Rakshay Dhariwal is a Delhi based entrepreneur, whose ventures focus on food and beverage industry. In 2012 he made his mark on the F&B industry in India by launching India’s first speakeasy-style cocktail bar, the award winning PCO. Since its inception, this bar has won Times Food & Nightlife’s award for best bar, NRAI award for Best Bar and has featured in the list of 500 best bars in the world and as well as ranking 54th in Asia. Over the next few years he has launched some of India’s most exciting boutique F&B brands including, Ping’s Cafe Orient, his casual fun dining concept that does Healthy Asian Street food, Jamun, an Indian regional-specialty fun-fine dine restaurant and SAZ, a contemporary take on an American Brasserie. Currently, Rakshay manages 19 restaurants and he plans to launch 30 new restaurants and bars all over the world in the next 5 years.

Furthermore, during the lockdown, Rakshay decided to use his new found time to launch India’s first aged 100% Agave spirit. When he discovered that very good quality agave grows in India, he thought he would try his hand at distilling, aging and blending the spirit. What started out as a passion project, is now becoming one of India’s most talked about new craft spirits — Maya Pistola Agavepura.

Rakshay has lived and studied in India, Australia, South Africa, Hungary, Philippines, Singapore and the USA. He studied Marketing in Telecommunications from Indiana University – Bloomington. His accolades include being included in GQs 50 Most Influential Young Indians in 2018 list, GQs 30 Most Influential Indians List in 2022 and being awarded Economic Times Restaurateur of the Year – West in 2022.