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
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.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 8 months ago
No, direct admission at International Institute of Hotel Management, Siliguri is not possible. Admission to IIHM Siliguri is based on the IIHM eCHAT (Electronic Common Hotel Admission Test) score. Candidates must also meet the program-specific eligibility criteria. IIHM Siliguri course admission beg
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 8 months ago
International Institute of Hotel Management, Siliguri offers a three-year BSc programme under the guidance of experts. The institute offers BSc specialisations in International Hospitality Management, Hospital Administration, Hospital Studies, and others. The institute also offers BSc Honors in Inte
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 8 months ago
International Institute of Hotel Management, Siliguri, offers scholarships through exemption in tuition fee and special awards to empower students to achieve global career success. Below-mentioned are the IIHM Siliguri scholarship guidelines:
- 20,250/- of tuition fee is exempted for students who secur
U
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 8 months ago
International Institute of Hotel Management, Siliguri fee structure of the programme ranges between INR 1.3 lakh- INR 5.24 lakh. The fee structure of the programme includes multiple components such as tuition fee, caution fee, security deposit, and others. Candidates are shortlisted based on their p
L
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 8 months ago
Yes, admissions at International Institute of Hotel Management, Siliguri are open now. IIHM, Siliguri offers admission to candidates based on entrance exam scores. Aspirants also need to meet the eligibility criteria to apply for a course. Selected candidates are required to keep their educational d
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Contributor-Level 10
Can I get direct admission at IIHM Siliguri?