The NIPS Institute of Hotel Management created history as it hosted Kolkata’s first-ever Campus Cake-Mixing Ceremony, bringing together India’s most distinguished celebrity chefs on a single academic platform. Representing premier culinary bodies — IFCA, SICA, ICF, the Royal Rajasthan Chef Society, and the Eastern India Culinary Association (EICA) — this unprecedented gathering marked one of the largest chef assemblies ever organised at a hospitality college in Eastern India.
Organised entirely by NIPS students, the campus transformed into a festive wonderland from morning itself, buzzing with handcrafted Christmas décor, live carol performances, and impeccable hospitality. Every visiting chef received a specially designed cherry-themed lapel pin, symbolising the warmth and tradition of cake mixing. The sight of celebrated chefs walking into the campus together created an unforgettable moment as students finally met the culinary legends they had admired through books, competitions, and television.
The heart of the event lay at the beautifully arranged cake-mixing tables, overflowing with fruits, nuts, spices, and citrus peels. Here, the chefs guided students through professional techniques, flavour pairing, and the deeper meaning behind this centuries-old tradition. The hands-on exchange turned into a rare learning experience, offering students high-level insights straight from the industry’s finest.
Chef Abhiru Biswas (EICA President) praised NIPS for blending “tradition, creativity, and professionalism seamlessly,” while Chef Vijaya Baskaran (IFCA General Secretary) lauded the students’ confidence and discipline. Chef Parvinder Singh Bali, former Oberoi SEP Director, emphasised that the event served as “a platform far greater than the ritual itself,” bringing students face-to-face with industry leaders. Chef Sheetharam Prasad (SICA General Secretary) noted that despite attending cake-mixing ceremonies across hotels and clubs for decades, he had “never witnessed such scale and spirit on a student campus.”
NIPS Director Dr Vivek Pathak expressed immense pride in his students, highlighting that hosting chefs from every major culinary association was an honour, but seeing students meet the moment with maturity and passion was even more rewarding. He said, “This event reflects the environment we create — where students meet real-world standards every day.”
He reaffirmed that the institute’s core strength lies in fostering experiential learning and real-world readiness.
The celebration concluded with warm, informal interactions between chefs and students, a fitting finale to an extraordinary pre-Christmas gathering. With its unique blend of tradition, talent, and industry excellence, the event is set to be remembered as one of Kolkata’s most remarkable festive campus celebrations.