PUNE, India, Aug. 6, 2024 -- Young Chef Young Waiter and Young Mixologist India Finals were held at the iconic Taj Lands End Hotel in Mumbai. The winners of the competition were announced during a special awards dinner hosted by Ajeenkya DY Patil University on the 29th July, 2024. The inaugural edition of the YYY India received an overwhelming response from the young generation of Hospitality sector professionals, across India.

The winners of the Young Chef Young Waiter and Young Mixologist India competition are:

Winners are:

Chef Category - Labdhi Chheda, The Corinthians Resort and Club, Pune

Waiter Category - Paresh Singh, M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore

Mixologist Category - Rebeca Peter Dias, Taj Lands End Hotel, Mumbai

Runners-up are:

Chef Category Nimit Chouhan, Hyatt Regency Delhi

Waiter Category Pragati Shaw, The Park Hotel, Kolkata

Mixologist Category Yash Dangle, Mag St., Mumbai

Congratulations to all the contestants who competed in the 2024 YYY India finals. Their achievements not only brought glory to their country but also provided a unique opportunity to connect with and learn from talented individuals in the hospitality industry. Throughout the competition, the chefs, waiters and mixologists navigated through various challenging tasks.

The winners of India finals will compete at the WorldYYY in Singapore in November 2024. The winning World Champions of 2024 will appear at Formula 1 races. 

The doyens for the hospitality sector contributed as the judges for the competition. The esteemed judges were Chef Aabhas Mehrotra, Executive Chef & Partner, Damati Foods; Chef Jay Kantawala, Owner, Gourmet Kitchen & Studio; Chef Gautam Mehrishi, Corporate Executive Chef, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd; Chef Rohit Sangwan, Area Director Culinary - West & Executive Chef, Taj Lands End; Jacob Alexander, Founder, Liquid A' La Carte; Siddhant Hule, Brand Ambassador, Himmaleh Spirits; Archita Gupta, Assistant Director of Food & Beverage, Taj Lands End and Andy Downton, Competition Director, WorldYYY.

The esteemed partners The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Association of India and National Restaurant Association of India generously  supported the competition.

Quotations from Dignitaries:

Mr Harjinder Kang, British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India & His Majesty's Trade Commissioner for South Asia said, "India and UK are linked phenomenally in terms of cuisine and hospitality, there are 10,000 Indian restaurants in UK, contributing significantly to the GDP of the country."

Dr. Robert Walton MBE, Chairman of WorldYYY said, "I extend my heartfelt appreciation to Ajeenkya DY Patil University for bringing the Young Chef Young Waiter and Young Mixologist competition to India. Additionally, a huge thank you to all the sponsors and partners who have supported this competition. India, with its high-end hotels and resorts catering to international tourists and business travellers, makes it a fantastic country to see represented in the YYY competition. The WorldYYY competition invests in the future stars of hospitality, and we are eager to see this platform become a catalyst for identifying young talent in India. All the Indian finalists performed exceptionally well, and I look forward to seeing India represented in the 2024 world finals in Singapore."

Dr. Taruna Maheshwari, Chief Executive Officer, Ajeenkya DY Patil University mentioned, "By providing a global platform for young talent, we hope to spotlight Indian culinary arts and service excellence while inspiring wider interest in this industry. The hospitality industry is a major employer in India, it encompasses a wide range of establishments, including hotels, restaurants, travel and tourism services, and more. The Indian hotel market is projected to grow upto $ 16.8 billion by 2025. The Indian government's schemes like 'Swadesh Darshan' and 'Atithi Devo Bhava' aim to boost tourism and enhance the overall guest experience."

About WYCY

Since its establishment in 1979, the Young Chef Young Waiter competition has continued to promote hospitality as a career of choice, a profession, and a vocation. Today, with its new revitalized format Young Chef Young Waiter continues to honour the next culinary and service stars globally. World Young Chef Young Waiter, in partnership with Great Campaign UK and Northern Ireland and Culinary Institute of America, mission to discover the best young talents in the industry. The Young Mixologist competition started in 2022 in Monaco celebrating the extraordinary young talent who push the boundaries of mixology and elevate cocktail-making to new heights.

Notes to editors:

The World Young Chef Young Waiter India License Holder is Ajeenkya DY Patil University. 

The World Young Chef Young Waiter competition, established in 1979 in partnership with UKHospitality and the Restaurant Association. The competition promotes hospitality as a career of choice, a profession, and an avocation. The competition is open to all young chefs and waiters from any background under the age of 28.

For enquiries, images, & interview requests please contact kareena@ycywawards.com

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The GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign is a programme to drive economic growth across the nation by encouraging an international audience to visit, study and do business with the UK. It was set up in 2011 and promotes the best of the UK in 164 countries around the world, consistently generating a strong return on investment averaging 15.1.

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About Ajeenkya DY Patil University

Ajeenkya DY Patil University (ADYPU), known for its strong emphasis on innovation, is a renowned hub for young learners with entrepreneurial aspirations. We provide an ideal environment for young learners and aspiring entrepreneurs to develop skills for the ever-evolving world and nurture the growth of your startup ventures.

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