Parul University Hosts Vadodara Food Festival 2026 Showcasing Global Flavours and Culinary Experts

Vadodara-based Parul University brought together renowned chefs and food enthusiasts from across the country to celebrate the Vadodara Food Festival 2026, held in association with I.I.M.U.N. The festival encouraged engaging conversations on the changing world of gastronomy and promoted the preservation of India’s wonderful history of food.

The event was graced by a lineup of esteemed chefs like author and food expert Chef Uma Raghuraman, founder and director of CB Hospitality Chef Ashish Bhasin, MasterChef India 2023 winner Chef Nayanjyoti Saikia, director of the School for European Pastry and Culinary Arts Chef Parvinder Singh Bali, President of the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations Chef Manjit Singh Gill, and Celebrity Chef Nishant Choubey.

Chef Uma Raghuraman emphasized how people connect emotionally and culturally with food and, hence, the importance of cooking simply and authentically. She said she had a mantra, "simple, healthy, and tasty khana,” reflecting how sometimes food carries a very deep emotional bond with a person. “India is a country with rich culture and heritage. We have a lot of festivals, every culture & state has a recipe attached to it. As a country we follow these cultures, it’s a great way to keep these traditions going.” She added, highlighting the importance of preserving and recording our traditional recipes so that they don’t get lost.

Chef Nayanjyoti Saikia highlighted some of the traditional cultural practices of the North-Eastern region. “Northeast cuisine is often misunderstood as simple, but in reality, it is deeply layered, flavorful, and rooted in technique,” he said. He discussed many techniques and health benefits that are gaining relevance in today's time but have always been in practice in the northeast. “Trends keep changing, but flavor and authenticity should never be compromised," he said, encouraging the young chefs to stick to authenticity and have confidence in their cooking.

Chef Ashish Bhasin spoke about the changing food industry and how global impact and health consciousness have changed the way customers are buying food. “Food is not just a need, it is an emotion that connects people, memories, and culture,” he stated, stressing the importance of not losing sight of food's true essence. Chef Parvinder Singh Bali offered his perspective on discipline and the core principles of the profession as he talked about the mindset essential for a career in the culinary arts. “The real profession we are in is the business of making memories," he explained. He underscored that achieving success in this field requires a solid base of knowledge, a positive attitude, and honed skills, pointing out that without a strong foundation, long-term growth in the industry is a challenge. “Be hungry for knowledge, be hungry to become a great chef,” he added.

Using an approach rooted in philosophy, Chef Manjit Singh Gill challenged conventional ideas by saying, “There’s nothing in recipes," meaning that while recipes can serve as a basis for starting to cook, true mastery of cooking comes from your ability to comprehend, interpret, and create what you have learned through your past experiences. While Chef Nishnat Choubey spoke about the importance of documentation, not just as a process, but as a way of preserving culinary heritage, especially when tracing cuisines back to undivided India. He reminded students that food is never random. It is intentional, structured, and deeply rooted in history.

The Vadodara Food Festival 2026 provided participants with opportunities to have hands-on experiences, gain understanding from industry experts, and learn about both traditional foods and innovative uses of traditional ingredients within various communities. Along with this, the festival also featured over 40 different types of food stalls, 8 exclusive flea market stalls offering unique merchandise, and many other unique offerings, thus presenting an assortment of flavours and cultural displays.

Talking about the success of the vibrant food festival, Dr. Parul Patel, Vice President, Parul University, said, “The festival connects us to our heritage and our global communities through food as an all-in-one universal language. The festival serves as a platform to learn where students can develop practical skills while gaining first-hand experience working with senior-level professionals in the food industry.”

The festival provided participants with a unique and rewarding experience and emphasized the fact that food is not just about eating, but rather it brings people together with a common bond through culture, true experience, and the continuity of these things through all of the experiences that we share at the table.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of Parul University and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha.