Food unites, does not divide.

A global culinary competition featuring participants from various countries is highlighting the power of food in uniting individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

The 12th IIHM International Young Chef Olympiad 2026 opened in Bengaluru on Sunday. Over the next few days, participants from 40 countries will not just compete with each other but learn about various cuisines and their origins.

“We are living in uncertain and turbulent times, and this is the best time to reinforce the friendship among young people of the world through food,” Suborno Bose, chief mentor, IIHM, told Metro.

Food as a tool to “foster friendship”: that is the message the chef olympiad wants to convey.

“The intention is, as chefs, one needs to celebrate food,” said Bose.

“You are here as culinary ambassadors — carrying the stories, traditions, ingredients, and philosophies of your nations. At its heart, the Young Chef Olympiad is culinary diplomacy in
action — a place where borders dissolve, politics disappear, and food builds bridges,” Bose told the young participants at the inauguration.

The theme of this year’s Young Chef Olympiad is “preserving the world’s global culinary heritage through AI”.

The organisers have produced a dossier that outlines the culinary heritage
and common food practices of all 40 participating countries.

For example, “Poutine” in Canada combines “hot fries with cheese curds and rich gravy”. Nanaimo
Bar is a “no-bake dessert bar with crumb base, custard icing and chocolate ganache”.

“AI has made it possible for us to prepare a dossier. Food promotes culinary tourism. It is not that there are only a few places where one would travel for food, but every place has its culinary heritage. We are trying to make food the unifying factor for world peace and friendship. Food has always been a unifying force,” said Bose.

The contestants will learn about the food of different regions of the country as they travel to several cities as part of the competition.

On the final day, chef Sanjeev Kapoor will hold a master class, where he will educate the contestants about the heritage of India’s “millet kichdi”.

“This olympiad is educational. All contestants, mentors, and even judges will learn from each other,” said Bose.

On February 4, Calcutta will host a symposium on culinary heritage.

An hour-long competition to prepare street food from a “mystery box” of ingredients will be held on February 5.

The finale will be held at the IIHM Global Campus in Salt Lake on February 6.

“YCO is not just a competition; it is a gathering of friends and like-minded individuals who understand culinary art and bring the world together through shared values in this much-travelled world. It is about friendship, food, and culture. We will witness the absolute best of humanity,” said David Foskett, the chairperson of the jury.