- free, setting a high standard in the restaurant industry. Understanding the diversity of dietary preferences in India, P.F. Chang’s has curated a menu that caters to everyone. In the quest to delight Indian palates, P.F. Chang’s has introduced innovative dishes tailored to suit local tastes. In addition to a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, a special Jain menu is also offered.
However, excellence isn’t limited to food alone. Just as dishes are crafted with purposeful recipes and traditional techniques, the same is extended for the level of Artistry behind the Bar. Signature cocktails such as the Rising Dragon and Japanese Old Fashioned or mocktail.
Refreshers like the Chang’s Coconut Cooler and Samurai Fizz are designed to honor the diverse cultures and flavors that inspire, using premium ingredients, innovative presentation, and tableside theater to elevate the entire dining experience.
When you step into P.F. Chang’s, you’re not just entering a restaurant; you’re immersing yourself in a world of distinctiveness. Designed by Zebra Projects, a global design and architecture firm headquartered in London, the restaurant in Mumbai showcases the unique design elements that are synonymous with P.F. Chang’s worldwide. With a generous seating capacity of 140, comprising 110 indoor seats along with a private dining room and an additional 30 in the outdoor seating, provides an inviting ambiance that sets the stage for unforgettable dining moments.
An integral part of P.F. Chang’s identity is its iconic murals, each depicting unique Chinese tales. The Khar location features a neoclassical façade that leads into an elegant double-height interior with ornate balconies, high-arched windows, and a striking helical staircase. This architecture blends Chinese heritage with Bollywood glamour, creating a luxurious atmosphere that reflects Mumbai’s art-deco legacy. Guests are welcomed into a lush environment, highlighted by pink cherry blossom art and vibrant red, black, and gold murals framed by intricate brass screens. Key design elements include stunning murals, sculptural features, and subtle calligraphy on the ceiling, enhancing the authentic Asian dining experience.
Each visit promises a unique experience, with various enchanting spaces to explore: the al-fresco area, the main restaurant, a private dining room, and a mezzanine bar. Each setting offers a distinct ambiance, inviting guests to return and savor the diverse experiences that P.F. Chang’s has to offer.
Ajay Singhal, COO & Director of Gourmet Investments Pvt. Ltd., highlighted “Opening of the third P.F. Chang’s restaurant in Khar, Mumbai, is a significant milestone in the company’s expansion strategy within India. Achieving this within six months of our flagship launch in Lower Parel, Mumbai and subsequent opening in CyberHub, Gurgaon, P.F. Chang’s in Khar, Mumbai, marks our commitment to introducing the distinguished P.F. Chang’s dining experience to a growing audience. Khar becomes our second location in Mumbai and the third in the country, following the successful launch of our first in Lower Parel, Mumbai, and our second in CyberHub, Gurgaon. Our strategy focuses not only on enhancing the dining landscape but also on capitalizing on the emerging Casual Dining-Restaurant (CD-R) segment, where we foresee substantial opportunities for innovation and market leadership. With plans advancing for our fourth restaurant in Mall of India, Noida, set to open in the coming months, we remain dedicated to expanding our presence across the country.”
Embarking on an exhilarating journey in Mumbai, P.F. Chang’s sets its sights on expanding its footprint further in Mumbai and Delhi. Foresight extends beyond immediate horizons, with a long-term vision to establish multiple P.F. Chang’s restaurants across India over the next decade. Crafted as a versatile dining experience, P.F. Chang’s is thoughtfully designed to serve as a lunch and dinner venue, ensuring patrons can savor culinary delights at their convenience.
About GIPL:
Gourmet Investments Pvt Ltd (GIPL), a part of the Bharti Family office, was founded in 2012 with a clear mission to redefine India’s casual dining landscape. GIPL has earned a reputation for introducing the best of international restaurant brands to the country, setting new standards in terms of brand distinction, talent excellence, real estate expertise, and compliance.
GIPL’s current portfolio includes a carefully curated selection of prestigious international brands, such as PizzaExpress, Chili’s, and Ministry of Crab, all of which have been embraced by the discerning Indian palate. With 26 distinctively designed restaurants across key Indian cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai.
GIPL has become a symbol of professional management, recognized for its culinary innovations and world-class dining experiences within the Indian hospitality industry.
GIPL’s expertise spans across various aspects of restaurant operations, marketing, customer engagement, business management, and strategic alliances. With a deep commitment to quality and innovation, GIPL has earned its place as a true leader in the field.
About P.F. Chang’s:
P.F. Chang’s, founded in 1993 by Philip Chiang and Paul Fleming, is an internationally recognized multi-unit Asian culinary brand that celebrates the 2,000-year-old tradition of wok cooking. With roots in Chinese cuisine, the P.F. Chang’s menu spans across all of Asia, honoring cultures and recipes from Japan, Korea, Thailand, and beyond. Each dish offers a unique exploration of flavor, whether it’s a handcrafted cocktail, a wok-fired lunch bowl, or a celebratory multi-course dinner. P.F. Chang’s operates more than 300 restaurants in over 20 countries, including the United States, and continues to expand its footprint globally. For more P.F.Chang’s news, visit pfchangs.in and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @pfchangsindia.
Fact Sheet:
What: P.F. Chang’s, Khar, Mumbai
Where: 442, 14th Rd, Khar, Khar West, Mumbai, 400052
Timings: 12 pm to 1:30 am
Contact Number: +918655780221 or +918655780220
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Food and Beverage
Papa Johns and Google Cloud Reimagine the Future of Food Ordering to Better Serve Customers
Papa Johns is partnering with Google Cloud to roll out an AI-powered omnichannel ordering system using Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience, bringing voice and text ordering to apps, web, phone, kiosks and in-car systems.
american pepperoni pizza with chilli pepper and parmesan cheese
Papa Johns and Google Cloud Reimagine the Future of Food Ordering to Better Serve Customers
Papa Johns is betting big on AI-powered convenience.
At NRF 2026 in New York, the pizza chain announced a major transformation of its digital ordering experience—aimed at delivering faster ordering, improved accuracy, and real-time personalization for its 150 million-plus customers worldwide. The update is powered by Google Cloud’s newly expanded AI solution, the Food Ordering agent, part of Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience. The key takeaway: Papa Johns is the first restaurant brand to bring these new omnichannel ordering capabilities to market—moving beyond basic chatbots and into what Google Cloud calls the era of agentic commerce, where AI doesn’t just answer questions, it actively completes tasks and improves outcomes.From chatbot to “agentic” ordering
Food Ordering agent is designed to unify voice and text ordering across the places customers already interact with the brand—without forcing them to repeat themselves or start over when they switch channels. Instead of treating app ordering, phone ordering, kiosks, and in-car systems as separate experiences, the platform supports high-quality voice AI agents across:- Mobile apps
- Websites
- Telephones
- Kiosks
- In-car systems
What Papa Johns is building with Google Cloud
Papa Johns says the new system is designed to make ordering “faster, smarter, and more seamless than ever before.” The company’s Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Kevin Vasconi, framed it as more than a product refresh.“Papa Johns is a digitally-driven business and, as such, one of our strategic priorities is investing in our technology to deliver a more seamless experience across our assets and owned channels, better connect with our customers, and support greater efficiency across our operations by leveraging data and AI,” Vasconi said. “We’re using Google Cloud’s Food Ordering agent to reimagine what’s possible for our customers. This isn’t just an app update; it’s a fundamental shift in how our customers interact with our brand digitally, making it faster, smarter, and more seamless than ever before.”The new capabilities focus on three areas that tend to create the most friction in food ordering: deals, complex orders, and repeat purchases.
Intelligent Deal Wizard: fewer abandoned carts, more confidence
One of the most common reasons customers abandon carts is uncertainty—Did I pick the best deal? Is there a better promo code? Papa Johns’ Intelligent Deal Wizard is positioned as a personal concierge that automatically applies the best value combinations. The benefit is twofold:- Customers spend less time hunting for discounts
- Papa Johns reduces cart abandonment and builds loyalty through instant value
Advanced Voice & Group Ordering: making complex orders easier
Group orders are where ordering systems often break down: multiple people, multiple changes, special instructions, and constant edits. Papa Johns’ Advanced Voice & Group Ordering is built to capture that revenue without requiring human intervention. By handling natural language nuances and real-time modifications, the system aims to improve order accuracy even when the request is complicated—exactly the kind of scenario where mistakes can lead to refunds, remakes, and lost customers.No-tap reordering for Papa Rewards customers
Pizza ordering is often habitual. Many customers reorder the same items, especially loyal customers. With the new experience, the agent can identify returning Papa Rewards members and proactively ask if they want to reorder their most recent purchase. That no-tap flow matters because it shortens the distance between intent and checkout—turning a routine craving into a completed order in seconds.Why it matters: omnichannel is now the expectation
Google Cloud’s Carrie Tharp, vice president of global solutions and industries, described the shift as a move beyond the chatbot era.“The retail industry is entering the era of agentic commerce, where AI is an engine for business value,” Tharp said. “By being the first to deploy our omnichannel Food Ordering agent, Papa Johns is moving beyond the chatbot era to create a fluid, intelligent experience that meets hungry customers wherever they are, whether they are in their car, on an app, or at a kiosk.”That’s the core point: customers don’t think in channels. They think in outcomes.
- Ordering hands-free while driving
- Reordering in one step from the couch
- Using a kiosk quickly while picking up
What’s next
Papa Johns will showcase the technology at the Google Cloud booth 5507 at NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show in NYC, offering live demos to attendees. The company expects to roll out these capabilities to customers nationwide by the end of 2026.About Papa Johns
Papa John’s International, Inc. (Nasdaq: PZZA) opened in 1984 with one goal: BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA. Papa Johns says it uses high-quality ingredients, including fresh, never frozen original dough made with six ingredients, real mozzarella cheese, and vine-ripened tomato sauce. The company operates more than 6,000 restaurants across approximately 50 countries and territories.About Google Cloud
Google Cloud provides AI, infrastructure, developer, data, security, and collaboration tools, offering an integrated AI stack built on planet-scale infrastructure and custom-built chips. Organizations in more than 200 countries and territories use Google Cloud as a technology partner.Resources
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Food and Beverage
Mix a Little Luck into Your Big Game Menu
Picture this: Your team is down three points, but the taste of victory is just one field goal away. Sometimes, all you need is a little luck and a whole lot of guac. Dip into good fortune this football season with help from this Good Luck Guac recipe.
Mix a Little Luck into Your Big Game Menu
(Family Features) Picture this: Your team is down three points, but the taste of victory is just one field goal away. Sometimes, all you need is a little luck and a whole lot of guac. After all, an estimated 250 million pounds of avocados are consumed during the Big Game each year, according to Hass Avocado Board Volume Data. That’s enough to fill 30 million football helmets with guac – but filling your belly instead is a win-win for good luck and great flavor. Dip into good fortune this football season with help from Avocado From Mexico’s Guac Guru, Rob Riggle, whose visionary Good Luck Guac recipe is ready to share just in time for the Big Game. Whether you’re in it for the football, the commercials or the snacks, this recipe can score major points with your entire crew.
Crafted for fans of every team, this bold, golden twist on a favorite football snack is infused with ingredients associated with good luck – edible gold flakes and pomegranate seeds – to get you through the most nail-biting moments of the game. The star ingredient is fresh, high-quality Avocados From Mexico that offer good taste, good nutrition, and good times. Beyond delicious dips, chips and lots of fun, hosting a watch party can also be a lot of work. Make sure your hosting duties don’t create interference or put you on the sidelines with these tips: Get a jumpstart on party prep. The day before the game, tidy up your space and prepare as much of the food as you can. For dishes best served fresh – like guac – take care of the ingredient prep, like chopping veggies. Create comfortable seating and viewing areas. For a watch party, you’ll want plenty of room for guests to sit comfortably where they can see the screen and have easy access to the guac. If there’s not enough space in the living room to fit everyone, consider bringing a TV to the kitchen so people can snack and watch at the same time. Know your guests. From non-alcoholic beverage options to additional entertainment like board games and kid-friendly activities, become a next-level party host by providing a setup tailored to your guests’ needs. One thing almost everyonecan agree on: Guac made with Avocados From Mexico can be the star of nearly any party’s snacking lineup. Make it your team’s lucky day with more game day recipes at AvocadosFromMexico.com/recipe. 
Good Luck Guac
Recipe courtesy of Rob Riggle on behalf of Avocados From Mexico- 4 Avocados From Mexico, halved, pitted and peeled
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon onion, minced
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch edible gold leaf flakes
- In large bowl, mash avocados until chunky-smooth.
- Fold in lime juice, onion, pomegranate seeds and salt until well combined.
- Garnish with edible gold leaf flakes.
At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.
Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience. https://stmdailynews.com/food-and-drink/
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Food
What Are Comfort Foods—and Why Do We Crave Them?
Comfort foods go beyond taste—they offer emotional reassurance, cultural identity, and nostalgia. Learn why we crave them and how they connect us.
What Are Comfort Foods—and Why Do We Crave Them?
Food & Beverage | The Knowledge Comfort foods are more than just meals—they are emotional touchstones. From a bowl of chicken noodle soup to a plate of mac and cheese, comfort foods provide familiarity, warmth, and reassurance during moments of stress, illness, or nostalgia. While comfort foods vary by culture and personal experience, their purpose is universal: they make us feel grounded, safe, and connected.What Defines Comfort Food?
Although comfort foods differ from person to person, they often share common characteristics:- Familiar and nostalgic – Foods tied to childhood or family traditions
- Warm and filling – Soups, casseroles, stews, and baked dishes
- Emotionally satisfying – Comforting beyond physical hunger
- Rich in carbohydrates or fats – Which can influence mood-regulating chemicals in the brain
The Science Behind Comfort Foods
There is real science behind why comfort foods make us feel better. Carbohydrate-rich foods can increase the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and promote a sense of calm. Warm foods also play a role. Studies suggest that warmth can enhance feelings of safety and emotional comfort, which may explain why soups, stews, and hot meals are commonly craved during stressful times or colder seasons. In short, comfort foods don’t just satisfy hunger—they support emotional well-being.Comfort Foods Are Cultural
Every culture has its own version of comfort food, shaped by tradition, availability, and shared history:- United States: Mac and cheese, meatloaf, mashed potatoes
- Mexico: Tamales, pozole
- Italy: Pasta, lasagna
- Japan: Ramen, curry rice
- India: Dal with rice
Why We Turn to Comfort Foods
People often crave comfort foods during moments of emotional or physical vulnerability, including:- Stress or anxiety
- Illness or fatigue
- Homesickness
- Major life changes
- Celebrations and family gatherings
More Than a Meal
Comfort food isn’t about indulgence or nutrition alone—it’s about connection. These dishes link us to people, places, and moments that shaped us. That’s why comfort foods endure across generations, cultures, and changing trends. Comfort food doesn’t just feed the body. It feeds the moment.Related Reading
- Why We Crave Comfort Foods – Smithsonian Magazine
- Why Comfort Foods Comfort – Psychology Today
- Why Comfort Foods Make Us Feel Better – Harvard Health
- Comfort Food and Cultural Identity – National Geographic
- The Science Behind Comfort Foods – BBC Future
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