The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, has launched the National Young Chef Competition (NYCC) with a grand curtain raiser at PHD House, New Delhi. Conceived as a nationwide talent hunt, NYCC aims to discover, mentor and showcase final-year hospitality students across India who demonstrate exceptional culinary skill, innovation and cultural fidelity.
Additional Secretary and Director General of the Ministry of Tourism Suman Billa, the Chief Guest at the launch, emphasised the importance of preserving India’s diverse culinary traditions and urged young chefs to creatively blend regional techniques with global dining sensibilities. He described India’s culinary heritage as rooted in cultural memory and expressed confidence in youth-led revival.
NYCC is jointly curated with the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations and the Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council, under the theme “Celebrating Indian Culinary Heritage: Blending Tradition with Innovation.” The competition will comprise zonal rounds in four regions—North (August at AIHM Chandigarh), East (September at IHM Kolkata), West (November at IHM Mumbai) and South (December at IHM Kovalam)—culminating in a national finale at IHM Pusa, New Delhi in January 2026.
In addition to the core contest, NYCC will conduct career sensitisation workshops for Class 11 and 12 students at each zonal venue. These workshops address declining enrolment in hospitality programs and introduce students to real-world culinary pathways.
Speaking at the event, Rajan Sehgal, Co-Chair of the PHDCCI Tourism Committee, described NYCC as a unifying “movement” that integrates youth, industry and education to celebrate Indian gastronomy. Chef Manjit Gill, President of IFCA, called the initiative a cultural revival that preserves and modernises India’s food legacy.
Other dignitaries included Chef Sudhir Sibal, Chef Anil Grover, Rajan Bahadur of THSC, Kamal Kant Pant of IHM Pusa, Amarjit Singh Ahuja of Le Meridien and Shalini S Sharma of PHDCCI, who shared a detailed roadmap for the competition.
Supported by over 130 hospitality institutions and corporate partners including Venus Industries, Nestlé Professional, Wagh Bakri, Cremica, McCain Foods and others, NYCC offers cash prizes, internships, international exposure and a special recognition for the Best Sustainable Dish.
The launch marks a landmark moment for youth engagement in India’s food ecosystem, strengthening the nation’s culinary footprint at home and abroad.
