IIHM Institute of Hospitality Skills,Siliguri Latest News & Notifications 2026 ,

IIHM hosts 12th edition of YCO 2026

March 2, 2026: The 12th edition of the International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) 2026, held in several Indian cities with its conclusion in Kolkata, hosted by IIHM, accommodated student chefs from 40 different countries. YCO is positioned as a “learning laboratory on a global scale.”  
For students at IIHM, this is not an external event that they observe from the sidelines. It is a learning-by-doing experience that impacts their confidence, competence, and career orientation. Secondly, YCO 2026 was not organized merely as a competition to earn medals but was structured as “An education system that happens to compete”, according to IIHM Founder-Chairman Dr. Suborno Bose. 
Every aspect of the Olympiad—from kitchen challenges to AI-driven culinary research, global MOUs to masterclasses—was designed around one question: How does this add to student learning?   The Olympiad opened in Bengaluru and journeyed through Delhi, Pune, Goa, Hyderabad, and Kolkata—making India a global campus for culinary education. 
The Top 10 finalists came from Albania, England, Sri Lanka, India, Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, Nepal, Malaysia, and the Philippines, demonstrating the breadth and depth of participation. 

IIHM integrated Artificial Intelligence in hospitality education through: 
• AI-driven Culinary Heritage Dossiers 
• Country-specific Culinary Heritage GPTs 
• AI-driven recipe optimisation tools
• The AI-LEAP (AI Literacy Education Acceleration Program) framework 
Rather than replace traditional skills, AI was positioned to augment creativity, preserve heritage, and enhance efficiency. IIHM students are thus exposed to a great professional advantage due to the mentors that they come across at a tender age. 
 During YCO week, Global MOUs were signed by IIHM with institutions in 34 countries under the Global Culinary Knowledge Declaration. 
The Olympiad may be over, but for the IIHM students, their path to becoming global leaders starts now.