International Young Chef Olympiad begins

THE INTERNATIONAL YOUNG Chef Olympiad has kicked-off in the national capital with a grand opening ceremony. The Olympiad, being organised by International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) and Incredible India, Government of India, will witness teams from 45 countries competing in three rounds of culinary challenges of varying difficulty levels. Thereafter, top ten contestants from the three rounds will showcase their gastronomic talent in the final battle for the winner's trophy and a cash prize of $10,000.

“Being a professional chef is a very demanding, high pressure and extremely competitive job. A platform like the Young Chef Olympiad is a great way to showcase your talent and stand out amongst scores of others in the field,” the principal judge, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor said.

A special guest on this occasion was the 14-year old Masterchef Junior US 2014 Winner Logan Guleff, who has come to India as the Young Chef Olympiad 2017 Mascot so as to boost the morale of the participants.

“It's a fantastic event and a great platform for young chefs from so many countries to display their talent. I can't wait to meet these young contestants and experence the taste and flavors of all their countries. There'll be so much to learn from each other,” he said.

The competition will be held over five days across four cities – Delhi, Bangalore, Pune and Kolkata. The two-hour long grand finale will be held in Kolkata on February 2.

The contestants will be judged on the basis of their culinary skills and techniques, adherence to good health, safety and hygiene practice, working methods, minimal waste, best use of ingredients, and professional appearance and attitude.