20 JULY, 2023, MUMBAI: On 5^th August, the Oberoi Hotels’ acclaimed  chef Dr. Parvinder Bali will lead a unique group of cyclists around the capital region covering 100 kms and include at least 100 riders. The ride, to raise awareness of International Chefs Day among the wider hospitality community, will start at dawn in Vaishali (UP), visit some of Delhi’s landmark hotels and conclude at the India International Hospitality Expo, Knowledge Park 2, Greater Noida (UP) by noon of the same day. 

The unique cycle ride is part of the Chefs Ride 2023 programme and the larger International Chefs  Day (India) campaign which is working to make the day (20^th October) a default day of celebration  among all sections of Indian hospitality. 

The 100+ cyclists will comprise chefs, hoteliers-restaurateurs, hospitality faculty and students as well  as acclaimed pro-cyclists and avid riders of chef Bali’s Indirapuram Cycling Club. Participation is free  and open to everyone in hospitality. A sign-up form will soon be made available on the website. The  on-ground support and logistics for this big activity will be provided by the IIHM New Delhi campus ably led by Prof. Abdullah Ahmed. 

Widely acclaimed for his culinary achievements and commitment to the community, Parvinder Bali  Ph.D. is the corporate chef (L&D) at the Oberoi Hotels & Resorts. He however describes himself on  Instagram as ‘cook….cyclist….flutist….author….painter…in that order’.

“I invite all of Delhi-NCR’s  amazing hospitality sector to ride with us on 5^th August. This effort is to raise awareness of the larger  Int’l Chefs Day programme in a healthy and fun way. A culinary career is physically and mentally  demanding. For me, cycling sparks my culinary creativity. Done regularly, even for short distances,  cycling increases energy levels and overall fitness which are essential for everyone“

chef Bali

Chefs Ride 2023 is the larger awareness-oriented initiative where a group of Indian chefs will ride their  motorcycles from Kanyakumari to Leh starting on 1^st September and finishing by 15^th October. The  main route will follow NH 44 and will travel through India’s centre. The group will stop at 18 major cities where media interactions and large scale community events with the local chefs and hospitality  sector are planned. The list of cities is on their website. 

intlchefdayindia chefsride.in 

20^th October is International Chefs Day. A special website (chefsride.in) provides all the details of the  ride, its goals and partners. We encourage professional cooks and their establishments everywhere to  celebrate their day with their teams + local communities. This has been celebrated from 2004 onwards  in 100+ countries. Since 2016, with our support, the initiative in India has grown from ~400 chefs to  18,000+. We stayed restrained during the pandemic’s two years, so with everyone’s help, this year, we  aim to cross the 50,000+ mark. Our goal is to make Chefs Day a default celebration in India by 2030.

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