The International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO), the largest culinary competition for student chefs, returns for its 11th edition, bigger and more spectacular than ever. Organized by the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) in collaboration with the International Hospitality Council (IHC), London, the event will take place across six Indian cities—Goa, Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, and Kolkata—from February 2 to 8, 2025.
This year’s event will bring together aspiring young chef olympians from 50 nations, including India, USA, France, South Korea, Australia, and Egypt, all competing for the coveted Champion Trophy and a cash prize of USD 5,000. Representing India is Ali Akbar Rampurwala from IIHM Bengaluru, winner of the Young Chef India competition.
The 2025 edition embraces the transformative power of AI and Sustainability in hospitality as its driving force, showcasing their integration in the culinary industry. Speaking to journalists across India on a video conference before this global event, Dr. Suborno Bose, Chairman of International Hospitality Council (IHC), Founder YCO, and Chairman IIHM, said, “Through the course of 11 years, the International Young Chef Olympiad has grown from strength to strength and has taken on many worthy causes starting from unity in diversity to the UN Sustainability Development Goals and to the promotion of millets. This year, we will secure the future of hospitality and hospitality education to make AI, which we call Advanced Intelligence, help tourism and hospitality do more for people with enhanced human touch. The immersive experience of the Olympiad will dismantle barriers and cultivate an environment where dialogue flourishes and friendship blossoms.”
The competition will feature a distinguished jury chaired by Prof. David Foskett, OBE, with Padma Shri Chef Sanjeev Kapoor as Principal Judge and Mentor. Other notable jurors include Michelin-starred chefs like Chef Manjunath Mural, Chef John Wood, and Chef Mario Perera, along with culinary legends like Chef Gary Maclean and Chef Ranveer Brar.
The event begins with a Grand Opening Ceremony in Goa on February 2, followed by the first round of competition in five cities. The top 10 Young Chef Olympians will advance to the Grand Finale in Kolkata, while others compete for the Plate Trophy and the Dr. Bose Culinary International Challenge. The winners will be announced at the Closing Ceremony in Kolkata on February 8, celebrating a decade of YCO’s global impact in nurturing young culinary talent.
YCO 2025 will also bring together the student chefs and chef mentors for the ‘United World of Young Chefs’, which will present the National Dishes of participating countries in respective host cities to create awareness and break cultural barriers through the universal language of food.
Members of the public will also get an opportunity to participate. There will be an online voting for the best dessert in round 1 of the main competition, and for the most popular national dish in the United World of Young Chefs competition.
