Bibi’s Chet Sharma appointed global culinary director of Gymkhana

Bibi’s Chet Sharma has taken on the additional role of global culinary director at the two-Michelin-starred Gymkhana in London’s Mayfair.

Sharma has collaborated with JKS Restaurants for the past decade, having started out as its group development chef before opening Bibi in Mayfair with JKS in 2021.

The announcement also comes after Sid Ahuja, chef director at Gymkhana, left the restaurant in March after nearly 10 years at the restaurant.

Sharma will continue to lead Bibi alongside head chef Erin Jackson Yates and restaurant director Millie Povey, while overseeing Gymkhana London and the brand’s global growth plans across North America and the Middle East.

Gymkhana opened its first international restaurant in Doha in 2022, followed by a site in Riyadh in 2023.

It opened its first restaurant in the United States on the Las Vegas strip in December.

In addition, Sharma will support and lead Gymkhana’s executive and head chef teams.

Sharma said: “Bibi is and always will remain a very personal project for me. I look forward to nurturing and overseeing the growth of my amazing team at Bibi who really deserve all the credit for the restaurant’s success.

“Returning to Gymkhana now feels like a homecoming of sorts. It’s a return to the place that – especially in the early days – educated my Indian palate more than anywhere else. As we step into this new chapter, I’m proud to be working alongside the talented and established teams across Gymkhana. I’m grateful for the support and trust placed in me by Jyotin, Karam and Sunaina Sethi to lead two such incredible restaurants.”

Karam Sethi, co-founder of JKS Restaurants, added: “Chet has been an integral part of JKS for many years. He has an innate understanding of Gymkhana, alongside the leadership and vision to lead the brand on a global stage.”

Sharma completed a Master’s in Neurology at UCL, as well as a DPhil in Condensed Matter Physics at the University of Oxford before embarking on a career in hospitality.

Bibi was awarded the Menu of the Year Catey at the 2022 Cateys.

Gymkhana first opened in Mayfair in 2013 and earned its first Michelin star in 2014, followed by a second in 2024.

Owner JKS Restaurants was established in 2008 by siblings Jyotin, Karam and Sunaina Sethi. It operates 30 restaurants globally, including Trishna, Berenjak, Speedboat Bar, and Legado.