Jhapa to hold National Culinary Contest

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, May 8: The second National Culinary Competition 2026 is set to be held in Jhapa.

Aimed at preserving and promoting the originality, diversity and cultural identity of Nepali cuisine at the international level, the competition will take place on May 14 and 15 at Pathibhara Culinary Art College in Jhapa.

The programme is being jointly organised by the International Nepali Chef Society and the Nepal Chef Society.

Speaking at a press conference held on Thursday at the Nepal Tourism Board, Arun Adhikari, central president of the International Nepali Chef Society, expressed confidence that the competition would connect Nepali cuisine with professionalism, innovation and international competitiveness.

He said the event would focus on the exploration, research, preservation and promotion of authentic and indigenous dishes from all seven provinces of Nepal.The programme will feature an open culinary competition, various food contests and a food festival.

Organisers said the festival would include more than 50 stalls offering everything from local delicacies to international dishes.

More than 10 experienced international chefs from different countries will participate as judges in the competition. Organisers believe their involvement will provide Nepali chefs with opportunities for world-class evaluation, guidance and the exchange of experience.

Speaking at the event, a senior manager at the Nepal Tourism Board said that chefs, as a global workforce, were contributing significantly to society and tourism through collaboration at the local level.

Participation in the competition requires teams of three members. Participating teams must confirm their entry by depositing the registration fee into the society’s official account.

The winning team will receive a cash prize of Rs. 100,000, while the second and third-place winning teams will receive Rs. 75,000 and Rs. 50,000, respectively.