YCO 22 participants present traditional flavours from own country

From Kaalo Jam to Lamb Stew, the United World of Young Chefs took the world by a gastronomic storm on February 2. Students from more than 15 countries participated in a live cooking session at the 8^th edition of the Young Chef Olympiad 2022 (YCO) by the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM).

The participating duos cooked the traditional dishes of their countries. The event not only showcased various cuisines but also the culture and history of the countries.

“This is the fifth time we are hosting the United World of Young Chefs. This is not a competition. On this day, all the contestants come together, complement each other and cook their national dish or one of the most popular dishes of their country. This is a great way of learning from each other. This fosters unity in diversity as far as gastronomy is concerned. India does not have a national dish. Four years ago, when we started it, we went to chef Sanjeev Kapoor who gave us the recipe of the Khichdi he had prepared for the Kargil soldiers. This year we did Idli, which is good for health and easy to make,” said Suborno Bose, founder and chief mentor of IIHM and the Indismart Group.

Bangladesh represented by Jahida Begum and Nadia Islam Kazi from National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, Dhaka, with the easy-to-make dessert Kaalo Jam. New Zealand, famous for its seafood given to coastline, demonstrated how to make Duo of Kahawai (a kind of fish). The team was represented by Scott Campbell and Sian Letitia Davis from Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec), New Zealand.

Julio Cesar Gonzalez Alonso and Yuliana Runza Buitrago from Augustinian University, Colombia, highlighted the use of chicken and broth through their dish Arracacha (a root vegetable) in Chicken Broth. Arbi Gharakhani and Gayane Simoyan of Centre d'Enseignement Professionnel Franco-Armenien, Armenia, discussed how their local cuisine is a balance of flavours done right with leafy vegetable garnishes. The duo cooked Vana Qashovi. A bulgur and lamb stew. Zainab Mubarek from ZADK Culinary Academy, Saudi Arabia, made the most delicious-looking chocolate cake in a span of no time.

Chef Dylan Low from At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy, Singapore, intrigued the audiences with his a visual demonstration of shelling a crab for cooking Singaporean Chilli Crab. Chefs Somnath Dalal and Sudipta Mazumder from IIHM, India, made Idli and Sambhar.

Switzerland is famous for a wide variety of cheese and so Shaun Leonard and Donovo Aaron Tan from Business and Hotel Management School, Switzerland, opted for Swiss Fondue. Namibia is a melting pot of tribal traditions and ingredients. Chef Terence Jenkinson and Willem Johannes Van Zyl from Silver Spoon Hospitality Academy, Namibia, demonstrated the meat recipe Brie ( a kind of soft cheese) with Kalahari Truffles.

Saving time, ingredients and speeding the process of cooking, Chef Eric Couturier of Cardiff and Vale College, Wales show how to prepare Cawl (a Welsh soup).

Henri Donneaux from Henri Donneaux from HRC Culinary Academy, Bulgaria, prepared the Pitka bread. Ajay Pun from Academy of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, Nepal, showcased Khago, a traditional Nepali dish made with meat. One of the coldest countries, Iceland, represented by Aegir Fridriksson and Hallador Haflidason from The Hospitality and Culinary School of Iceland cooked a one-pot boiled fish meal rich with vegetables and proteins from fish.

Italy and pasta are synonymous other. Matteo Cignetti from Docente Technico Pratico- Ecole Hoteliere de la Vallee d'Aoste, Italy, prepared a simple and visually appealing Pasta. Indonesia’s very popular chicken stew — Garang Asem — was cooked by Feodora Marvella from Bandung Institute of Tourism, Indonesia.

Mexico’s delicious meat sauce and traditional ingredients chili and chocolate were put to good use by Aldo Omar Morales and Nicole Elliot from Gastronomy School of Anahuac University, Mexico, who prepared Pork Loin with Mole Sauce. Chefs Iyeke Elizabeth Oluchukwu and Hope Isaac from CMK Culinary Arts School, Nigeria, made a unique cow feet delicacy called Nkwobi. Chef Akhmad Khamdamov from the International Center of International Center of Uzbek Culinary Art, Uzbekistan, demonstrated the cultural similarities between Uzbeki and Indian cuisine by preparing Meat Pilaf.