They built one of India’s most iconic luxury hotel empires. Then they lost it. In this episode of Table 1 with Vir Sanghvi, Dinesh Nair, former Co-Chairman and Managing Director of The Leela Hotels, and his daughter Samyukta Nair discuss the extraordinary rise and eventual sale of The Leela, the financial decisions that changed their family’s fortunes, and how they went on to build an international Michelin-starred restaurant business. Dinesh reflects on his father, the legendary Captain C.P. Krishnan Nair, who rose from humble beginnings to establish The Leela Hotels at the age of 65. He speaks candidly about the ambition that built one of India’s most celebrated luxury hotel groups, the ₹2,100-crore Leela Palace New Delhi project, mounting debt and interest costs, and the decisions that ultimately led to the sale of the business. Samyukta shares her journey from building her own apparel business to joining her father in hospitality. Together, they recount a disastrous £4 million restaurant venture in London, the creation of Jamavar, the heartbreak of losing its Michelin star and the six-year journey to winning it back. Today, their restaurant group, LSL Capital, operates restaurants across London and the Middle East, with Michelin stars in London, Dubai and Doha. Table 1 with Vir Sanghvi, produced by Culinary Culture Studios, brings together influential chefs, restaurateurs, hoteliers and hospitality leaders for honest conversations about ambition, failure, risk and the realities behind building successful empires. Watch the full episode and subscribe for more conversations from Table 1. FOLLOW US: Instagram: 📸 @culinarycultureco #Table1Podcast #DineshNair #SamyuktaNair #VirSanghvi #TheLeela #Jamavar #CulinaryCultureStudios