BSS Culinary Challenge 2025

The Culinary Academy of India (CAI), Hyderabad, has once again brought pride to the city as its students secured top positions at the prestigious BSS Culinary Challenge 2025, held on September 27, 2025.

Two final-year BCT&CA students, Abhishek Kumar Pandey and Donti Arun, represented the academy in the competition, showcasing remarkable culinary innovation in Indian and European cuisines.

Abhishek Kumar Pandey impressed the jury with his inventive take on Kolkata Biryani, replacing rice with jowar (sorghum millet) and presenting it in a traditional potli style. He also revived a forgotten Bengali cooler, Amloki Shorbot, and created a stunning dessert combining ghevar, rasogolla, and mishti doi, finished with an artistic alpana pattern. His efforts earned him the First Position in Indian Cuisine.

Meanwhile, Donti Arun presented a modern European repertoire that included a millet mousse crafted in the shape of a rose, a refreshing ragi fermented sherbet, and a baked yogurt paired with a millet-based red velvet cake. His creativity won him the Third Position in European Cuisine.

The panel of esteemed judges featured celebrated culinary personalities including MasterChef Puneet Mehta, MasterChef Chalapathi Rao, MasterChef Rohith Chidurala, Chef Satya Pandari, Chef Naveen Nagaraju, and Chef Rizwan Khader.

The students’ preparation and success were guided by Chef Sudhakar N Rao, Director & Principal of CAI, along with Chef Akshay Kulkarni, Head of Operations, and Chef Syed Abdul Attique, Senior Lecturer. The operational training and support team included Chef Raju Anna Durai, Chef Shubham Singh, Chef Ravi Kant Kumar, Chef Himanshu, Chef Omkar Wani, and Chef S. Kiran Kumar.

The achievement reinforces the Culinary Academy of India’s reputation as one of the country’s premier culinary institutes, producing chefs who skillfully blend heritage with innovation and continue to excel on national and international platforms.