Competition Details
Three rounds. One national champion.
From a Pan-Indian main course submission to a live Grand Finale of knife skills and a mystery basket.
Round 1
Preliminary Round
Each entrant creates an innovative Pan-Indian main-course dish for two people, appropriate for fine-dining service.
- Create a folder: Student Name – Institute Name – Dish Name.
- Submit recipe in Word or PDF.
- Include ingredients, sub-recipes and production methods.
- Provide finished-dish and preparation/cooking/service photographs.
- Submit a 2-minute preparation video.
The best 40 entries from India progress to the practical Regional / Qualifier Round at IIHM campuses.
| Criteria | Marks |
|---|---|
| Originality | 20 |
| Recipe detail and method | 20 |
| Nutritional analysis | 20 |
| Photographs & video | 30 |
| Creative choice/use of ingredients | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
Round 2
Regional / Qualifier Round
- Equipment list supplied before the practical competition.
- Ingredients and quantities supplied to qualifiers.
- Detailed instructions shared at least two weeks before competition day.
- Time allowed: 90 minutes.
The best 8 competitors progress to the Grand Finale.
| Criteria | Marks |
|---|---|
| Hygiene, health & safety | 10 |
| Method of work, technical skills & cooking techniques | 30 |
| Best use of ingredients | 10 |
| Adherence to submitted recipe | 10 |
| Presentation | 10 |
| Taste, flavour & portion control | 20 |
| Time management | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
Round 3
Grand Finale
Stage 1 – Knife Skills
Each finalist prepares and presents specified cuts from unprepared root vegetables within 30 minutes.
- 50g carrot, sweet potato or turnip – Julienne
- 50g carrot, sweet potato or turnip – Brunoise
- 50g carrot, sweet potato or turnip – Jardiniere
- 50g carrot, sweet potato or turnip – Paysanne
- 50g carrot, sweet potato or turnip – Macedoine
All cuts should be clearly labelled. Failure to complete all tasks results in no marks.
| Criteria | Marks |
|---|---|
| Professional handling of knives | 10 |
| Accuracy of cuts | 20 |
| Avoidance of waste | 20 |
| Hygiene standards | 20 |
| Accuracy of weight | 10 |
| Total | 80 |
Stage 2 – Fish & Mystery Basket
Each finalist must bone a whole 1.2 KG round fish into four portions and create a dish from a mystery basket of ingredients.
- 30 minutes to look at the ingredients and create the dish.
- Total permitted time from the start is 1½ hours / 90 minutes.
- The vegetable cuts prepared in Stage 1 must be used, wholly or partially, in the dish.
Any finalist who fails to complete Stage 2 within the permitted time will not be in the first two to represent India.
| Criteria | Marks |
|---|---|
| Hygiene, health & safety | 10 |
| Method of work, organisation & technical skills | 20 |
| Cooking skills & creative use of ingredients | 25 |
| Taste, flavour & portion control | 25 |
| Presentation | 10 |
| Time management | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
General Guidelines
What competitors should know
- There is no participation fee.
- Colleges can nominate more than one student for the first round.
- Individual entries are allowed subject to eligibility.
- For Regional / Qualifier Rounds, travel and accommodation to IIHM campus cities are borne by competitors / participating college.
- For the Grand Finale in Kolkata, travel and accommodation to the competition city are borne by competitors / participating college.
- Winner and runner-up will be trained in Kolkata for over a month under IIHM chefs.
- IIHM provides accommodation and daily subsistence for the winner and runner-up during the Kolkata training period.
- Accompanying faculty/parents make their own travel, accommodation and daily subsistence arrangements.