PHDCCI concludes National Young Chef Competition zonal rounds in Chennai, setting the stage for the January grand finale
The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) organised the South Zone round of the National Young Chef Competition (NYCC) at the Faculty of Hotel Management & Culinary Arts, Dr. M.G.R. Educational & Research Institute, Chennai. The round brought together final-year culinary students from hotel management institutes across Southern India.
The competition is being conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA) and the Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC). The South Zone round marked the conclusion of the zonal stages of NYCC, which has been held across four regions over the past six months.
Seven institutes competed in a live cook-off format in Chennai, following earlier zonal rounds held in Chandigarh, Kolkata and Mumbai. Participating teams prepared a three-course Indian meal comprising a starter, main course and dessert within a stipulated time of two and a half hours.
At the conclusion of the South Zone round, teams from the Culinary Academy of India, Hyderabad; Asian Christian Culinary & Agricultural Science Institute, Hosur; and the Institute of Hotel Management, Hyderabad were selected to represent the South Zone at the national Grand Finale. The team from IHM Shri Shakti, Hyderabad, was declared runner-up.
NYCC, in its inaugural edition, is open exclusively to final-year hospitality students across government institutes, private institutions, stand-alone colleges and university departments offering hotel management and hospitality programmes. The competition is structured to provide students with exposure to professional evaluation, live competition formats and industry interaction.
The participating institutes in the South Zone round included Asian Christian Culinary & Agricultural Science Institute, Hosur; Chennais Amirta International Institute of Hotel Management; Culinary Academy of India, Hyderabad; Hindusthan College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore; IHM Shri Shakti, Hyderabad; Indian Culinary Institute, Tirupati; and Institute of Hotel Management, Hyderabad.
Chef Anil Grover, Certified WorldChefs Judge, chaired the jury for the South Zone round. Other jury members included Chef Ajeeth Janardhanan, Culinary Director, The Residency Towers; Chef Prem Kumar Mahendran, Executive Chef, Welcomhotel Chennai; Chef Natesan Kannan, Chief Coordinator, SICA Junior Forum; and Chef Nageshwaran K., Executive Sous Chef, GRT Hotels & Resorts.
Renowned Indian celebrity chef K. Damodharan (Chef Damu), while interacting with participants, said, “Indian cuisine is deeply rooted in culture, memory and emotion, and it is essential for young chefs to first understand its soul before reinterpreting it. What impressed me today was the sincerity with which students approached traditional flavours while presenting them with confidence and creativity.”
Chef Anil Grover commented, “The South Zone round stood out for its strong technical fundamentals and confident expression of Indian flavours. Platforms like NYCC are important in shaping chefs who understand not just how to cook, but why we cook the way we do.”
Sulagna Ghosh, Secretary, PHDCCI, said, “The South Zone round of NYCC reflects the depth of talent emerging from hospitality education institutions in Southern India. The competition is creating a structured platform that connects students, educators and industry.”
The NYCC Grand Finale will be held on 19 January 2026 at the Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, New Delhi. The event will be attended by Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism and Culture, Government of India, as Chief Guest.
The competition is supported by industry partners including Tata Consumer Products, Lee Kum Kee, Nestlé Professional, Cremica Food Industries, Venus Industries, Hospitality & Kitchen Solutions (HAKS), Wagh Bakri Tea Group, Welbilt India (Merrychef and Convotherm), McCain Foods, Chefs Unlimited, Dr M.G.R. Educational & Research Institute, South India Chef’s Association (SICA) and Purchasing Professional Forum – India (PPFI).
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