The International Institute of Culinary Arts (IICA), New Delhi, is strengthening its international tie ups through key partnerships in Australia and Japan, opening clear academic and professional pathways for Indian culinary students. Speaking on the sidelines of IICA’s 40th convocation ceremony, Arjun Singh Datta, Managing Director and COO of IICA, said that these collaborations are designed to provide global exposure, industry relevance, and international credits that help students seamlessly transition to foreign universities and workplaces.
“Students in India today are looking for pathways that take them abroad, but with credit,” Datta said. “Our partnership with BSI in Australia has been a huge boon — all our students get a full two-year credit when they go to universities in Australia. Their two years here are equivalent to eight credits there, which means they don’t have to repeat that part and can go directly into the third and fourth year of their degree. This also saves them nearly Rs 25 lakh in tuition fees.”
IICA’s newest international partnership is with Kyoto Culinary Art College and Kyoto Pastry & Bakery Art College, a 94-year-old culinary college in Japan — a fifth-generation institution with more than 5,000 students — marking the Japanese college’s first-ever collaboration in India. The tie-up will see cross-cultural culinary exchange between Indian and Japanese students and faculty, and the eventual establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Indian cuisine in Japan.
“The MOU has already been signed,” Datta revealed. While the framework is still being worked out in close coordination with Japanese Embassy in Delhi, Datta said that the partnership will have three broad pillars – faculty exchange, student exchange, and a joint Centre of Excellence,” Datta said.
The speed at which Japanese restaurants are opening in India has created a huge demand for trained chefs, and this partnership addresses exactly that gap, he added.
Datta, who has himself studied at Landrillo College in North Wales and Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK, says his approach to education has been deeply shaped by global exposure and practical learning.
“What I learned in the UK was that education must make students job-ready from day one,” he explained. “No employer asks for exams; they ask for skills — reports, presentations, leadership, and creativity. That’s what we’re bringing here through immersive, industry-linked training and by developing our own faculty through international exposure.”
Under his leadership, IICA has also been pushing forward on the technological front by embedding artificial intelligence (AI) into its culinary curriculum. Datta believes that future chefs must be “AI ready” to stay relevant.
“We’re training our faculty and chefs to use AI beyond just ChatGPT — for forecasting, reducing wastage, and improving sustainability,” he said. “We even collaborate with companies like Samsung, where our chefs test AI-driven kitchen appliances at their Noida R&D centre. That kind of exposure prepares both teachers and students for the kitchens of the future.”
Despite being a compact, private institute, IICA maintains a sharp focus on quality over quantity. “For us, it’s never been about the number of students but about how many actually stay in the industry,” Datta stressed. “We take pride in ensuring that the 150 students we take each year are motivated to grow in the profession. Many come from tier-2 cities, bringing a strong aspiration to succeed.”
As IICA expands its network of global collaborations, Datta says his goal is to make international education more accessible and relevant for Indian students, without compromising on quality or affordability.
“We want to see these partnerships truly benefit our students,” he concluded. “Australia will continue to be a major pathway, and Japan gives us a whole new dimension — a cultural and culinary exchange that’s unique. The vision is to make IICA a global village of culinary learning, where talent from India can move seamlessly across borders.”
