Darshan Ramesh Shah, is an internationally known restaurateur, entrepreneur, and internationally recognized pioneer in the Indian hospitality industry. He is the founder of adä restaurant and was involved in every facet from concept to designing, construction, menu planning and finally completing this innovative and bold new unique concept in Indian fine dining.
His first involvement in the restaurant industry was when his family purchased a “kosher/non-kosher” coffee shop in Manhattan called Squires. Working in the family business and going to college at night, he completed his B.S. This was his first exposure to the restaurant industry. 
After completing his studies and not obtaining a position with a suitable income, Darshan pursued a career in the financial services industry. At the age of twenty-six, he was a national sales manager for Great Western Business Services and had one hundred and ten salespeople reporting directly to him.
Mr. Shah’s responsibilities included everything from personal production to recruiting and training of the sales staff. In 1989, Darshan was the founder and president of Decipher Services Inc., a financial planning organization that specialized in pension and estate planning. While working as a financial planner for his company, in December of 1990, Mr. Shah got involved as an advisor with another restaurant group that owned a restaurant called “Bombay Harbour” in New Hyde Park, NY. While acting in his capacity as an advisor, he noticed a gaping hole in the Indian Restaurant industry. He noticed that there was no such thing as a “fine dining Indian restaurant. After speaking to the group that owned Bombay Harbour and letting them know of his concept, everyone told him that it could be done. Indian food can never be served in the manner that he suggested. After researching everything from restaurant equipment, raw materials, cooking techniques and service techniques, for a period of four years, he purchased his property on 208 East 58th Street, in New York City. On December 18, 2000, Mr. Shah launched adä. This restaurant serves authentic Indian Food using organic ingredients and is presented in an Avante Garde style.
Within just the first two years of operation adä, had received the following accolades:
- “Two stars” from Mr. William Grimes of the New York Times.
- Voted Best Indian Restaurant by the New York Resident.
- Hosted multiple Hollywood Movie openings for “Brotherhood of the Wolf” and “Crush”.
- Hosted US launches of many Bollywood movies.
- Hosted dinners for the “Wine and Food Society of New York”.
Recently catered the dinner for the entire Indian delegation and the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The prime minister who traveled with his personal chef sent his Chef to adä and learn a few dishes enjoyed by him on his visit Regular patrons at adä included, Neil Simon, Indra Nooyi, Mayor Guiliani, Prescott Bush, Maharaj of Jodhpur, Hon. Baan Ki Moon, Mr. Vijay Nambiar, Oscar/Emmy Award Winners Gulzar & AR Rahman, Chris Noth, Andie Macdowell to mention a few of the many dignitaries who considered adä their home away from home.
adä is the only Indian Restaurant Internationally to receive the coveted “Five Star Diamond Award” six of its first 10 years of operation. This is an accolade that no other Indian establishment has enjoyed prior to or since Darshan is now involved as a partner in Sapphire. Sapphire, had been on Columbus circle for 20 years.
Darshan intends to raise the level of Sapphire by introducing ingredients and presentations that revolutionized not adä but, the high-end Indian food industry. Darshan has been a pioneer in high-end Indian food and will continue his insatiable quest to lead the way again.
In the near future, Darshan also intends to launch Panaché, a concept that will take Fiver Star Hotels to a different level and, Earth Oven™, a concept for healthy, flavorful, fresh fast food, again will revolutionize the fast-food industry.
As is his personality, Darshan leaves nothing to chance. Anticipating the shortage of help in the market, Darshan has already finalized talks with Johnson and Wales University, to launch the first Hospitality University in India. Darshan is in the process of acquiring a Hospitality University in India. The graduates from this university are able to articulate with prestigious Universities such as Johnson and Wales, Cornell, CIA and, Lucerne. Prime candidates to be employed in Darshan’s revolutionary ideas.
He certainly brings a vibrant, confident, non-conforming attitude that is required by any organization.