Culinary Art India 2024, the most prestigious culinary event in the country, concluded with great success at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, after five days of intense competition and culinary excellence. Hosted by the Indian Culinary Forum (ICF) in partnership with ITPO and Hospitality First, alongside the prestigious 38th Edition of AAHAR International Fair, the event showcased the unparalleled talents of over 600 chefs in 8 competition categories, competing on an internationally modelled stage.
The primary objective of CAI is to provide a professional platform where culinary professionals can showcase their individual and collective skills, creativity, and expertise, while also fostering learning, sharing experiences, partnerships, and networking in a competitive environment. The 16th edition of Culinary Art India witnessed an unprecedented display of creativity, skill, and innovation across various culinary disciplines. The event featured competitions judged by a distinguished panel of WACS-certified jury members from India and abroad, setting new benchmarks for culinary excellence. This year’s competitions are being chaired by Chef Gautam Sethi, Cluster Executive Chef, Accor Hotels, Kata, Phuket, Thailand, with Chef Arvind Rai serving as the organizing secretary.
Reflecting on the resounding success of Culinary Art India 2024, Chef Davinder Kumar, President of the Indian Culinary Forum, said, “This edition of Culinary Art India celebrates culinary artistry while inspiring innovation and excellence among chefs nationwide. It’s been a privilege to witness such remarkable talent and creativity on one platform. Culinary Art India serves as a platform for chefs to showcase their skills and elevate their craft to international standards, fostering growth and camaraderie within the culinary community and setting new benchmarks for excellence.”
Chef Vivek Saggar, General Secretary of the Indian Culinary Forum, expressed his satisfaction with the event, stating, “Culinary Art India not only celebrates our rich culinary heritage but also fosters learning and skill development. It remains a cornerstone in the culinary calendar, reinforcing India’s global culinary reputation. With its focus on innovation, education, and collaboration, the event inspires and elevates the culinary profession in India and beyond. The Indian Culinary Forum’s mission is to encourage and inspire junior chefs, raise culinary standards nationwide, and serve as a platform to promote Indian culture and cuisine globally.”
There was a tie between Le Meridien and Radisson Blu Plaza Mahipalpur for the best hotel team trophy .Winners across 18 categories are Mr. Shakeel Ahmad, Ms. NG Asane Nancy, and Ms. Aditi Khare for 3-Tier Wedding Cake, Mr. Sumit Singh and Mr. Rabbi Khan for Authentic Indian Regional Cuisine, Mr. Chinlop Lecha for Contemporary Sushi Platter, Mr. Ravi for Chocolate Mania, Mr. Sanjeev Sagarwal and Ms. Yuthika Sharma for Artistic Pastry Showpiece, Mr. Vinod Singh Rawat for Artistic Bakery Showpiece, Ms. Oshien Kaur and Mr. Prashant Pachori for Petit Fours or Pralines, Mr. Kishan Gupta, Mr. Dev Arora, Ms. Sanskruti Pravin, and Mr. Harihara Sudan for Plated Appetizers, Mr. Trilok Chand for Live Cooking CDP & Above, Mr. Randhir Kumar, Ms. Raveena Bisht, Mr. Aditya Dev, and Ms. Khushbu for Live Competition Rice Dish, Ms. Sharddha Vyas, Ms. Shally Sabharwal, and Ms. Aayushi for Cake Decoration- Dress the Cake Live, and Ms. Diksha Khandelwal, Mr. Feridon Paiwand, and Mr. Pei Dulom for Plated Desserts. In addition, Mr. Mohit Karnani, Mr. Ricky Singh, Mr. Sandeep Panwar, Ms. Aanya Verma, Mr. Ishaan Kaushal, and Mr. Anant Chowdhary, and Ms. Teekshita Naveen Kumar won the Mocktail Competition, while Mr. Sheikh Salman, Mr. Kesaven G, Mr. Ankith K Shetty, Mr. M A Akash George, Ms. Sreya Aneesh, Mr. J Mathan, and Ms. Bhoomika R excelled in Fruit & Vegetable Carving. Also, Raunaq Bir Singh, Rishi Goyal, and Sarjam Baskey participated in the Live Cooking Students/Apprentice category, whereas Ashwani Kumar, Reena, Samarjeet Singh, and Sanyam Chopra competed in the Live Competition Sandwich Making. Furthermore, Siddharth Sharma, Prashant Bisht, Kartik Kashyap, Kamal, and Shresth Agrawal curated the Three Course Set Dinner Menu, and Devansh Pasricha, and Saanchi Pareek prepared Egg Benedict.
