Rachel Goenka is the Founder and CEO of TCSC Hospitality Pvt Ltd – the holding company for her enviable chain of chic restaurants, bars, bakeries & patisseries (The Sassy Spoon, House of Mandarin, 8ish, Baraza, Sassy Teaspoon, Asian Bistro by HOM). Shy to boast of it’s many firsts, TCSC dared to bring in Eclectic European cuisine to India in 2012. Rachel was instrumental in redefining how restaurants in India curated desserts with a range of innovative offerings at her restaurants. Rachel graduated with a double degree in Journalism and English from The Pennsylvania State University. Post her stint in journalism and advertising she realized her true calling and passion was in food and decided to turn her dream into a reality. She then attended The Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, where she trained under celebrity chef Rachel Allen, and then moved to Le Cordon Bleu in London to specialize in patisserie. A young businesswoman, at 24 Rachel embarked on her entrepreneurship journey and is best known for her astute business sense and a strong belief that your employees are the most critical ingredients of your business platter! Sassy is what best describes her approach to all that she does from restaurant conceptualization to delighting the customer with holistic dining experiences. Currently, her brand portfolio comprises 15 outlets and 2 central kitchens across Mumbai and Pune. In addition to the traditional dine-in business, under Rachel’s leadership, TCSC has been aggressively diversifying its revenue streams via outdoor catering, corporate lunch box services, private labelling and banqueting. TCSC & Rachel have both been extensively recognized and won numerous accolades over the years. TCSC & Rachel have both been extensively recognized and won numerous accolades over the last few years. Some of her noteworthy awards include, ‘Top 5 Pastry Chefs in India’ at the Hospitality Horizon Bakery, Patisserie & Chocolate Awards 2025, ‘Restaurateur of the Year 2023’ at the Food Connoisseurs Awards and ‘Young Restaurateur of the Year 2023’ at ET Hospitality Awards. 

Ms. Sassy, as Rachel is widely known, has made her mark on a heavily male dominated industry and is intent on blazing a trail for other aspiring women-entrepreneurs across all industries!