First batch of 20 foreign chefs to undergo Indian cuisine familiarisation and training in Delhi
In a significant step towards popularising Indian cuisine globally and creating overseas markets for value-added Indian food products, the Indian Federation of Chefs Associations (IFCA) and the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) have jointly launched the International Indian Culinary Leadership Programme. The initiative aims to build a pool of international culinary ambassadors who will promote Indian food in global markets.
As part of the programme, the first batch of 20 selected international chefs will undergo a four-day familiarisation and training programme in Indian cuisine, beginning January 3, 2026. The programme is being hosted at the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Pusa, New Delhi.
IFCA has designed the training curriculum, which will introduce participating chefs to the diversity, techniques, and ingredients of Indian cuisine. In addition to the training sessions, the chefs will also attend the Indus Food Show in Delhi starting January 8, before returning to their respective countries.
Explaining the objective of the initiative, Chef Manjit S. Gill, President of IFCA, said the programme seeks to create a strong network of culinary ambassadors for Indian food across international markets. “The primary objective of the programme is to create culinary ambassadors of India abroad,” he said, adding that it would enable participating chefs to confidently include Indian dishes in their menus.
Chef Gill noted that while many Indian chefs have successfully become ambassadors for international cuisines, India as a nation has lagged in creating similar champions for its own culinary heritage overseas. “We have awakened late. But better late than never,” he said during a telephonic interaction with HospitalityBiz.
Beyond brand-building for Indian cuisine, Chef Gill said the initiative is also designed to stimulate demand for value-added Indian food products in global markets. “When chefs start including Indian food in their menus, it will automatically create demand for Indian value-added products,” he explained.
He added that the programme could play a key role in enhancing India’s image as a global gastronomy destination, thereby driving culinary tourism into the country.
Calling this initiative a starting point, Chef Gill said IFCA would continuously refine and strengthen the programme based on feedback from participants. “This is the beginning, and we will learn and tweak the module as we move forward,” he said.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the International Indian Culinary Leadership Programme was signed between TPCI and IFCA on the sidelines of last year’s Indus Food Expo.
