The Symbiosis School of Culinary Arts and Nutritional Sciences, Pune, emerged as the overall winner of the maiden PHDCCI National Young Chef Competition (NYCC) 2025–26, at the Grand Finale held on 19 January 2026 at the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Pusa, New Delhi.
Teams from Maharashtra State IHMCT, Pune, and Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, secured the first runner-up and second runner-up positions, respectively. The Best Bhaja Dish award was presented to the team from Chef’s Kitchen Institute of Culinary Arts and Hotel Management, Kolhapur.
The Grand Finale brought together teams from 10 leading hospitality institutions across all four zones of India, reinforcing the pan-India scope of the competition. Participating institutes included Asian Christian Culinary & Agricultural Science Institute, Hosur; Chef’s Kitchen Institute of Culinary Arts and Hotel Management, Kolhapur; Culinary Academy of India, Hyderabad; IHM Bhubaneswar; IHM Kolkata; IHM Kufri; IHM Pusa, New Delhi; IHM Hyderabad; Maharashtra State IHMCT, Pune; and Symbiosis School of Culinary Arts and Nutritional Sciences, Pune.
Addressing the gathering as Chief Guest, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism and Culture, Government of India, underlined the role of young culinary professionals in preserving India’s food legacy.
“Indian cuisine is among our most powerful cultural assets and a vital pillar of tourism-led growth. Our food traditions reflect the diversity, wisdom and lived heritage of our regions and our young chefs are the torchbearers of this legacy,” Shekhawat said.
He added that evolving consumption patterns present new opportunities for Indian chefs.
“Rapid urbanisation and changing consumption patterns present Indian chefs with a unique opportunity to lead innovation in value-added, nutritionally balanced and ready-to-eat food solutions rooted in India’s traditional knowledge systems. Platforms like NYCC are essential in nurturing chefs who are deeply rooted in tradition, yet globally confident and capable of representing India’s culinary excellence on the world stage,” he said.
The finalists were evaluated by an eminent jury comprising Chef Nand Lal Sharma, Deputy General Manager, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation; Chef Debjeet Majumdar, Consultant Chef and Co-Founder, Passion 4 Hospitality; Chef Nitin Shende, Professor – Food Production, GIHMCT Nagpur; Chef Srinivas V, Executive Chef, Travel Food Services; and Chef M. Prabu, Joint Registrar, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute. The jury was chaired by Chef Anil Grover, Certified WorldChefs Judge.
Organised by PHDCCI in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA) and the Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC), the National Young Chef Competition marked the culmination of a six-month nationwide culinary journey aimed at celebrating India’s gastronomic heritage while creating a structured national platform for Indian cuisine.
Welcoming delegates and participants, Anil Parashar, Chair – Tourism & Hospitality Committee, PHDCCI, said the competition was conceived as more than a contest.
“NYCC was envisioned not merely as a competition, but as a national movement to restore pride in Indian cuisine among young professionals. By providing a credible, national platform, we are encouraging students to rediscover their regional food traditions and reinterpret them with contemporary relevance,” Parashar said, adding that the strong participation from institutions across India validated the relevance of the initiative.
The NYCC Steering Committee comprised Chef Manjit Gill, President, IFCA; Chef Anil Grover, Certified WorldChefs Judge; Chef Sudhir Sibal, Founder Member, IFCA; Mr. Rajan Bahadur, CEO, Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council; Prof. Kamal Kant Pant, Principal, IHM Pusa; and Mr. Amarjit Singh Ahuja, Director – Procurement, Le Meridien New Delhi.
Delivering the theme address, Chef Manjit Gill, President, IFCA and Chair of the NYCC Steering Committee, highlighted the philosophical depth of Indian cuisine.
“Indian cuisine is not merely a collection of recipes; it is a philosophy shaped by history, science and cultural memory. Before innovation comes understanding. NYCC encourages young chefs to respect the roots of Indian cooking and then reinterpret them with honesty, skill and responsibility,” Gill said.
He added that this approach was critical to safeguarding India’s culinary identity while preparing chefs for global kitchens.
Rajan Sehgal, Co-Chair – Tourism & Hospitality Committee, PHDCCI, emphasised the importance of collaboration.
“NYCC is a strong example of what collaboration between industry, academia and government can achieve. When young talent is supported through mentorship, national exposure and fair evaluation, it results in confident, employable and future-ready professionals,” Sehgal said.
The Grand Finale followed a live cook-off format, with participants challenged to prepare a traditional Bhojan within two and a half hours. The menu included a bhaja preparation, main dish, vegetable preparation, pulses preparation, curd preparation, rice or bread preparation, and a sweet dish. Teams were evaluated on technique, authenticity, innovation, sustainability, and presentation.
Presenting an overview of the competition’s journey, Shalini S Sharma, Assistant Secretary General, PHDCCI, said the inaugural edition had witnessed wide participation.
“From the curtain raiser to four zonal rounds across North, East, West and South India, NYCC has engaged over 100 hospitality institutions nationwide,” Sharma said. “Our vision is to scale NYCC into a sustained national platform that identifies talent, provides structured mentorship, industry integration and positions young Indian chefs confidently on global culinary platforms.”
Proposing the vote of thanks, Meena Bhatia, Co-Chair – Tourism & Hospitality Committee, PHDCCI, said the success of the first edition reflected collective commitment.
“The successful culmination of the first edition of NYCC reflects the collective commitment of government, industry, academia and our young chefs. PHDCCI remains firmly committed to institutionalising NYCC as a flagship national initiative and expanding its impact in the years ahead,” she said.
The competition was supported by leading industry partners including TATA Consumer Products, Lee Kum Kee, Nestlé Professional, Cremica Food Industries, Venus Industries, Hospitality & Kitchen Solutions (HAKS), Hilton, Roseate Hotels & Resorts, Wagh Bakri Tea Group, Welbilt India, McCain Foods, Chefs Unlimited, Le Meridien New Delhi and the Purchasing Professional Forum India (PPFI), underscoring strong industry engagement with the initiative.
