India, 13th october 2025: In a world where hospitality often feels predictable, Abhimanyu Jakhar shines as a force of reinvention. As the founder of DEA, one of India’s most progressive dining concepts, he represents a new kind of entrepreneur, grounded in intuition, shaped by soundness, and driven by a clear vision to place India on the global luxury map.
Jakhar’s journey began far from the glitz of metropolitan hospitality. At 18, he launched Inter Urban Hotel, a boutique property in Rohtak, identifying opportunities where others saw none. Despite a mechanical engineering background and no hospitality experience, he rebuilt the hotel from losses into a profitable venture, learning lessons of persistence, adaptability, and problem-solving.
At 21, he launched Diablo, marking his entry into mainstream dining and nightlife, followed by the creation of GHPL (Gourmet Hospitality Private Limited)—the parent company behind innovative brands like AltaCellar, Onrique, and DEA. Each brand carries a unique identity, united by a vision to make Indian hospitality globally relevant.
DEA stands as Jakhar’s signature philosophy in action. Built around elemental techniques of Fire, Flavour, and Fermentation, it transforms dining into an emotional, tactile, and memorable experience. Every aspect—from cuisine and cocktails to sound design and spatial aesthetics—is designed to enthral guests. Guided by the Indian ethos of Atithi Devo Bhava, DEA combines thoughtful luxury with emotional resonance, ensuring every guest feels valued.
Jakhar’s creative process balances intuition and discipline, enabling projects like Onrique to launch in just 45 days. His guiding principle is clear: “If what I’m creating doesn’t move the industry forward, it’s not worth doing.” His upcoming project, Santosh, promises to further challenge the fundamentals of hospitality.
Today, Abhimanyu Jakhar is a young, fearless voice of change in India’s luxury hospitality landscape. Through DEA, he has built a movement that challenges convention, celebrates craftsmanship, and positions India’s creative ambition at the forefront of global attention.