700+ Chefs from across the country participates in National Culinary Competition ‘Culinary Art India 2026’; organized by Indian Culinary Forum
CHANDIGARH, India, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Demonstrating outstanding culinary skills, Chandigarh University students achieved an impressive haul of 13 medals – 2 Gold, 5 Silver and 6 Bronze – in addition to 12 merit positions at the 18th edition of Culinary Art India (CAI) 2026, a World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS) endorsed national-level culinary competition organised by the Indian Culinary Forum (ICF) alongside the 40th edition of AAHAR – The International Food & Hospitality Fair.
The student chefs of CU’s University Institute of Tourism & Hospitality Management (UITHM) competed across eight rigorous categories including Mocktails, 3-Tier Wedding Cakes, Live Rice Cooking, Vegan Live Cooking, Dress the Cake, Appetizer, Dessert and Egg Benedict in the competition judged by a distinguished panel of WACS-certified international jurors led by Rick Stephen, Vice President, World Association of Chefs’ Societies, along with Chef Alan Palmer, Chef Jatuporn Juengmeesuk, Chef Kimwah Lim, and Chef Muller Andreas.
With a standout performance in this five-day culinary challenge which witnessed participation from over 700 professional chefs, apprentices and culinary students from leading hospitality institutes across India besides international participation from Nepal, Thailand and the United States, Chandigarh University student Nishant bagged Gold Medal in the Mocktail Competition while the Silver Medal was also won by CU student Manish.
Another CU student Sahil won the Merit Certificate in this competition by garnering 60-69 points out of 100 points. In this competition, participants were required to produce two Mocktail portions within 10 minutes with a maximum of five ingredients.
In the Live Rice Cooking competition, Chandigarh University students Kissi, Johann, and Koffi clinched Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals respectively. The Rice Live Cooking Competition required the competitors to prepare one rice main course dish with appropriate garnishes in 45 minutes.
Chandigarh University students showcased their culinary expertise in the Vegan Live Cooking Competition with Rahul and Kissi winning Silver Medals while Koffi won a Bronze Medal. Three other CU students Saransh, Harsh and Jaskaran received Merit Certificates in recognition of their performance in this competition which required participants to prepare and present a main course (hot) with the appropriate accompaniments and a dessert in 1.5 hours.
In the Live ‘Dress the Cake’ Competition, Chandigarh University students Cheshtha and Kissi secured Bronze Medals by showcasing creativity and professional finishing skills in their creative cake presentations in the competition, themed ‘Health’, challenged participants to artistically dress and compose a cake of their choice using any suitable cake base within a stipulated time of two hours.
In the Three-Tier Wedding Cake category, Chandigarh University student Gurshan secured a Bronze Medal for his creative cake presentation with innovative modern shapes and artistic designs.
In the Pre-Plated Appetizer category, Chandigarh University students Shubham and Harsh secured Bronze Medals for their culinary presentations. The category required participants to prepare and present three different appetizers (hot or cold).
Chandigarh University students Rahul, Harsh, Shubham, Krish, Sameer and Gurshan earned Merit Certificates in the Pre-Plated Dessert category, which involved presenting four desserts (two hot and two cold), including one mandatory eggless preparation, suitable for à la carte service.
Johann and Koffi of Chandigarh University received Merit Certificates in the Egg Benedict Live Cooking Competition, where participants prepared the classic Eggs Benedict dish within a stipulated time of 30 minutes.
Congratulating Chandigarh University students for the outstanding performance, Deepinder Singh Sandhu, Senior Managing Director, Chandigarh University said, “Culinary Art India is one of the country’s most credible and professionally respected culinary competition which offers chefs and culinary students the opportunity to demonstrate their skills as per international culinary competition standards. Our students demonstrated exceptional culinary skills, creativity, and professionalism throughout this All-India Competition which witnessed participation from leading hospitality institutes across India, making this achievement even more significant.”
“The University Institute of Tourism & Hospitality Management at Chandigarh University is one of the finest hospitality institutes in India and our students are placed with the leading Hotels, and hospitality industry globally. Our vision has been further fortified by the continuous support we have received from the Tourism, Hospitality & Aviation Industry. A perfect blend of experienced faculties and comprehensive facilities with specialization and industry exposure enhances student’s skill set. We make sure they receive the best quality inputs so that they can join the industry with complete confidence and add value to their work. Our future-forward curriculum introduces students to the art of preparing, cooking, and presenting global cuisines while polishing the scientific principles of culinary prowess. At Chandigarh University, we transform passionate food enthusiasts into Culinary Artists—professionals who craft signature dishes that reflect technical precision and creative vision,” he added.
About Chandigarh University
Chandigarh University is a NAAC A+ Grade University and QS World Ranked University. This autonomous educational institution is approved by UGC and is located near Chandigarh in the state of Punjab. It is the youngest university in India and the only private university in Punjab to be honoured with A+ Grade by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council). CU offers more than 109 UG and PG programs in the field of engineering, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, journalism, animation, hotel management, commerce, and others. It has been awarded as The University with Best Placements by WCRC.
Website address: https://www.cuchd.in/
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