Hospitality Takes Centre Stage as Masque Is Honoured by Asia’s 50 Best Academy

Founded by Aditi Dugar and led by head chef Varun Totlani, Masque receives the Art of Hospitality Award 2026 ahead of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants ceremony in Hong Kong on 25 March

February 13, 2026: Masque in Mumbai has been recognised with the Art of Hospitality Award 2026, a distinction announced ahead of this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants ceremony.
The award is determined by the more than 350 members of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, who vote for the establishment they believe has delivered the most outstanding hospitality experience in Asia over the past 18 months.

Established in 2016 by Aditi Dugar, Masque operates from a restored textile mill in Mumbai and is known for its 10 course tasting menus rooted in seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. The restaurant has built its reputation on a format that combines regional produce, modern culinary technique and direct interaction between the kitchen and diners.
A spokesperson for Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants said, “Masque’s win recognises more than exceptional service it celebrates how the restaurant has built a complete ecosystem of hospitality around modern Indian gastronomy. The team’s dedication to sourcing across India, their experimental approach to both food and cocktails and their ability to create intimate, interactive dining moments all demonstrate that at Masque, hospitality is inseparable from innovation.”

Responding to the recognition, Aditi Dugar said, “It feels incredible to bring home this award in our tenth year. It’s been a dream for as long as we can remember. It only reaffirms what we’ve been trying to achieve since Masque opened its doors to treat every guest with care, generosity and the utmost humility. And of course, it goes without saying that this recognition belongs to the brilliant team at Masque, who shows up every day with unwavering commitment and the rigour to be the best. I’m deeply grateful to them, to everyone who has believed in our journey and to Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for recognising hospitality as something soulful and deeply human.”

The kitchen is led by head chef Varun Totlani, whose team travels across India, from Kashmir to Goa, to source hyperlocal ingredients. Menu development is guided by the Masque Lab, the restaurant’s research and development kitchen, which also functions as a private dining space for 14 guests.
Masque offers both vegetarian and non vegetarian tasting menus. Dishes include prickly pear paired with nagphani and coconut malai, as well as a reinterpretation of Gujarati ponkh bhel combined with Goan seaweed. Its cocktail programme applies experimental techniques and seasonal ingredients designed to complement the flavours of the tasting menus.

The Art of Hospitality Award is the second of three honours announced before the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony, which will be held for the first time in Hong Kong at the Kerry Hotel on 25 March 2026. Deloitte serves as the official independent adjudication partner for the voting process.

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