NEW DELHI, Jan. 30, 2024 -- The world witnessed another historic moment as the 10th IIHM Young Chef Olympiad 2024 was declared open at a breathtaking Opening Ceremony on the evening of 29th January, 2024, that was not only grand and glamorous, but also engaging for everyone. The epic 10th Young Chef Olympiad is proof to the zeal and passion with which the world's biggest Culinary Extravaganza has grown from strength to strength over a decade. From a nascent idea that brought together just 15 countries of the world in 2015, to a massive platform that has accommodated more that 60 countries in its tenth edition in 2024, YCO truly embodies the spirit of Global Connect, camaraderie and bonding. The World's Biggest  Culinary Olympiad, organised by the International Hospitality Council and hosted by the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) and the International Hospitality Council (IHC) London,  will take place  in  six major cities including Delhi, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa and Kolkata.

The YCO 2024 Opening Ceremony was marked by celebration as well as a significant message regarding matters that affect the world and the hospitality industry on the whole. Prior to the Opening Ceremony there were four Panel Discussions by some of the stalwarts from the international hospitality industry.  The first Panel Discussion was between Neil Rippington, IIHM Global Director and  Chef John Wood, Director of Kitchen Cut. They discussed the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Hospitality Skills of the Future. The second panel discussion had Chef Gary Maclean, National Chef of Scotland and Chef Sarah Hartnett where they discussed the role of employers in Hospitality Education. Rajan Bahadur was the moderator of the discussion. The third panel discussion was between Chef Cyrus Todiwala and Mario Parera. They talked about Organisational Culture and how we need to work differently. Prof David Foskett moderated the session. In the final panel discussion Paul Jervis and Chef Zamzani spoke about  the strategy for the future recruitment and career development. Hospitality icon, Diwan Gautam Anand, moderated this session.

The Opening Ceremony followed with all 60 participants coming together on stage with their respective country flags. "Through the course of 10 years, the Young Chef Olympiad has grown from strength to strength and has taken on many worthy causes, starting from unity to diversity, to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the promotion of millets. Through the immersive experience of the Olympiad, we aim to dismantle barriers and cultivate an environment where dialogue flourishes and friendship blossoms. The Young Chef Olympiad is a platform to promote Youth Culinary Diplomacy, a platform to bring the world together through the power of youth," said Dr Suborno Bose, the CEO of the International Hospitality Council and Chairman of IIHM in his address.  

"From 2015, YCO has grown, not just as a competition, but as a gathering of young people, of friendship, harmony and learning. Today, YCO promotes learning about what issues, the world currently faces.  To live is to learn. To live is to change. But to change often is to grow. This is the philosophy that YCO follows," said Prof David Foskett , Chairman of IHC and the YCO Jury who has been presented the OBE by King Charles III at the beginning of the year. 

The rest of the Opening Ceremony showcased the unveiling of the winner's trophy by Dr Suborno Bose, introducing Tiger Chef, the mascot of YCO and also unfurling of the Young Chef Olympiad flag. Against the backdrop of the YCO anthem, mentors and judges took the YCO oath together. This officially announced the opening of the epic 10th International IIHM Young Chef Olympiad that will be followed by six days of nail-biting competition and mutual cultural exchange between nations.

About IIHM

IIHM (International Institute of Hotel Management) is one of the largest chain of premier hospitality and hotel management schools across India that started its journey in 1994 at Kolkata. IIHM is a part of Indismart Group, the conglomerate that operates the Indismart Hotels. IIHM campuses are located across eleven National and International cities with the associate institute IAM-IHM located in Kolkata, and Guwahati. Students passing out of IIHM are armed with an international degree from the University of West London and equipped with global hospitality skills that enable easy placements in any hospitality brand across the world. IIHM is dedicated to its pursuit of excellence in teaching and placements. Real time experience is the key to success in hospitality and that makes the institute popular. In recent years, IIHM has been instrumental in organizing the Worlds biggest Culinary Olympiad Young Chef Olympiad, with participation of over 50 countries, a unique idea and initiative inviting young culinary talents across the world. It has MoU's with over 50 countries for student and faculty exchange bringing the best of education for its students from around the World. 

The institute has bagged several prestigious awards in the past 24 years. The list includes the Best Education Brand Award from Economic Times consecutively in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. It was also featured in Forbes Magazine as Great Indian Institute and Great Place to Study consecutively in the year 2018 - 2019 and 2019 - 2020. IIHM was also awarded as one among the World's Greatest Brands & Leaders 2015-16 by URS International (IMEA - Process Reviewer PriceWaterhouseCoopers PL) and also received the Best Institute in Hospitality Education 2017 Award by Assocham from Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Hon'ble Minister of State for HRD (Higher Education), Govt. of India.

Please visit for more information: www.iihm.ac.in  

Media Contact: 

Abdullah Ahmed,

COO, IIHM Hotel School Group

T: +91-(0)11-43204700

E: Abdullah.ahmed@iihm.ac.in   

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