LPU Hosted National Culinary Challenge Season 6 Semi-Finals – A Tribute to India’s Diverse Flavours

LPU excelled in all the events, securing the winner, first runner-up, and second runner-up positions in baking,housekeeping, and culinary competitions

Jalandhar, The National Culinary Challenge Season 6 semi-finals for Punjab and Haryana took place at Lovely Professional University (LPU), bringing together aspiring chefs, culinary experts, and food enthusiasts. Under the theme Flavours of India, this culinary challenge continues to inspire and nurture young chefs by focusing on three key aspects: preserving and promoting regional cuisines, encouraging healthier food choices, and advocating culinary tourism. This semi-final at LPU marked the tenth stop in a thrilling 17-city journey leading up to the highly anticipated grand finale, where the best culinary talents from across the country will compete.

The competition featured three concurrent events: The Better Kitchen Bakery Champion category, the Better Kitchen F&B Young Masters Challenge, and the Enzo Housekeeping Olympiad, where LPU shined across all categories. In the Better Kitchen Bakery Champion category, Koliemeno Terhuja and Kinley Yangzom from LPU emerged victorious, while Nishica and Mehak Verma, also from LPU, secured the First Runner-Up position. The Second Runner-Up was claimed by Jashanpreet Kaur and Jaspreet Kaur from Krystal Baking & Cooking Institute. In the Better Kitchen F&B Young Masters Challenge, Rajdeep from LPU triumphed, while Gurpreet Kaur (LPU) and Khushbu (Doaba College) secured the First Runner-Up position, respectively. Nikita Khatri from Doaba College was recognized as the Second Runner-Up.

In the Enzo Housekeeping Olympiad, Yuvraj from GNA University took the top honor, while Ashutosh Kumar from LPU was named First Runner-Up. Aarti and Simran from GNA University were the Second Runner-Ups. In the Everest BKCC competition, Rishu and Sunil Khatri from PCTE Group of Institutions claimed the winners' title, while Hemant and Vaibhav Patel from LPU were the First Runners-Up, and Ankur Deep and Mohammad Farhan Khan from LPU were the Second Runners-Up.

All winners earned the opportunity to compete in the Grand Finale in Jaipur, where they will face off against India’s top young chefs. This year’s grand finale winners will receive scholarships worth Rs 1 crore through the USA J1 WCE Chef Exchange Visitor Program, offering a one-year paid internship in the USA.

The distinguished jury for the competition included Chef Vikas Chawla, Director, Core Hospitality Solutions, and Chef Vishwadeep Bali, CEO, Food Masters. These experts evaluated participants based on creativity, authenticity, taste, and presentation.

Dr. Loviraj Gupta, Pro-Vice Chancellor of LPU, congratulated all the participants and acknowledged the challenges of being a chef, stating, "The life of a chef is demanding, but the rewards of creating something beautiful and nourishing for others are unmatched." Dr. Gupta encouraged the winners to give their best at the grand finale.

The national competition was supported by Everest Masala, Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism, Government of India), Uttar Pradesh Tourism, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), Wisdom Career Education, MYMENU365, and Bio Nutrients (India) Pvt Ltd. This initiative, supported by Wisdom Career Education, provides young Indian chefs with global exposure, helping them refine their skills on an international platform.