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Kolkata, India – March 24, 2023 – The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) completed 30 years on March 15. As a part of its commemoration, IIHM has announced its pledge to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and bring together 60 countries to join in this effort.

The SDGs are a set of 17 goals that aim to eradicate poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. IIHM recognizes the importance of achieving these goals, and has committed to playing an active role in their realization, especially in the hospitality industry.

Dr Suborno Bose, the Founder and Chief Mentor of IIHM, expressed his enthusiasm for this initiative, stating: “30 years ago, we started a journey to create a world-class institute that could nurture young minds and provide them with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in the hospitality industry. Today, we are proud to have accomplished this mission and to have produced many talented graduates who are making their mark in the industry. But we know that there is still much more work to be done. By pledging to support the SDGs and bringing together 60 countries to join us in this effort, we are taking an important step towards creating a more sustainable and equitable future for all.”

IIHM will be signing MOUs with educational institutes in 60 countries to pledge for the attainment of SDGs by 2030. IIHM has always believed that, for a sustainable future, it is the young who need to be sensitised the most because they are the workforce of the future.

IIHM’s commitment to the SDGs is a testament to its dedication to making a positive impact on society and the world at large. As the institute looks forward to the next 30 years, it will continue to strive towards excellence in hospitality education while also actively contributing to the achievement of the SDGs.

For more information about IIHM and its initiatives, please visit their website at www.iihm.ac.in.

As International Women’s Day approaches, this piece of good news could not have come at a better time. Naureen Shaikh’s impressive achievement of bagging Bronze at the recently concluded International Young Chef Olympiad 2023 in Kolkata—where 53 nations were pitted against each other—is not only a testament to her exceptional culinary skills but also a significant moment for women chefs in the culinary world. Think of it, if you will, as a gender-bending moment, a historic victory for budding women chefs all across the world.

A final-year student of IIHM, Naureen was representing India in the mega culinary competition. An alumnus of Calcutta Girls’ High School, Naureen’s interest in professional cooking began in Class VIII when she opted for Home Science, a subject she stayed with till Class XII. After passing out from school, Naureen joined IIHM in 2020. “I am a COVID batch student,” says Naureen, “Since our industry is totally practical based, I was wondering how we would cope and get the necessary exposure.”

Naureen needn’t have worried, because IIHM is a premier, forward-thinking institute ahead of its time. It ensured that even the batches inducted during COVID received all the training and exposure they required to equip them for a successful career in hospitality. “You will not find the level of exposure you get at IIHM in any culinary institution anywhere in the world,” says Naureen, “The quality ingredients you get here for your practical work, the exposure you get, is unparalleled. With the opportunity for vocational training, you get hands-on experience of how things work in the real world.”

Spending two years as a student during COVID, Naureen remained engaged with activities and culinary and bartending competitions. “I took part in literally all the events that happened from 2020, and I can proudly say that I won each of them,” Naureen reminisces. Her institute recognised her abilities early on and gave her the exposure necessary to bloom and thrive as a chef. Accolades Naureen collected during her college life include Rookie Chef 2020, winnier of the USSEC Competition organised by the US Soy Export Council, SuperChef 2022 and, finally, Bronze at the International YCO 2023.

Prior to the competition, for six months Naureen would spend at least 12 hours at her institute on a daily basis, making the same dish again and again. It’s this meticulous, hardworking approach that held Naureen in good stead through the competition.

To students studying hospitality, Naureen has this to say: “You have made a great decision. Ensure that you work hard, and participate in all the events. You have to make sure you grab the best opportunity possible.”

“Give your everything to the college. Give your 1,000 percent,” she adds, “Work as hard as possible, and try to prove yourself. Once you prove yourself, each and every teacher is going to notice your hard work. At the end of three years you will be astonished at the change in you.”

Studying at a leading hospitality institute has its advantages. Naureen was also able to intern at Domaine de Baulieu, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Auch, France for six months. There cannot be better exposure for a budding chef than that, and Naureen is grateful for the internship opportunity. She returned with three job offers in the bag and plans to take up one of them after she graduates. “This is the exposure you get at IIHM. If you work with dedication, even before completing your course you will have a job offer in hand,” she says.

Naureen beams with pride when she thinks about her YCO achievement. “I was given the opportunity to represent my country in one of the biggest culinary competitions in the world.” For the competition’s final round, all the finalists were required to make two portions of French omelette, four portions of a prawn entree and a dessert. The finalists were judged on innovation, optimum utilisation of ingredients, hygiene and variety of cooking techniques. Naureen emerged with flying colours.

Of course, Naureen could not have achieved this without the support and guidance of her mentors. For YCO 2023, she was mentored by Sudipto Mazumder of IIHM. Sanjay Kak, Director of Culinary Arts, IIHM has this to say about Naureen: “She asks a lot of questions, which makes her a good learner.”

“I would like to thank Dr Bose, Ma’am Bose and IIHM for organising one of the biggest culinary competitions in the world,” says Naureen, “They had the strength and zeal to make an event of this stupendous scale possible. Uniting all these countries together on a single platform is a very big deal.”

Historically, the culinary industry has been male dominated, with women facing various challenges in breaking through the barriers and making a name for themselves. However, Naureen’s success in such a prestigious competition demonstrates that women can achieve great heights in the culinary field. Not only are women capable of excelling in the kitchen, but they can also compete at the highest levels and showcase their skills on a global stage. This is a major boost to diversity and inclusivity in the hospitality industry. Naureen’s success will certainly inspire other aspiring women chefs to pursue their passion, break through stereotypes, and challenge the status quo.

The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) organised the first-ever IIHM Global Conference on Women in Hospitality to celebrate International Women’s Day. The event was held on 6th March, 2023 and brought together women leaders and experts in the hospitality industry to share their experiences, insights and challenges. The event aimed to inspire and empower women to take up leadership roles in the hospitality industry and overcome gender barriers and challenges.

The IIHM Global Conference for Women in Hospitality 2023 was IIHM’s way of putting the spotlight on the United Nations’ SDG Goal No. 5 — Gender Equality.

The global conference consisted of six sessions, each focusing on a different aspect of women’s leadership in hospitality. The topics of the sessions were as follows:

• Women Leaders in the Hospitality Industry: Overcoming Gender Barriers and Challenges
• Female Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries
• Women Chefs of Today: Breaking the Male Bastion
• Diversity and Inclusion in the Hospitality Industry: Creating a Gender-Neutral Workplace
• Role of Women in Promoting Sustainability in Hospitality
• Women’s Leadership and Career Progression in the Hospitality Industry

A stellar cast of speakers from around the world shared its views on the riveting and highly relevant topics.

The first session featured women leaders in the hospitality industry who had broken barriers and overcome challenges to reach the top of their organisations. The session highlighted their journey and provided insights on how women can navigate the hospitality industry’s male-dominated environment. Participants included Ms Vita Whitaker, CEO, Whitco Catering and Bakery Equipment Ltd; TV Chef Rakhee Vaswani; Ankita Sheth, Founder, StayVista; and Christine Debouzy, Présidente de l’association Française des Femmes Pilotes. Ms Whitaker said: “Equality stems from within a person. The easiest would be to surround yourself with people who give you confidence and respect, like this powerful panel.” Speaking about the way forward, Ms Debouzy said: “Youth is filled with new ideas. There is a lot of work that is required for having a society which is truly equal. It is the ideas of the youth that can shape the society of the future.”

The second session focussed on female entrepreneurship in developing countries. Women entrepreneurs often face challenges in starting and running their businesses, and the hospitality industry is no exception. The session discussed ways to support and promote women entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry. Speakers included Aditi Handa, Co-Founder, The Baker’s Dozen; Shabnam Haldar, Director, IIHM Pune Campus; and award-winning chef and cookbook author Abhilasha Chandak.

The third session featured women chefs who had broken the glass ceiling in hotel and restaurant kitchens, which have traditionally been dominated by men, and challenged conventional stereotypes. The session highlighted the challenges faced by women chefs and their contributions to the culinary world. “Everybody has to be mindful of the impact of what you say,” internationally renowned pastry chef Sarah Hartnett said during the session, “In any of the best kitchens that I have worked in, we have always had a balance of men and women. Once I don a chef’s coat, I am a chef, not a woman or a man.” Chef Naureen Shaikh, International Young Chef Olympiad 2023 Bronze Medallist, who was also part of the session, said, “I have always been supported by IIHM and through that, I have learnt that gender bias is actually just in the mind. Workwise, a bias cannot exist. If you work hard, you will succeed.” Truly inspiring words those!

Other sessions brought up a host of interesting subjects. If one session focused on the role of women in promoting sustainability in hospitality, another examined the challenges women face in career progression in the hospitality industry. Prominent participants included Mrs Sanjukta Bose, Director and Co-Founder of IIHM and Ms Jyoti Mayal, President, Travel Agents Association of India. Kate Nicholls OBE, CEO, UKHospitality had a progressive and positive take: “Hospitality is a futureproof industry. As a sector there is a tremendous growth in opportunity. The jobs in the industry will evolve with the technology, as the industry is experience-centric. Therefore, it is important that hospitality degrees today teach the skills of the future.”

On the occasion of the conference, legendary hospitality educationist Professor David Foskett said: “Women enrich the workforce. We need to celebrate the role of women in the world of hospitality, and I thank IIHM for organising this conference which in a true sense celebrates the Power of Women.”

Dr Suborno Bose, Founder, IIHM and the force behind the pathbreaking global conference said, “The speakers today included the most illustrious and successful women of international repute in the hospitality industry. Following the United Nations’ theme of International Women’s Day of DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality, IIHM has focused on Sustainability and Technology for providing a strong platform, where women can choose a career off the beaten path and join the world of International Hospitality.”

The IIHM Global Conference on Women in Hospitality 2023 emerged as an excellent platform for women leaders, experts, and aspiring professionals in the hospitality industry to come together, share their experiences, and learn from each other. The event was attended by several prominent personalities in the hospitality industry, including chefs, hoteliers, and entrepreneurs. Going forward, the event will inspire and empower women to take up leadership roles in the hospitality industry and break gender barriers.

The IIHM Global Conference on Women in Hospitality is a significant step towards promoting gender diversity and inclusion in the hospitality industry. The conference will help create awareness and highlight the contributions of women in the hospitality industry, as well as inspire more women to take up leadership roles.

About IIHM:

The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) is a leading hospitality education institution in India, offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in hospitality and hotel management. The institute has campuses in several cities in India and abroad, as well as partnerships with leading hospitality institutions worldwide. IIHM has a strong commitment to promoting gender diversity and inclusion in the hospitality industry and has been recognised as one of India’s best hospitality education institutions.

New Delhi, India – The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) organized an International Food Festival at the Azerbaijan Embassy in New Delhi on 17 March 2023, to celebrate the victory of Azerbaijan at the 9th International IIHM Young Chef Olympiad (YCO). The event showcased cuisines from all the countries that participated in the YCO finale, giving guests a taste of the world’s best culinary creations. It was co-hosted by HE Dr Ashraf Shikhaliyev, the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Dr Suborno Bose, Founder & CEO of IIHM and Chairman of YCO.

The International Food Festival was attended by ambassadors from different embassies, as well as representatives from the culinary world. The menu for the evening featured dishes that were created by the talented young chefs who participated in the YCO competition. From tantalizing appetizers to mouth-watering main courses and delectable desserts, the International Food Festival had something for everyone.

The International Food Festival was not just about food. It also featured cultural activities by IIIHM students and a special performance of the national dance of Azerbaijan by a dance group arranged by the embassy. The guests were enthralled by the performances and appreciated the efforts put in by the students and the embassy.

Speaking about the International Food Festival, Dr Suborno Bose, Chief Mentor and CEO of IIHM, said, “We are proud to organize an event that not only celebrates the victory of Azerbaijan but also brings together different cultures and cuisines. The International Food Festival is a platform for young chefs to showcase their talents and for guests to experience the best of the culinary world. We are delighted to have had the opportunity to collaborate with the Azerbaijan Embassy to make this event a success.”

The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) is a premier institute that provides hospitality education in India. The institute has campuses in Kolkata, Delhi, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Jaipur.

The IIHM Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) is a prestigious global competition that brings together young chefs from around 60 countries to showcase their skills and creativity. The competition is organized by IIHM and has become a popular event in the culinary world.

The International Food Festival organized by IIHM and the Azerbaijan Embassy was a celebration of culinary excellence and cultural diversity. It provided an opportunity for guests to sample some of the best dishes created by young chefs from around the world, and also enjoy cultural activities that highlighted the unique traditions and customs of different countries.