IHE Expo 2026: India’s Top Pastry Chefs, Bakers and Home Cooks Crowned Champions in National Culinary Contests

Greater Noida News (09 August 2026): The culinary spotlight at the India International Hospitality Expo (IHE Expo) 2026 turned to some of India’s most promising pastry chefs, professional bakers and home cooks as three prestigious national competitions concluded with the announcement of their winners at the India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida.

The four-day event, held from August 5 to 8, 2026, featured three major culinary contests — Valrhona Pastry Queen India 2026, Kolb Master Bakers Challenge India 2026 and AgroPure Culinary League 2026 – Battle of Besan. The competitions were organised by Hammer Management & Marketing Services in association with Bakery Review, providing national-level platforms for culinary professionals and home cooks to demonstrate creativity, technical expertise and innovation.

The competitions brought together participants from different parts of the country and gave visitors and hospitality industry professionals an opportunity to witness high-level culinary talent competing under live, time-bound conditions.

Tisha Nair wins Valrhona Pastry Queen India 2026

Tisha Nair of Ecole Ducasse ISH, Gurugram, emerged as the winner of the Valrhona Pastry Queen India 2026, securing the title in the fifth edition of the national competition dedicated to professional women pastry chefs.

The competition challenged participants to interpret the theme “The Dance of Birds” through sophisticated pastry creations. Contestants were evaluated on their technical ability, creativity, precision, presentation and overall execution.

Tisha’s performance stood out in a highly competitive field, earning her the national title through a combination of technical craftsmanship and creative interpretation.

As part of her winning package, Tisha will travel to Malaysia for a four-day advanced pastry training programme during Asia Pastry Forum 2026. The international learning opportunity will be sponsored by Hammer Management & Marketing Services and is aimed at giving the winner exposure to global pastry practices and professional networks.

Faryaz Nozer Engineer named Kolb Master Bakers Challenge champion

The Kolb Master Bakers Challenge India 2026 witnessed professional bakers competing in a series of demanding tasks designed to test the technical and practical skills required in a modern bakery.Faryaz Nozer Engineer, Head Bakery Instructor at the International School of French Baking & Patisserie (ISFBP), emerged as the national champion.

The competition assessed participants across areas such as dough handling, fermentation, baking accuracy, consistency, craftsmanship and final product execution. Faryaz’s technical proficiency and disciplined approach helped him secure the top position in the competition.

He will also receive an international learning opportunity in Malaysia, with his trip sponsored by Hammer Management & Marketing Services. The programme is expected to provide exposure to international bakery practices, industry professionals and new avenues for professional development.

Palak Jain and Lakshita Gupta win Battle of Besan

The third competition, AgroPure Culinary League 2026 – Battle of Besan, celebrated creativity in home kitchens, with Palak Jain and Lakshita Gupta emerging as the winning team.

The second edition of the Culinary League was designed exclusively for home cooks and featured shortlisted two-member teams competing in a live culinary challenge built around besan, one of India’s most widely used and versatile ingredients.

Participants were required to develop original preparations while demonstrating creativity, flavour balance, presentation, culinary technique and effective teamwork. Palak Jain and Lakshita Gupta impressed the jury with their winning performance and were awarded a cash prize of ₹25,000.

Industry leaders highlight the importance of culinary competitions

Commenting on the successful conclusion of the competitions, Rakesh Kumar, Chairman, India Exposition Mart Limited (IEML), said the response reflected the growing depth of culinary talent across India.

He said such platforms encourage professionals to pursue excellence, experiment with new ideas and measure their capabilities against strong national competition. He also highlighted the value of integrating live culinary competitions with a major business exhibition, saying it creates opportunities for talent recognition, knowledge sharing and stronger industry collaboration.

Sanjay Anand, Co-founder and Director, Hammer Management & Marketing Services, said the competitions were developed to establish credible national platforms where participants could be evaluated on skill, creativity and execution.

According to Anand, the quality of participation this year reflected the rapidly evolving standards of India’s pastry, bakery and culinary sectors. He congratulated the winners and finalists while acknowledging the contribution of partners, jury members and the hospitality industry in making the competitions successful.

Live culinary action becomes a major attraction at IHE Expo

The three competitions added a strong experiential element to IHE Expo 2026, allowing visitors to watch chefs and participants work in real time under competition pressure.

The contests brought together eminent jurors, including chefs, bakery experts, hospitality professionals and culinary educators, who assessed contestants on multiple parameters including technical skill, innovation, discipline, presentation and time management.

Beyond the competition itself, the events created opportunities for participants to interact with industry stakeholders, including chefs, mentors, hospitality professionals, educators, manufacturers, ingredient suppliers and buyers. This interaction helped create avenues for professional networking, knowledge exchange, mentorship and learning while connecting emerging culinary talent with the broader hospitality ecosystem.

IHE Expo 2026 records strong industry participation

The three culinary competitions were among the key attractions of IHE Expo 2026, which positioned itself as a major business and networking platform for India’s hospitality and foodservice industry.

The 2026 edition attracted more than 25,000 B2B visitors and featured over 1,000 exhibiting brands from more than 16 countries. The expo also brought together 100+ industry leaders, experts and speakers from across the hospitality and foodservice sectors.

The four-day event witnessed participation from hotel owners, executive chefs, restaurateurs, bakers, procurement professionals, distributors, institutional buyers, hospitality educators, students and food entrepreneurs. The exhibition showcased a wide range of products, equipment, technologies and solutions while facilitating business development, networking and knowledge exchange across the hospitality and foodservice value chain.

Culinary competitions create new opportunities for talent

With India’s hospitality, bakery and culinary sectors continuing to evolve, competitions such as Valrhona Pastry Queen India, Kolb Master Bakers Challenge India and AgroPure Culinary League – Battle of Besan are emerging as important platforms for identifying and recognising talent.

By combining skill-based competition with industry interaction, the initiatives provide professionals and home cooks with opportunities to showcase their capabilities, gain visibility, learn from industry experts and build professional networks.

The three competitions also highlighted the growing importance of craftsmanship, creativity and innovation across India’s culinary landscape, while providing a bridge between culinary talent and the wider hospitality and foodservice industry. The competitions were co-organised by IHE Expo 2026 and Hammer Management & Marketing Services in association with Bakery Review, with a focus on promoting culinary excellence and supporting professional growth across pastry, bakery and home cooking segments.

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