Kikkoman India Announces 4th Annual All-India Kikkoman Cooking Contest 2026 and Culinary Experts Meet-up at IHM Pusa, New Delhi

New Delhi, India – Kikkoman India has announced the 4th Annual All-India Kikkoman Cooking Contest 2026, scheduled to take place on Thursday, 26th February at the prestigious Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) Pusa, New Delhi. The annual contest reflects Kikkoman’s continued commitment to fostering culinary innovation and celebrating excellence in gastronomy.
Main Theme: Create an “Original Dish” featuring Kikkoman Soy Sauce with interesting and surprising ingredient combinations.
Participants are challenged to develop an original dish featuring Kikkoman Soy Sauce, using interesting and surprising ingredient combinations. Known for its unique ability to enhance natural flavours while harmonising diverse ingredients, Kikkoman Soy Sauce inspires chefs to push creative boundaries and explore unconventional pairings.
The competition will be conducted in two categories: Culinary Students and Culinary Professionals.
The Student Category will be judged by Chef Manjit Singh Gill (Eco Green Hospitality), Takanori Higuchi (JETRO), Chef Prashant Urankar (Agrostarc), Chef Kavindra Singh (Lite Bite Foods) and Harry Hakuei Kosato (Kikkoman India).
The Professional Category will be judged by Chef Manjit Singh Gill (Eco Green Hospitality), Rinku Madan (Global Luxury & Food Writer), Takanori Higuchi (JETRO), Chef Prashant Urankar (Agrostarc), Mamta Bist (IHM Pusa) and Shinto Mogi (Kikkoman Corporation).
The Grand Prize winner of the Culinary Professional Category will receive a return air ticket from India to Japan, including an exclusive Kikkoman Factory Tour, offering an opportunity to experience the brand’s heritage, craftsmanship, and naturally brewed soy sauce production process firsthand.
4th Annual Kikkoman Culinary Experts Meet-up 2026 (CEM): On Friday, 27th February 2026, Kikkoman India will host the 4th Annual Kikkoman Culinary Experts Meet-up at IHM Pusa, New Delhi. The theme for this year’s event is “The Intersection of Credibility, Trust, Safety, and Deliciousness.”
The session will explore critical industry conversations, including The Essence of Trust in Food: Designing Psychological Peace of Mind, Fake or Real? Cultivating an Eye for Authenticity, and The Ideal Relationship Between Owner and Chef (Trust & Deliciousness), examining how successful partnerships can create sustainable and high-quality culinary businesses.
The session will feature distinguished leaders from across the culinary and food industry, including Chef Manish Mehrotra of Nisaba restaurant; Mr. Kabir Advani of Berco’s; Chef Rituparna Banerjee of Curry Fwd Collaborations; Mr. Sanjay Gupta of Marriott Marquis; Mr. Zorawar Kalra of Massive Restaurants; Mr. Anosh Ranbhise of Lavonne Academy; Mr. Kabir Suri of Azure Hospitality; restaurateur Sahil Sambhi; Chef Megha Kohli; Dr. Nandita Iyer; Mr. Prateek Arora, and Mr. Bakshish Dean, along with other eminent industry experts. We are also anticipating the presence of Mr. Rajit Punhani, IAS, CEO of FSSAI, at the CEM.
Launch of the Kikkoman Centre for Chinese Cuisine (KCC): A key highlight of the event will be the official launch of the Kikkoman Centre for Chinese Cuisine (KCC), a step to promote gastronomic excellence in India in partnership with prominent leaders of India’s culinary community. The aim is to explore and enrich India’s long-standing love for Chinese cuisine and foster the next generation of culinary professionals, further developing India’s globally recognized food culture. The KCC will operate without a specific physical base, conducting its activities through an online platform and multiple events.
Special Live Streaming Initiative: On Friday, 27th February 2026, from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM IST, Kikkoman India will live-stream the Culinary Experts Meet-up and the launch of KCC, enabling a wider audience of culinary professionals, students, and food enthusiasts to participate virtually.
The live stream will be accessible via:
IHM Pusa YouTube Channel:

Kikkoman India YouTube Channel:

Viewers are encouraged to subscribe to the channels and enable notifications to receive a reminder when the session goes live.
About Kikkoman and Kikkoman India: With a history spanning over 350 years, the current Kikkoman corporate entity was established through the merger of eight families in 1917. The company’s internationalisation strategy began some 60 years ago, with its entry into the United States market. Kikkoman has become a global business, expanding to over 100 countries, with 11 soy sauce production sites worldwide that distribute its products all over the world to millions of consumers. Kikkoman India is solely responsible for importing all Kikkoman products and is responsible for managing all production, marketing, sales, and distribution in India.