Young Chef Olympiad 2026 concluded recently in Kolkata, with Sri Lanka securing the Bronze trophy at the 12th edition of the global culinary competition. The event brought together students from 60 culinary institutions representing countries across the world.
Sri Lanka was represented by the Colombo Academy of Hospitality Management (CAHM), in partnership with the William Angliss Institute (RTO 3045), Australia. The competition was structured in two rounds, requiring participants to first follow standardised recipe cards and then create original dishes using a selected basket of ingredients. From the initial group of 60 competitors, 10 finalists advanced to the Grand Finale, representing countries including Switzerland, Canada, Sweden, England and host nation India.
Sri Lanka’s representative, Rumira Piyasiri, a Commercial Cookery student at CAHM, competed while completing his Certificate IV in Kitchen Management (SIT40521). Following several months of preparation, and under the guidance of Imeshika Silva, he secured the Bronze award, placing Sri Lanka among the top three teams at the competition.
The organisers stated that the Young Chef Olympiad assessed more than culinary technique. Participants were evaluated on food hygiene standards, creativity, and their ability to clearly present the progression of their ideas from concept to finished dish.
Technology formed part of the competition framework, with contestants using KitchenCut, developed by John Oliver, former Executive Chef of the Burj Al Arab. The use of digital tools reflected industry practices increasingly adopted in professional kitchens.
The competition was conducted under the leadership of Suborno Bose, Chairman of the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), with judging overseen by David Foskett and Sanjeev Kapoor, among other international judges. Dishes were assessed by experts from culinary institutions and hotels, focusing on technical execution, presentation and conceptual clarity.
CAHM congratulated Rumira Piyasiri and Imeshika Silva on the achievement, noting that the result reflects the institution’s ongoing engagement with international culinary education and competition standards.