Modena

In 1989, Ashok Bajaj founded Knightsbridge Management, LLC in the nation’s capital. This privately held company oversees the operations for his collection of award-winning restaurants, which includes The Bombay Club, 701 Restaurant, The Oval Room, Ardeo+Bardeo, Rasika, Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca, Rasika West End, and nopa Kitchen+Bar.

Bajaj, along with his notable restaurants and chefs, has won numerous RAMMYs presented by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. In 2012, his esteemed group of power, neighborhood and fine dining establishments captured 10 RAMMY nominations, with Rasika earning the coveted Chef of the Year award. The following year Bajaj was recognized as Washington’s Restaurateur of the Year. His restaurants have also been consistently nominated for prestigious awards by the James Beard Foundation, including Best Chef-Mid Atlantic, Rising Star Chef and Restaurateur of the Year. They are also consistently recognized among the best in the city in The Washington Post, Washingtonian, DC Modern Luxury, Forbes, CNN, Food & Wine, Washington Life and Capitol File. The Bombay Club, Rasika and Bibiana have each been named by Esquire among the Best New Restaurants in the USA and Worth Magazine featured Bibiana as one of the Best Restaurants for Power Dining in May, 2011.

Recognized as Washington's leading host among power diners for exceptional food and service levels, in October, 2009, Bajaj was named as one of the 50 Most Powerful people in Washington by GQ magazine. The Washington Post featured him in the Style Section in February 2011 stating "And so it goes in the Empire of Ashok, a land of power dining and power appeasement that encompasses six see-and-be-seen restaurants, each with a distinct menu and vibe but a similar Ashokian polish." City Paper named Bajaj Best Restaurateur for 2010 and 2011, and then in January, 2012, Washingtonian magazine tapped him as Washington's Restaurateur of the Year. Next The New York Times featured Ashok in August, 2013 in an article titled "Right This Way, Senator" highlighting his achievements as the "New Delhi-born restaurateur masters power dining in D.C."