As ladles go to war again, student chefs from 100 countries are expected to compete for that coveted title, this time virtually. The latest edition of the International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO), organised by the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), will “Zoom” into the kitchens of contestants as they show off their culinary skills.

While participants from 55 countries fly down every year for this culinary battle, the stakes have only increased in YCO 2021, with the tournament making room for even more countries for its seventh edition.

The competition will be held in the first week of February.

“The entire world is going through a challenging time and things have come to a standstill. However, even a pandemic cannot stop the spirit of the Young Chef Olympiad, and we are expecting participation from over one hundred countries this time. While we will miss the physical aspect of it, the fellowship, bonding and camaraderie between students from
across the globe and their mentors and judges will still be present,” said Dr Suborno Bose, chairman, YCO Global Council.

First round: In the first round, contestants will be divided into virtual breakout rooms on the basis of their time zones. They will be given two-and-a-half hours to prepare three dishes.

Grand finale: Following the first round, the top 10 participants will move into the grand finale, where they will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals. The participants ranked between the 11th and 20th positions will compete for the Plate trophy.

Technical setup that contestants will need: A four-camera setup, which includes a front-facing laptop camera, a camera focused on the entire table, a camera capturing the dish from the top, and a mobile camera for judges to be able to take a closer look at the dish.

This elaborate setup is needed to create an environment that replicates a physical kitchen as closely as possible.

Dry run before the event: To ensure smooth operation of the technical setup, there will be a run-through 45 days before the start of the event, where all participants will be briefed. All participating institutes will need to appoint two technical members who will help with the installation of the cameras and coordinate with the authorities in real time to resolve
issues instantly in case of glitches.

How the judging will happen: While judging a competition on food virtually might seem like a challenge, the entire process has been carefully mapped out. The comprehensive multi-camera setup is aimed at ensuring maximum transparency.

Star British chef David Foskett, the chair of the panel of judges, and three adjudicators will be given access to visit any room they want during the competition, to ensure fair play and impartiality. Since taste is a vital part of culinary competitions, the judges panel will appoint a country judge to every participant who will taste the dishes and coordinate with the panel regarding the texture, temperature, mouthfeel, flavours, seasoning and other aspects which can’t be experienced through a screen.

Judging parameters: Impressing the judges panel comprising Michelin star chefs such as Chris Galvin and Brian Turner will not be easy. Participants will be tested on a variety of parameters like hygiene, presentation, health and safety. They will also be marked on how well they follow the methodology of the recipe, while also using ingredients creatively.

What YCO 2020 champ Chen Khai Loong (Malaysia) said: “India is a great place for me. YCO 2020 was my first competition, and India was very welcoming with great people. I had a wonderful experience, made great friends and found something to learn.”

You can read about the previous editions of IIHM YCO here (https://ycolympiad.com/).