Culinary Art India: Chef Davinder Kumar on Raising India’s Competitive Cooking Standards

Over nearly two decades, Culinary Art India has grown from a regional contest into one of the country’s most significant professional platforms for chefs. What began as a focused competition has steadily expanded in scale, attracting participants from across India while strengthening its technical standards, judging processes, and professional discipline. This year’s edition marks an important moment in that journey, with the competition receiving endorsement from the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS), bringing it into alignment with global culinary competition frameworks.

In this conversation, Chef Davinder Kumar reflects on how Culinary Art India has evolved over the years, the rising seriousness of India’s culinary community, and why competitive platforms are becoming increasingly important in shaping confidence, innovation, and professional identity among young chefs.

1. Culinary Art India has now reached its 18th edition. When you look back at its journey, how has the competition evolved in terms of seriousness, discipline, and professional expectations?

When we look at the growth of Culinary Art India, it has evolved significantly in terms of scale and participation. Earlier the participation was largely regional, but today we see entries coming from across the country. Chefs now look forward to this competition.

Over the years we have also introduced new elements such as the Culinary Theatre, where leading chefs from hotels and restaurants conduct live demonstrations. Simultaneously, we have made significant upgrades to the competition itself. We have improved our standard operating procedures, infrastructure, judging formats, and the number of live cooking stations.

Today the competition carries a completely professional structure and can be compared with any well-organized culinary competition internationally.

2. This year’s edition is particularly significant with its endorsement from the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS). From your perspective, what does this alignment change for the platform and for participating chefs?

WACS itself is a global brand. The World Association of Chefs’ Societies represents chefs from more than a hundred countries. Receiving endorsement from them is similar to receiving international accreditation.

Our rulebook and competition standards have been further strengthened because we now follow the norms and guidelines set by WACS. Senior international chefs are also involved in the jury. Chef Rick Stephen, a very respected chef, is serving as chairman of the jury.

This alignment adds credibility, recognition, and trust to the competition. For participating chefs, it means their work is being evaluated within a globally recognized framework.

3. At its core, Culinary Art India is a competitive environment. How important are such platforms in shaping a chef’s professional identity beyond the routine demands of a working kitchen?

Platforms like these play a very important role. They give chefs an opportunity to showcase their skills and creativity. They also allow chefs to share knowledge and learn from others.

When chefs participate in competitions, they become aware of new techniques, trends, and standards. Networking also happens naturally in such environments.

Most importantly, competitions help chefs understand where they stand. They build confidence and prepare themselves to compete at international levels.

4. In your experience, what distinguishes a chef who excels in competition from one who performs well in a professional kitchen?

Working in a professional kitchen is routine production work. A chef may be excellent in that environment, but competition demands something different.

When a chef steps out of the kitchen environment and performs on a competitive platform, that is where individual identity and recognition begin to develop. Competitions allow chefs to showcase their talent to a wider audience.

Winning or performing well in such environments helps build personal recognition and professional branding.

5. Have you noticed a shift in the mindset of Indian chefs when it comes to participating in competitions? Are younger chefs approaching these platforms differently today?

Yes, there has definitely been a shift in mindset.

In the early years many chefs were hesitant to participate. They preferred to stay within their own kitchens and were quite reserved about sharing knowledge.

Today the situation is very different. Chefs are eager to participate. They see competitions as opportunities to learn, showcase their skills, and interact with others.

Younger chefs in particular are very innovative. Social media and digital platforms have exposed them to global ideas, and they bring fresh perspectives to competitions.

6. With more than 600 participants expected this year, what does this level of engagement indicate about the aspirations of India’s culinary community?

The scale of participation itself reflects the seriousness of the culinary community.

Chefs and culinary institutes are preparing very seriously to compete. The field has become increasingly competitive, and participants understand that success requires preparation and discipline.

The skill level of young Indian chefs today is remarkable. Their performance can stand alongside chefs from international competitions in places like Singapore or Hong Kong.

7. Competitive cooking demands creativity but also technical precision. How do you balance innovation and discipline when evaluating chefs?

Innovation and discipline must go together.

Creativity is important, but competitors must also follow the rules and technical standards of the competition. Judges look not only at creativity but also at execution.

We evaluate how well a chef performs within the framework of the competition while still demonstrating originality.

8. India has an incredibly rich culinary heritage. Do you see growing confidence among chefs in presenting regional cuisine in competitions?

Yes, absolutely.

We have categories specifically dedicated to regional cuisine, and participation in these categories has grown significantly. Chefs are now presenting dishes from across India, from Uttarakhand to Jharkhand and beyond.

Judges look at authenticity, presentation, storytelling, and the overall composition of the menu. Chefs today are enthusiastic about showcasing regional Indian cuisine in creative ways, often incorporating unique ingredients and traditional cooking techniques that reflect the diverse culinary heritage of India.

9. Competitions can be emotionally demanding. How do these experiences shape a chef’s resilience and professional maturity?

Competitions do bring pressure and emotional intensity.

However, these experiences help chefs develop maturity and resilience. Not everyone wins immediately, and chefs must learn to handle results, feedback, and evaluation.

Over time this process builds confidence and professional discipline, especially among younger chefs.

10. What common mistakes do first-time competitors make?

One common mistake is overcomplicating dishes.

Competitors sometimes forget the basic rules of the category. For example, an appetizer must remain an appetizer in portion size and composition.

Some participants also rely on pre-prepared items when the competition requires them to demonstrate their own cooking skills, which undermines the integrity of the competition and fails to showcase their true culinary abilities. These are things chefs learn through experience.

11. How important is mentorship when preparing chefs for serious competitions?

Mentorship is extremely important.

Every chef preparing for a competition should have guidance from a senior mentor. A mentor helps competitors understand what judges look for and how to improve.

In professional kitchens, including ours, teams preparing for competitions always work under a mentor. That guidance helps them refine their performance.

12. Beyond individual achievement, how do competitions raise overall standards in the industry?

Competitions elevate standards across the industry.

When chefs compete and succeed, they inspire others to improve. The discipline required for competitions influences everyday professional practice as well.

This helps raise the overall level of professionalism in hospitality and culinary fields.

13. What responsibility does Culinary Art India carry in shaping the future of Indian culinary practice?

We are committed to ensuring transparency, professionalism, and global standards.

The competition aims to upgrade knowledge, skill levels, and professional practices. Food safety, hygiene, creativity, and technical knowledge are all important aspects.

Our responsibility is to maintain world-class standards so that chefs participating here can grow in their careers.

14. Looking ahead, how would you like to see Culinary Art India evolve over the next decade?

The competition will continue to expand.

This year we already have more space and increased participation. In the coming years we expect even larger numbers of chefs from across India to participate.

We will also introduce new activities, demonstrations, and engagement platforms to make the event bigger and more valuable for the culinary community, such as workshops on innovative cooking techniques and networking opportunities for chefs to connect and collaborate.

15. After nearly two decades of building this platform, what continues to motivate you personally?

What motivates me most is seeing chefs grow.

When I see young chefs improving their skills, gaining confidence, and representing India on international platforms, it gives me immense satisfaction.

Our goal is to keep strengthening Culinary Art India and continue creating opportunities for chefs to develop and succeed.