One of the most exciting moments at the NDTV Food Awards 2026 came when the winner of the Best Japanese Restaurant category was announced. The award, presented by Anil Chadha, Managing Director of ITC Hotels, jury member Ananya Banerjee, and Rahul Shaw, Chief Experiences Officer, NDTV, celebrates restaurants that capture the precision, simplicity, and excellence that make Japanese cuisine so special. And this year, the honor went to Izumi.
A favorite among lovers of Japanese food, Izumi was recognized for bringing authentic Japanese flavors to India while delivering a memorable fine-dining experience. As the winner was announced, founders and chefs Nooresha Kably and Raffael joined the stage to receive the award to loud applause from the audience.
The story behind Izumi makes the win even more inspiring. Nooresha Kably, the force behind the restaurant, never worked in a professional kitchen until she turned 40. Driven by her passion for Japanese food, she traveled to Japan on her own and enrolled at the Tokyo Sushi Academy. What she learned there became the foundation of Izumi, which has since grown from a beloved Mumbai restaurant to successful outposts in Goa and Hyderabad.
During a conversation on stage, Chef Raffael shared what makes Japanese cuisine so challenging. While many people think simplicity is easy, he explained that it is actually the opposite. With just a few ingredients on the plate, every element has to be perfect. “If you get one ingredient wrong, it’s going to taste off,” he said, adding that staying true to the essence of Japanese food is what the team strives for every day.
The audience also got a glimpse into the secret behind Izumi’s much-loved ramen. Nooresha revealed that the noodles are made fresh daily using kansui, a traditional Japanese ingredient, along with Indian flour. The broth is slow-cooked for hours and packed with umami-rich ingredients like kombu. And then, she added with a smile, comes the most important ingredient of all: “a lot of love.”
From a late start in the culinary world to building one of India’s most respected Japanese restaurant brands, Nooresha’s journey is as remarkable as the food served at Izumi.
