Nirmala Sitharaman Meets Goan Chef Arieston Fernandes in US
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman interacted with Arieston Fernandes, a chef from Goa currently working in Asheville, North Carolina, during her visit to the United States.
Fernandes, originally from Goa, graduated from the Institute of Advanced Management (IAM), Goa, before moving to the United States to expand his professional culinary expertise and gain hands-on international experience.
Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. @nsitharaman met H.E. Mr. Valdis Dombrovskis, Commissioner for Economy and Financial Affairs, European Commission, on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) Meeting, in Asheville, today.β¦ pic.twitter.com/Xp9vaOU3JB
β Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) September 1, 2026
During the interaction, Fernandes shared his aspirations of returning to India in the future and launching his own restaurant venture in Goa.
The interaction highlighted the journey of an Indian culinary professional gaining international experience while keeping plans to contribute to the hospitality sector back home.