India’s finest pastry chefs, bakers and home cooks shine at India International Hospitality Expo 2026
The 9th India International Hospitality Expo (IHE Expo) 2026 was a real showcase of India’s culinary talent, with three national competitions crowning champions across pastry, bakery, and home cooking:
Valrhona Pastry Queen India 2026
- Winner: Tisha Nair (Ecole Ducasse ISH, Gurugram)
- Theme: “The Dance of Birds” — pastry creations inspired by elegance and movement.
- Prize: Advanced pastry training at the Asia Pastry Forum 2026 in Malaysia.
- Highlight: Technical skill, creativity, and precision across multiple pastry disciplines.
Kolb Master Bakers Challenge India 2026
- Winner: Faryaz Nozer Engineer (Head Bakery Instructor, ISFBP)
- Focus: Dough handling, fermentation, baking precision, and consistency.
- Prize: Sponsored trip to Malaysia for international exposure and learning.
- Highlight: Strong craftsmanship and technical expertise in modern bakery practices.
AgroPure Culinary League 2026 – Battle of Besan
- Winners: Palak Jain & Lakshita Gupta (home cooks)
- Challenge: Reinterpreting besan (gram flour) through original dishes.
- Prize: Cash award of ₹25,000.
- Highlight: Creativity, teamwork, and flavor innovation in a live cooking format.
Why It Matters
- These competitions created dedicated national platforms for women pastry chefs, professional bakers, and home cooks.
- They offered live competition formats, letting visitors watch real-time skill, discipline, and innovation.
- Winners gain international exposure, while the Expo itself attracted 25,000+ B2B visitors, 1,000+ brands, and 100+ industry leaders.
IHE Expo 2026 reinforced its role as a major hospitality and foodservice business hub, blending competition, networking, and industry collaboration.
