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IIHM’s AI-embedded NamAIste Hospitality GPT for ‘Young Chef Olympiad 2026’ where 50 nations congregate
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Tuesday, 23 December, 2025, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Bengaluru
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The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) has now developed an artificial intelligence (AI) platform NamAIste Hospitality GPT. This exclusive, niche large language model for the hospitality industry is developed in-house, built in India and custom-built for the international Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) ecosystem.
NamAIste Hospitality GPT will be the core of operations at the upcoming 12th Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) 2026 with over 50 nations sharing a culinary and creative culinary which will take off on February 12, 2026 and Bengaluru will be playing host to it.
This according to the organisers is a celebration of food excellence, culture, technology, and global unity. Bengaluru was chosen to host India's event based on the city's recognition from an international standpoint. The venue represents a step forward for the United Nations’ Vision 2030 and for global trends in technology that include the 21st century. The official opening of YCO 2026 will have all the participating countries at the same time in Bengaluru and the competition takes place now in several cities in the first round.
The official YCO 2026 Country Draw took place in a hybrid mode from the IIHM Global Campus in Kolkata, marking the commencement of YCO 2026 globally and deciding the allocation of participating nations across five Indian host cities for the first round of the competition: Bengaluru, Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad, and Goa. After the opening ceremony concludes in Bengaluru, teams head out to their host city for the very first competitive leg of the Olympiad.
Along with the Opening Ceremony being held, Bengaluru is one of five cities to be hosting the first round of YCO 2026. The ten countries who will remain in Bengaluru for the first round of competition are: Hong Kong, Thailand, Seychelles, Mauritius, Australia, Colombia, Tunisia, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam.
These teams will compete in Bengaluru which is viewed as the centre of a global culinary movement to present both food and cuisine from their own countries.Through IIHM YCO GPT artificial intelligence is going to provide contestants with AI support through virtual coaching, helping them to build sustainable recipes, providing a real-time framework of their cooking sessions, and AI-powered mentoring modules. These new AI-generated videos and immersive simulations will be able to further the storytelling experience and enable sponsors and partners to co-create branded experiences that help foster AI. Participants will also be able to design carbon-minimal itineraries and zero-waste menus, leveraging tools like the NamAIste SDG Sustainability GPT Builder, supporting YCO’s commitment to sustainability.
When the country draw was held, Dr. Suborno Bose, IIHM Young Chef Olympiad’s chairman, IIHM Worldwide’s chairman, and IHC’s chairman in the UK said that, “This is not just a competition. It is a global stage for talent, diplomacy, and learning. Today’s country draw officially kickstarts the YCO journey where preparation turns into participation, and young chefs begin their role as global ambassadors for cuisine, culture, and collaboration. Each participant is a Young Chef Olympian. The theme of YCO is AI.”
Dr. David Foskett, OBE, Chairman, International Hospitality Council (IHC), London, Chairman, Grand Jury, IIHM Young Chef Olympiad, stated that YCO is often referred to as a melting pot of culinary diplomacy; the culinary tongue becomes the language of friendship, competition, and innovation.
Following the first round of YCO 2026, each participating team, jury member, and other officials from all five hosting cities will head to Kolkata, where its final rounds will conclude where the Young Chef Olympian 2026 shall be crowned.
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