PR No – 173
3rd Sep 2026
New Delhi
PHDCCI to take ‘आँच’ – National Young Chef Competition 2.0 Across Four Zones
Over 120 aspiring young chefs to celebrate India’s regional culinary heritage through
‘India on a Plate: Rediscovering Regional Cuisine’
Celebrating India’s extraordinary culinary diversity and the next generation of culinary talent, the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) is set to organise the zonal rounds of the National Young Chef Competition 2.0 – ‘आँच’, bringing together more than 120 aspiring young chefs from hospitality and culinary institutions across the country.
Organised under the theme ‘India on a Plate: Rediscovering Regional Cuisine’, the competition will encourage young chefs to explore and reinterpret India’s traditional regional cuisines through creativity, modern techniques and sustainable practices, while remaining deeply connected to the country’s rich culinary heritage. Through this initiative, PHDCCI seeks to create a meaningful platform where tradition meets innovation, inspiring young culinary professionals to celebrate India’s food traditions in contemporary ways.
The journey towards the Grand Finale, scheduled for mid-January 2027, will unfold across four zones — West, East, South and North.
The competition will commence with the West Zone round on 8–9 September 2026 in Pune, hosted by the Symbiosis School of Culinary Arts and Nutritional Sciences. Bringing together 16 teams, the round will see young chefs showcase their creativity and culinary expertise while drawing inspiration from India’s diverse regional flavours.
The East Zone round will follow on 18–19 September 2026 hosted by the Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition, Bhubaneswar bringing together 13 teams, followed by the South Zone round on 23–24 September 2026 at the M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences,Bengaluru, with 18 teams set to compete.
The zonal rounds will conclude in the hills of Shimla, with the North Zone round scheduled for October 2026 at the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering & Nutrition, Kufri, bringing together 15 teams from the region.
With 62 teams comprising 124 participants expected to compete across the four zones, the competition reflects the growing enthusiasm among young hospitality professionals to explore, preserve and reimagine India’s rich regional food traditions.
The winner of the Grand Finale will also earn the opportunity to represent India at an International Culinary Competition, providing a global platform to showcase their talent and India’s rich culinary heritage.
Open to final-year and diploma students enrolled in hospitality and culinary programmes, with two participants forming each team, आँच will offer budding chefs an opportunity to demonstrate their skills, creativity and innovation while engaging with leading culinary experts and industry professionals.
Inspired by the significance of aanch — the heat and flame at the heart of Indian cooking — the competition is more than a contest. It represents a celebration of the traditions, knowledge and stories that have shaped India’s food cultures over generations, while encouraging young chefs to carry these traditions forward.
आँच’ – National Young Chef Competition 2.0 is supported by Ministry of Tourism, Tata Consumer Products, Tata Sampann, Veeba, Catch, Chefs Unlimited, Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC), Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA), Eastern India Culinary Association (EICA), Western India Culinary Association (WICA) and South India Culinary Association (SICA), Purchasing Professionals Forum – India (PPFI)