The 'Young Chef Olympiad' YCO 2023 organized by the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) India is being conducted under the auspices of the International Hospitality Council London from 29th January to 4th February 2023
This program has been started since 2015. "Academy of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management and the Center for Leadership and Entrepreneurship" college has been representing Nepal in the program since the beginning.
58 countries around the world including France, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, United Kingdom, Spain, Singapore, and India will participate in the said competition. Since there are many competitors, it is planned to organize it in Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Goa, and Hyderabad. Italy won in the previous season.
In 2020, Shabi Rajbahak, a student of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management of Nepal, was able to win the Best Hygienic Award and the Rising Star Award. In 2021, Abhaya Limbu, a student of this college, won the Best Kitchen Cuts Award by securing 10th place among 60 contestants.
In the year 2022, Ajay Pun, a student of this college, won the Best Hygiene Practices award, while Shurya Mahat, a trainer of this college, was awarded the title of Best Mentor.
This time, representing Nepal, Sugyan Thapa, a student of this college, is competing, while Chef Surya Mahatani is appearing as a mentor.
Registration was opened last October for the competition in which hotel management students in the age group of 18-24 can participate.
The competing nations are divided into 6 groups. According to the division, Nepal belongs to the first group. The said competition is expected to publicize and promote the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.
The event will be inaugurated on 29th January 2023 while Nepal will compete on 30th January. The first, second, and third place winners will receive gold, silver and bronze medals respectively, as well as cash prizes of US$5,000, US$3,000, and US$2,000.
This information was given in a press conference held at the Academy of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management. Speaking at the conference, Ashesh Maharjan, the president of the organization, informed that he is going to participate in the competition with the aim of producing talented people in tourism hotel management as the nation will only succeed if the youth succeeds.
Mentor Chef Shurya Mahat and competitive student Sugyan Thapa said that they were encouraged to make the name of the country bright.
Senior chefs Santosh Shah, Gobind Narsingh KC, Ratna Bahadur Thapa, Laxman Bhandari, Bikram Thapa, and Bhavi Khanal also expressed their opinions in the program. Prashant Khanal, the author of the book 'Timur', also gave his opinion on the program.
The Academy of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management came into operation in the year 2010 with a course called Diploma in Culinary Arts. From this course, more than 1000 Nepalese youth have been helped to show the way to employment and advance their careers. The college has been offering leadership and entrepreneurship-oriented programs through Diploma in Culinary Arts (1 year), BHM (4 years), BBA (4 years), and MBA (2 years).
From the 9th edition of the said competition, Yash has been taken as an opportunity by the College of 'Academy of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management and Center for Leadership and Entrepreneurship' to introduce Nepal to the world through food.
