Culinary Art India 2026 Concludes at AAHAR
The 18th edition of Culinary Art India (CAI) 2026, organised by the Indian Culinary Forum (ICF) alongside the 40th edition of AAHAR – The International Food & Hospitality Fair, concluded successfully at Pragati Maidan after five days of competitions, creative showcases and chef masterclasses.
WACS-Endorsed Competition Elevates Global Standards
This year’s edition held special significance as Culinary Art India 2026 was conducted as a national-level competition endorsed by the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS), aligning the event with internationally benchmarked culinary competition standards.
The 18th Professional Culinary Contest and Display Excellence Challenge was organised by ICF in collaboration with the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) and Hospitality First, with support from industry partners HOTREMAI and ARCHIE.
Over 700 Chefs Participate with Global Representation
Over 700 professional chefs, apprentices and culinary students from across India participated in the five-day culinary challenge.
The competition also witnessed international participation from Nepal, Thailand and the United States, further strengthening the global relevance of Culinary Art India.
Diverse Competition Categories Showcase Culinary Skill
Throughout the five days, chefs competed across 18 competition categories, including 3-Tier Wedding Cake, Artistic Pastry Showpiece, Artistic Bakery Showpiece, Plated Appetizers, Authentic Indian Regional Cuisine, Three Course Set Dinner Menu, Contemporary Sushi Platter, Chocolate Mania, Petit Fours or Pralines, Plated Desserts, Fruit & Vegetable Carving, Mocktail Competition, Egg Benedict, and several live cooking categories for professional chefs as well as students and apprentices.
Industry Leaders Highlight Platform’s Impact
Speaking on the successful conclusion of the competition, Davinder Kumar, President, Indian Culinary Forum, said, “Culinary Art India has consistently provided chefs with a professional platform to test their skills beyond their daily kitchen operations. The strong participation and quality of presentations this year demonstrate the growing professionalism and creativity within India’s culinary community.”
The competitions were judged by a distinguished panel of WACS-certified international jurors, led by Rick Stephen, Vice President, World Association of Chefs’ Societies, along with Chef Alan Palmer, Chef Jatuporn Juengmeesuk, Chef Kimwah Lim, and Chef Muller Andreas.
Vivek Saggar, General Secretary, Indian Culinary Forum, said, “Competitions like Culinary Art India create valuable learning opportunities for chefs and culinary students. Competing under internationally aligned judging standards helps participants gain exposure and confidence, while encouraging higher professional standards across the industry.”
Masterclasses Add Learning Dimension
Alongside the competitions, the event also featured live chef masterclasses conducted by leading culinary professionals, including Ajay Chopra, Chef Anirudh Sethi, Chef Nishant Choubey, Chef Ashish Bhasin, Chef Vaibhav Bhargava, Chef Vikram Khatri, Chef Anuj Mathur, Chef Tushar Dhingra, Chef Vinod Rathore, Chef Ranjan Choudhary, Chef Sumit Sabharwal, Chef Anuraag Narsingani and Chef Shivneet Pohoja, among others.
The master class series is organised and coordinated by Chef Mahendra Khairiya, Joint Secretary, Indian Culinary Forum.
WACS Recognition Marks Key Milestone
Bharat Alagh, Vice President, Indian Culinary Forum, added, “The WACS endorsement this year marks an important milestone for Culinary Art India. It strengthens India’s position on the global culinary competition map while inspiring chefs to continuously refine their craft.”
Gold Award Winners Recognised
Among the many participants, several chefs were honoured with Gold Awards across various competition categories. Some of the Gold Award winners included Chef Vikki Saini – 3-Tier Wedding Cake – Hotel Westin Gurugram, Mohammed Suhail Maddi – 3-Tier Wedding Cake – Chennai Amirta IIHM Bangalore, Deepak Kumar – Authentic Indian Regional Cuisine – Hotel Taj Surajkund, Chef Ravindra Ningappa Redekar – Live Cooking CDP & Above – Chef’s Kitchen Institute, Aamod – Plated Appetizers – Hotel Le Méridien, Komal G – Plated Appetizers – Chennai Amirta IIHM Bangalore, Kissi Otniel – Live Competition Rice Dish – Chandigarh University, Kantapong Khamponkaew – Live Competition Rice Dish – Dusit Thani College Thailand, Hanna Ahluwalia – Live Competition Rice Dish – Chitkara University, Aditi – Petit Fours or Pralines – Hotel Le Méridien, Saran Kumar S – Live Cooking Students/Apprentice – Chennai Amirta IIHM Chennai, Chef Saquib – Cake Decoration: Dress the Cake Live – Hotel Westin Gurugram, Patiphon Lertsurakitti – Live Cooking Students/Apprentice – Dusit Thani College Thailand, Bunnithi Kahawong – Live Cooking Students/Apprentice – Dusit Thani College Thailand.
A Leading Platform for Culinary Excellence
Over nearly two decades, Culinary Art India has evolved into one of the country’s most credible and professionally respected culinary competition platforms, offering chefs and culinary students the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in a structured environment aligned with international culinary competition standards.
