OUR Team
Raj Singh (CEO)
Raj brings decades of experience in owning and operating profitable hospitality and F&B businesses. Currently, he is the proud owner of two highly successful Indian restaurants in Philadelphia (Veda—Modern Indian Bistro) and Moorestown (Naan Indian Bistro).
As a hands-on business leader, Raj found his first success in retail, starting from a single Verizon retail kiosk, which is now a thriving national chain of Verizon retail stores. He has also successfully ventured in the hospitality, restaurant, and property development sectors.
Raj’s involvement in the daily operations of his businesses ensures brand compliance, excellent customer service, and the growth of his employees. An ardent philanthropist, Raj believes in giving back to the communities he serves. Through various initiatives, he has raised and donated over $100,000 to various community organizations.
Outside his professional life, Raj is a devoted husband and loving father to three children. Raj’s journey demonstrates the power of persistence, vision, and a genuine desire to make a positive impact.
Vipul Bhasin (President & Executive Chef)
Born in the capital city and one of the largest foodie destinations of India, New Delhi, Chef Vipul Bhasin is a name that needs no introduction. Known for his clean, distinct flavors, he brings three decades of highly accomplished and successful culinary experience in the restaurant and catering industry to Avasar.
Before immigrating to America in 1992, Chef Vipul worked for India's most luxurious hotel brand, Taj. While there, he learned regional styles, and later hosted Indian food festivals in Thailand (Shangri-La Bangkok) and Jamaica (Le Meridien Kingston) and an Indian banquet at the Smithsonian in Washington.
Later in 2004, he opened his own restaurant, Coriander Indian Bistro in Voorhees, New Jersey which features dishes from Punjab, one of the northwestern states of India famed for its culinary contributions in Indian Cuisine. After the resounding success of Coriander, he opened Indiya: Flavors of India in 2012 in nearby Collingswood. Veda—Modern Indian Bistro in Philadelphia and Naan Indian Bistro in Moorestown were partnerships with Raj that came on heels of the resounding success of Coriander and Indiya, in 2016 and 2022 respectively.
Avasar is a result of his passion to venture beyond the familiar dishes and bring South Asia’s culinary diversity to the table of New Jersey.
Gaurav Bhardwaj (Director of Catering)
Gaurav brings over two decades of successful event planning & management experience to Avasar’s repertoire.
Indian-born in a family of doctors, Gaurav was trained in the dynamics of South Asian catering by renowned Chef Ashok Sharma, his uncle who was the Executive Chef at Oberoi al Rasheed in the Middle East. He has worked with top F&B brands while in India, and moved to serve the American Embassy in New Delhi.
In 2011, he immigrated to America, where he was a part of the launch & opening teams of multiple and now-successful F&B brands. Gaurav has organized and managed 3000+ weddings in America and overseas to much acclaim, and has gained apex knowledge of Indian, Mughlai, and South Asian Cuisine, as well as end-to-end planning and management of South Asian events and Menu Planning.
