Chandigarh University hosts ‘Chef Conclave – Aahar Par Vichar 3.0’; five-day forum spotlights innovation, industry linkages, and hands-on training
Babushahi Bureau
Mohali, September 18, 2025:
Chandigarh University is hosting the third edition of its culinary summit, ‘Chef Conclave – Aahar Par Vichar 3.0’, a five-day showcase of culinary artistry, entrepreneurship, and digital influence curated by the University Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management (UITHM) from September 15 to 19. The conclave brings together leading chefs, hospitality founders, and content creators for deep dives into India’s food cultures, global flavors, and sustainable kitchen practices.
The inaugural day featured a panel on “Recipe for Success” with senior chefs from marquee brands: Kamal Kant Singh (JW Marriott Chandigarh), Rajiv Vatsyayan (The Oberoi Sukhvilas, New Chandigarh), Ankur Sharma (The Lalit Chandigarh), Pushpendu Sen (Hyatt Centric Chandigarh), Jagmeet Singh (Radisson RED, Mohali), Rajnish Kumar (Wyndham Chandigarh Mohali) and Satya Prakash Pandey (Holiday Inn, Zirakpur). Speakers underscored the hotel industry’s rapid expansion, the surge in new properties, and the need for stronger industry–academia collaboration to deliver practical kitchen exposure and real-time problem solving.
Chefs highlighted experiential learning as the differentiator for student success, urging colleges to embed live kitchen rotations, brand-immersion modules, and structured internships. As demand rises in India’s hospitality sector, panelists said institutions must channel resources to train a larger cohort of chefs, managers, and operations professionals, while also creating windows for international exposure.
Day Two (September 16) featured a hands-on workshop by Chef Sanjay Thakur, Professor of Practice at CU and a Guinness World Record holder, who urged students to view cuisine as a blend of science, art, and sustainability, and to innovate beyond borders.
On September 17, the “Founder’s Forum on Culinary Entrepreneurship” (theme: Idea to Impact) brought together Manmohan Singh Kohli (CEO, Aroma Hospitality Group), Chef Sanjiv Verma (Chef & Partner, Pashtun Restaurants), Rajesh Arjun Dhawle (Founder, Chennai Maratha), Sachin Sharma (Co-founder, Chennai Maratha), Chef Manav Suri (Chef & Partner, Qisa; Dastaan) and Sukhwinder Singh (Designated Officer, FSSAI, UT Chandigarh), who shared hard-won lessons on scaling concepts, compliance, brand building, and resilient business models.
The “Food Bloggers’ Meet” on September 18 spotlighted the influence of digital media on dining choices and food trends, with creators including Harry Uppal (therealharryuppal), Gagandeep Singh (PettooSingh), Udhey Sidhu (Gastronome.in.chandigarh), Prichay (Bhukkadintown), Armanpreet Singh (oyefoodiesingh) and Jaspreet Singh (foodie_couple_chd) discussing content authenticity, platform algorithms, and collaborative campaigns with restaurants.
The conclave will conclude on September 19 with an international webinar featuring culinary experts from France, Italy, Switzerland, Georgia, the Philippines, Australia, and Malaysia, aimed at mapping global innovations, emerging techniques, and cross-cultural dialogue to enrich Indian culinary education and practice