One of the most iconic and the largest congregation of student chefs from 50 countries will gather for a week, in different cities, to celebrate power of food to build bridges of solidarity and bring people and countries together. The 11th edition of the Young Chef Olympiad, will be held under the aegis of the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) in partnership with the International Hospitality Council (IHC) London. The Young Chef Olympians- student chefs from 50 nations will undertake two rounds of culinary challenges, to attempt to win, the coveted YCO 2025 Golden Toque.
Suborno Bose on the essence of YCO
Speaking to journalists across India on a video conference before this global event, Suborno Bose, Chairman of International Hospitality Council (IHC) and Founder YCO, and Chairman IIHM said “Through the course of 11 years, the Young Chef Olympiad has grown from strength to strength and has taken on many worthy causes starting from unity in diversity to the UN Sustainability Development Goals and to the promotion of Millets.
This year we will secure the future of hospitality & hospitality education to make AI which we call Advanced Intelligence) help tourism and hospitality do more for people with enhanced human touch. The immersive experience of the Olympiad, will dismantle barriers and cultivate an environment where dialogue flourishes and friendship blossoms.”
Culinary challenges across multiple cities
The competition rounds will start, at the IIHM campus kitchens, from Feb 3, in Goa, and from Feb 4 in Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The top 10 Young Chef Olympians as per the scores of the two rounds, will compete in the Grand Finale of YCO 2025 in Kolkata on February 8, 2025.However there is also the plate trophy and the Suborno Bose Culinary International Challenge prize up for grabs. Each trophy, in this global platform, is bound to embellish the careers of young chefs and validate their skills.
Friendship through food
But each of the Young Chef Olympians, along with their mentors, the judges, and the YCO organising team and student volunteers will be- quite literally, on the same plate of friendship, as each of them will go home a winner, in the cause of cementing friendships and unity through food.
AI’s role in global hospitality education
There will be another winner in this year’s YCO. This winner will not compete but be the catalyst for phenomenal change in global hospitality education- A.I. The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), has adopted a comprehensive framework to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into global hospitality education. This initiative prioritizes inclusivity, human-centric values, and sustainability, reflecting the industry’s evolving needs while preserving its essence.
On Feb 4, 2025. Bengaluru will host students from Romania, Malaysia, South Africa, Namibia, Maldives, Bhutan, Equatorial Guinea, Switzerland, Northern Islands and Iran.
Renowned judges at the Bengaluru round
Judges in Bengaluru will be Chef Shaun Kenworthy, Chef/food concept consultant and strategist; Chef Mario Perera, Executive Chef at The Dorchester, London; Chef Enzo Oliveri, Celebrity Chef, Cavaliere OSI, President of Italian Chefs Federation UK, Director International Hospitality Council, Senior Judge Young Chef Olympiad, Hospitality Educator, Food promoter, Events/Exhibition Organiser.
The Chief Adjudicator will be Chef Paul Jervis – head of school Westminster capital city of college. The Bengaluru event will be sponsored by Ariane Porcelain, Brigade Hospitality, Mc Cain Foods, Incredible India- Ministry of Tourism & Yuva Tourism Bangalore Chapter and Delphis.
Young Chef India and cultural festivities
“This year an additional elimination round was the Young Chef India round which saw participation from students from hotel management institutes across the country. We are proud that the winner of the YCI 2025 is Aliakbar Rampurawala from Bengaluru,” apprised Sanchari Chowdhury, FIIHM, Director- IIHM Hotel School, Bangalore, Head- South India & Co-Director- IndiSmart Learning, while addressing the media.
“Showcasing the multicultural culinary diversity of different countries, YCO 2025 will also bring together the student chefs and chef mentors for the “United World of Young Chefs”. There will be World Cuisine display by the 10 participating countries at Bangalore & Karnataka Food festival organized by IIHM Bangalore in partnership with Venue Partner Brigade Hospitality on 3rd February 2025. We are expecting a foot fall of 500 – 700 pax to be present within the age demographic of 18-25 in the student crowd and a mixture of 25-60 in the form of parents, mentors and chefs from abroad,” added Ms Chowdhury.
A book by Suborno Bose on the A to Z of AI in tourism and hospitality will be launched during the opening of the YCO in Goa. This is aptly called Harmonizing Human Touch and AI in Tourism and Hospitality
Mentors and judges
“With YCO and AI Suborno Bose has changed the realm of hospitality education”, said Padma Shri Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, Principal Judge and Mentor for YCO 2025
Global culinary diplomacy at its best
Intelligent hospitality, therefore will be a goal and a way of life of the Young Chef Olympians as they cook, compete, collaborate, but most importantly cement ties, in the largest grandstanding of culinary diplomacy in the world, achieved by young chefs. This impact will be felt beyond the kitchens in IIHM campuses, in the cities where two rounds of the Young Chef Olympiad will be held, culminating in the grand finale where the winner will be chosen.
As in previous years Padma Shri Chef Sanjeev Kapoor is the Principal Judge and Mentor for YCO 2025 while Prof David Foskett OBE, the legendary hospitality educator and author is Chairman of the Jury. The judging panel includes internationally acclaimed celebrity chef judges including Chief Judge Chef John Wood, a Michelin Star Chef and Founder of KitchenCUT .
Public participation and online voting
Members of the public will also get an opportunity to participate. There will be an online voting opened to vote for the best dessert in round 1 of the main competition, and for the most popular national dish in the United World of Young Chefs competition.
A global movement for unity through food
As the chefs of 50 countries including India’s very own, Aliakbar Rampurawala from Bengaluru, return from YCO; the fire of solidarity of the Young Chef Olympiad movement will burn in hospitality college campuses and beyond in these countries, thus making the YCO, a truly global movement- curated and chiseled under the visionary leadership of Suborno Bose, Chairman IIHM and Founder YCO.