Hyderabad to host United World of Young Chefs International Food Festival on Feb 2

IIHM is organising the 12th edition of the International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO 2026), the world’s largest student chef competition. While the opening ceremony will be held in Bengaluru on February 1, Hyderabad will host two major events.

Hyderabad: The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) is hosting the 12th edition of the IIHM International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO 2026), the world’s largest congregation of student chefs, bringing together young culinary talent from 50 countries.

The opening ceremony of YCO 2026 will be held in Bengaluru on February 1 and Hyderabad will host two landmark YCO engagements—a global cultural celebration and a competitive round—firmly placing the city in the international culinary spotlight.

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On February 2, Hyderabad will host the United World of Young Chefs (UWYC) International Food Festival, one of YCO’s most distinctive cultural showcases, celebrating culinary diplomacy and global friendship through food, at The Glass Onion, Gachibowli.

The participating countries include France, Scotland, Belarus, Greece, Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Nigeria, Ireland, and Switzerland.

A key highlight of the UWYC evening will be the felicitation of 15 distinguished chefs from Hyderabad, who will be conferred the prestigious title of “ICON Chefs of Hyderabad.”