After a week of intense cooking and display of culinary skills by 53 teams across six Indian cities, Young Chef Olympiad 2023—the world’s bi...
After a week of intense cooking and display of culinary skills by 53 teams across six Indian cities, Young Chef Olympiad 2023—the world’s biggest culinary olympiad—came to an end with a spectacular closing ceremony and Awards Night held at Wet-O-Wild, Nicco Park Complex, Salt Lake, Kolkata.
Emil Zeynalzade of Azerbaijan was declared the winner with the top prize—the coveted Gold Trophy and a cash prize of US$ 5,000, Patiphon Lertsurakitti of Thailand won Silver and a cash prize of US$ 3,000 while Naureen Shaikh from India was awarded the Bronze and a cash prize of US$ 2,000.
After a gap of two years owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, Young Chef Olympiad 2023 was held in a physical format at the cultural capital of India - Kolkata. The grand finale saw some of the world’s most talented young chefs compete with each other to be awarded the Best Young Chef in the World. YCO 2023 also witnessed the presence of some of the most eminent and well-known personalities from the world of Hospitality and Tourism.
The top 10 finalists of YCO 2023 were: Azerbaijan, England, France, India, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and the USA. They competed against each other at the IIHM Global Campus in Sector V, Salt Lake, Kolkata.
Dr Suborno Bose, Chairman, YCO Global Council & CEO of International Hospitality Council, London & Founder & Chief Mentor Indismart Group, shares, “Organized by sheer determination, the Young Chef Olympiad is not about winning or losing. It is about friendship, camaraderie, bonding, and about making friends for life. Yes, it’s a competition but it’s also the place where the world meets the world. It’s the place where you make memories for life”
The Closing Ceremony was a star-studded event, symbolizing the unputdownable spirit of the students, mentors, judges, and all those associated with making YCO 2023 a mega success. At the grand Closing Ceremony, all the 53 participating countries—young chefs and their mentors—who had traveled from across the world to participate in YCO 2023 were called on stage and introduced to the audience. This is one of the biggest congregations of young chefs anywhere in the world.
Dignitaries of the Culinary World shared their past experiences of YCO during the closing ceremony. They also shared insights on the importance of fine detailing and sustainable hospitality to the participating 50+ countries, and it was a riveting experience.
While Lord Karan Billimoria, Chancellor, University of Birmingham, congratulated the young chefs via a video message, Professor David Foskett, MBE and Chairperson of the Jury for YCO 2023 also graced the occasion.
The event was graced by Padma Shree awardee chef Sanjeev Kapoor, the chief mentor of the Young Chef Olympiad. Dr Suborno Bose, the man behind Young Chef Olympiad, a notable name in the hospitality arena shared his visionary thoughts with the participants.
Dr Ashraf Shikhaliyev, Ambassador of Azerbaijan, especially flew in from New Delhi to attend the closing ceremony. He was delighted with Azerbaijan’s win and wished the young chef from Azerbaijan all the best for his career.
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