New Delhi: The 15^th edition of Culinary Art India (CAI) 2023, a professional culinary challenge, will be hosted by Indian Culinary Forum (ICF) at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, and will be integrated with the exhibition area of AAHAR International 2023, providing an excellent opportunity for budding chefs to showcase their culinary skills and share their knowledge with other contestants.

Culinary Art India is ICF’s signature event with the mission of honouring, educating, and celebrating chefs who are worthy and deserving of recognition, as well as providing them with the necessary exposure to showcase their culinary skills and knowledge.

Culinary Art India 2023, the 15^th culinary contest and display excellence challenge, is hosted by Indian Culinary Forum and organised by ITPO and Hospitality First. The CAI is held in conjunction with the 37th edition of AAHAR International fair 2023, the International food, hospitality, and beverages tradeshow, which runs from March 14 to March 18, 2023 on the first-floor foyer, hall number 5, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

This professional culinary challenge is expected to draw national-level participation from senior and apprentice chefs from India competing on an internationally modelled platform. The CAI’s primary goal is to create a professional platform where culinary professionals from all over India can showcase their individual and combined skills, creative talent, learn, share experiences, partner, and network in a purely business like and competitive environment.

During its 15th edition, Culinary Art India (CAI) will return to the national capital for food lovers to witness live demonstrations by over 300 renowned chefs demonstrating their excellent cooking skills.

“Indian Culinary Forum has set the standard for culinary competitions in India. The hospitality industry has also undergone significant change, with new trends in lodging, food and beverage concepts, and super specialty restaurants. Despite this, food is and will always be at the heart of this industry; ICF took the lead to start Culinary Art India fourteen years ago, where chefs are given a platform to demonstrate their culinary skills as well as help them improve to meet international standards. This experience has not only provided fellow chefs with excellent exposure to showcase their culinary skills, but also to learn and share their culinary knowledge with other contestants,”

Davinder Kumar, president of Indian Culinary Forum.

“I would like to assure all participants and members total transparency through a structured rules, regulations, systems and panel of WACS certified judges. The ICF will continue to strive to bring our fraternity closer together and to encourage the betterment of the culinary profession through improved education, related industry events, and collaboratively setting new benchmarks in the hospitality industry,” 

Davinder Kumar, president of Indian Culinary Forum.

The culinary challenge will be judged by  WACS-certified noted chefs from India and abroad, while well-known Chef Sireesh Saxena is the organizing secretary. Any professional chef from a restaurant, hotel, confectionary, or catering organisation may enter the competition. Individual display classes will include 3-tier wedding cakes, artistic pastry showpieces, fruits and vegetables carving open to students, plated appetisers, Petit Fours or Pralines, three Course Set Dinner Menu, desserts, live cooking competition, 45 minute one dish, Enthusiastic Hobby Cooks, mocktail competition, and so on.

“This event has evolved from a competition venue to an educational platform for chefs to learn, exchange, and showcase their culinary skills. Previously, CAI 2019 drew nearly 300 participants from not only the NCR but also other Northern, Western, and Southern states. The Professional Culinary Challenge will be an international event for young chefs to demonstrate their mastery of their craft and be accredited by a panel of internationally acclaimed judges. This year’s event will be the biggest ever with newly added categories and an expanded competition venue. “We welcome and invite all Chefs to send in their participation to Culinary Art India, 2023, so that you can share your experiences through this prestigious culinary event,” 

Indian Culinary Forum, General Secretary Vivek Saggar.

About Indian Culinary Forum: 

The Indian Culinary Forum is India’s association of Professional chefs of India. It was formed in New Delhi in 1987 as an exclusive non-profit-making organization, dedicated solely to the advancement of the culinary art of India. The Forum’s objective is to act as a link, a platform and an instrument for the enhancement and overall development of the national community of chefs. The World Association of Cooks Societies (WACS) is 110-nation fellowship comprising the world’s various professional chefs’ organization representing over 9 million professional chefs. The ICF has an international culinary focus in the staging of its various competitions, seminars, and events. The aims of the ICF, broadly, are:

• To encourage and inspire junior chefs through training and competition
• To enhance international, the culinary prestige to India
• To encourage Indian nationals to consider a career within the hospitality industry
• To promote Indian Cuisine globally
• ·To help young chefs to hone culinary skills through training, workshops, and competition

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