20TH CHANDIWALA HOSPITALITY ENSEMBLE 2021

20TH CHANDIWALA HOSPITALITY ENSEMBLE 2021

Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, New Delhi, is a young and progressive Hotel Management College and prominent among the best colleges in the country. Within a short span of 21 years the Institute has made its presence felt in the Industry & it has created a niche for itself as a source of competent Managerial and Technical Manpower for the Hotel Industry.

Hospitality Ensemble is an initiative by the Institute which has been duly supported by the Industry, Institutions and Hospitality Organisations. Virtual Chandiwala Hospitality Ensemble 2021 provided an opportunity to budding hoteliers to sharpen their skills acquired at the Institute. This competition gave an opportunity to young Hotel Management Students to showcase their talents at National level and reach heights of creativity & innovations. This year again it was decided not to let go of the talent in vain and allow participants to showcase their skills even during these unprecedented times of COVID crisis by organising the event virtually.

The New Normal of life has trained nearly everyone managing change and thus, turning this virtual event as an opportunity by adapting to the change needed. Virtual CHE 2021 has removed the gap of time and distance & has given everybody wonderful and exciting opportunities to become more creative and innovative. This added immeasurably to the success of this event and has boosted the morale of the students that was affected by the year-long lockdown and has shown a ray of hope as a new normal in both academic and extracurricular activities.

Opening Ceremony

The 20th Chandiwala Hospitality Ensemble commenced with a grand prize distribution ceremony on 9th December, 2021, with much enthusiasm at Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology attended by the budding students, hospitality professional and our sponsors. It helped participants discover their passion for hospitality and their ability to perform complex tasks in a time-bound manner. It is truly agreed upon the fact that in the light of the pandemic, the competitions were held virtually, even though; It offered a great opportunity to the students in order to discover a new generation of leaders and help them hone their skills.

 The Lamp Lighting Ceremony was followed by a Curtain Raiser to mark the event open, in the presence of Chief Guest – Ms. Sheetal Singh, General Manager, Ambassador, New Delhi; Mr. R. K. Bhandari, Principal, BCIHMCT; Dr. Prem Ram, Event Coordinator, CHE as well as Chef Ranojit Kundu, Co-Event Coordinator, CHE, along with our sponsors, media partners and our supporter, ICF. The faculty and staff members of the institute also marked their presence in the same. Lord Ganesha is widely known as “Prathamesh” and is always remembered in any prayer foremost, and with Lord Ganesh’s blessings, students offered gratitude by giving an incredible performance on “Ganesh Vandana‟.

Before proceeding with the further Ceremony, the audience and guest took a moment of silence to remember one of the greatest stalwart of the Hospitality Industry, Late Shri Rajindera Kumar Ji. Sh. Kumar had been one of the longest-serving senior members of the Managing Committee of Hotel and Restaurant Association of Northern India, also elected as the president for the Association in 2002-03 and 2006-08. He also led FHRAI as president in 2009-10. In memory of Sh. Rajindera Kumar, Shri Shivendra Kumar and his family have instituted a scholarship by the name of Shri Rajindera Kumar Memorial Scholarship. This offers renewable, four-year scholarships to students with financial needs who display academic achievement.

Mr. R. K. Bhandari, in his addressing speech welcomed the esteemed guests, media partners, the sponsors, students of the college and participants from various other colleges virtually. He especially thanked for the Shri Rajindera Kumar Memorial Scholarship and their great support for uprising hotelier. He shed some light, indicating that this ensemble welcomes future hotel professionals and will serve as an absolute opportunity to showcase their talent at a National level. Mr. Bhandari also mentioned about the limitation of physical presence and presentation by the participants during the event because of COVID guidelines but despite that; the enthusiasm, creativity, initiative and art shown by the participants was greatly praised by him. In the end he expressed to the rising stars to keep that initiative and creativity for upcoming future wishing them with a good luck.

The esteemed chief guest, Ms. Sheetal Singh, was specially amazed by the immense effort put into the event by the participants, students and the faculty. This made recall her time as the student in IHM Pusa and WMI. She emphasised on the value and time spends with the faculty and our batch mates are always remembered as we keeping climbing. So she asked the students to remember what we learn from the institute because these value will always help them is developing their career. Always be eager to learn, put maximum efforts and show exceptional care, because these are the things which you will recall when you reach somewhere higher in your career. Lastly she thanks everyone and wished congratulation to all the awardees in the event.

Movinng on, this year a special award was announced to honour the commitment and dedication to late Chef Shivan Khanna, who was instrumental in promoting and developing the cause of Indian Cuisine during his tenure in Taj Group of Hotels.  Chef Shivan starter his journey from the Culinary Academy of India, Hyderabad and was handpicked by the Indian Hotel Company for the prestigious Taj Management Training Program in 2005. In his tenure, he got the opportunity to cater to various heads of the state including the Prime Minister and President of India. Unfortunately, Chef Shivan passed away in May 2021 due to cardiac arrest. To honour the work ethic of the late Chef Shiavn, this award gesture to recognize his immense contribution to the hospitality industry.

Continuing with the various competitions held through the virtual mode of competing, for the second time in Banarsidas Chandiwala’s history in the lieu of the “New Normal” were: MDH Healthy millet recipe Contest, Cornitos Nachos Culinary Challenge, RICH Dress the cake challenge, The final look “Food plating skills”, Chandiwala future chef contest, Chandiwala Sustainable: Indian diet for a healthy future, Zone Bar wizard Bar challenge, Chandiwala art of towel origami compilation, Oxford Hospitality brain twister, and lastly, Yummy Idea best e-profile.

RICH DRESS THE CAKE CHALLENGE

Every cake is a fragment of an artist’s craftsmanship. The great thing about cake is it doesn’t feel like work. You forget about work. Kids, adults, all get the same look in their eye when they're decorating cakes. That's the magic right there. Cake decoration has become a form of unique artistry. Learning to decorate cakes is a matter of experience. The competition involved in dressing the cake is with some form of icing such as fondant, ganache, royal icing to embellish the cake.

The Rich Dress the Cake challenge is aimed at students showcasing their art, where cakes can be moulded to resemble three-dimensional figures. The purpose behind cake decorating is to turn an ordinary cake into an extraordinary masterpiece.

The event of the day at Chandiwala Hospitality Ensemble 2021 continued with the essence of Dress the Cake Challenge in which individual participants were provided with chocolate/plain sponge and whipped cream which they had to use and decorate within the allotted time. Of all the participants, the competition the Winner was Himani Malhotra IHM Bhatinda. The first runner-up of the competition was gained by Seja, BCIHMCT, New Delhi and the second runner up position was grasped by Md. Hammad, FCI Aligarh.

The sheer amount of cakes and talent displayed in this dress the cake competition, couldn’t even fit in one picture. To Judge this competition, great professionals from the industry gave the participants tons of great advice. The Jury panel present during the competition were Chef Balendra Singh, Founder/ Executive Pastry Chef-IBCA (Institute of Bakery & Culinary Arts); Chef Pawan Kaushik, Corporate Pastry Chef; Delifrance, and Chef Tarun Kumar-Corporate Chef, The sunrise Bakery Company.

The event truly depicted that students are artists and craftsmen who work their way to shape different kinds of cakes that are visually appealing. 

THE FINAL LOOK – “FOOD PLATING SKILLS”

Food plating is the process of arranging and decorating food to enhance its presentation. Improving the presentation of a dish adds value to the dining experience, and provides room for a higher mark-up on your food. 

An attractive plate of food has many benefits for the chef, the establishment and the consumer. For the chef, it allows many creative possibilities, a chance to stamp their identity on the menu and create a signature dish. It is also a way to reintroduce flavours that work well together, and present them in a unique style.

The final look: “Food Plating Skills” was an essential event of Chandiwala Hospitality Ensemble 2021.  This played heavily on the cliché that we 'eat with our eyes', but is also a trick which can play into your hands as a chef or restaurateur. The students had to cook and then display their food plating skills on which they were to be judged.

Of all the participants, the competition was won by Johann Jose, St. Joseph Institute of Hotel Management, Kottayam Kerala. The first runner-up of the competition was gained by Sohail Saifi, BCIHMCT, New Delhi and the second runner up position was held by Munish Kumar, Chandigarh University.

The Judges were, Chef Gaurav Chawla, Corporate Executive Chef, Fist Fiddle Resaurants PVT. Ltd; Chef Vivek Chauhan, Executive Pastry Chef, Le Meridien, New Delhi; and Chef Vaibhav Bhargava, Chef Partner, CHO Restaurant

Students displayed a combination of hard work, creativity and self-determination, and not to forget the fact that things commenced happening in a different, new and an innovative learning way.

CHANDIWALA FUTURE CHEF CONTEST 2021

Cooking is a perfect occasion for the kids, as long they love to experiment with food. In order to avoid accidents that might happen in the kitchen, some no-flame recipes were picked according to the criteria keeping in mind the youth with their creativity and innovation.

Fireless cooking is still in the process of development and it is very useful when child is camping with his friends. Also, Fireless Cooking recipes are designed to help young kids learn and practice some basic innovations and develop the skills of time management as well. And the experience of creating meals by themselves can help build their self-confidence and lay the foundation for healthy eating habits.

The winner title was claimed by Naisha Tandon Army Public School. The runner up position was held by Aishaani Mittal DPS Indirapuram. The second runner up position was claimed by Vimara Sethi JD Tytler School.

The participants were judged by the jury Chef Ravindra Choudhary, Ex. Chef, Fio Cookhouse and Bar; Chef Sireesh Saxena, Ex. Vice President (Hotels) Cum Corporate Chef and ITDC Chef Nand Lal Sharma, Dy G.M, HPTDC.

The Future Chef Competition helped students to develop their culinary talent and supported students with entry routes into careers in the world of hospitality.

CHANDIWALA SUSTAINABLE INDIAN DIET-FOR A HEALTHY FUTURE 2021

Food is the focal point around which the traditions and customs of a country have evolved. From Birth to life’s journey and then its finale, celebrations around food are firmly entrenched in the country to which it belongs. Food tells a story about philosophy, traditions, tastes, and culture of the country. It conveys special symbolism in different cultures.  A healthy Indian diet should focus on fresh ingredients such as vegetables, fruits, tubers, legumes, whole grains, healthy fats and unsweetened beverages and avoid unhealthy food. we should focus more on Indian traditional food.

Indian traditional foods have various functional components such as body-healing chemicals, antioxidants, dietary fibres, and probiotics. Hence, our standard diet can assist in weight loss, blood sugar control, and immune system support.

Participants sent a researched article highlighting the eating habits, Health benefits, sustainable steps, recommendations to specific target groups 2,000 -3000 words limit without abstract and references. Upon the basis on which the jury Chef Ajay Sood, Sr. Executive Chef, Independent Hospitality Consultant; Dr. Sonia Sharma, Associate Professor, SOTHSM, IGNOU; and Chef Rajeev Goyal, President, Indian Food Tourism Organisation

Ashish Gupta, Indian Culinary Institute, Noida was declared as the winner. The runner up position was grasped by Kunal Grover, BCIHMCT, New Delhi and finally, the second runner up was chosen to be Aditya Mittal, BCIHMCT, New Delhi.

OXFORD BRAIN TWISTER

OXFORD HOSPITALITY BRAIN TWISTER-2021 was organized to test the skills and knowledge of students. The quiz was designed to understand the participant’s knowledge, awareness and concepts about the wide hospitality world. The participants in the brain twister were totally independent during the online  quiz where they were not allowed to be dependent on any external source for their benefit. 

This competition nurtured the future leaders , imparted knowledge and improved technical skills allowing them to see where they excel and where more of their focus is required.

Questions asked where from all related fields across hospitality and tourism industry, and it was made sure that questions were tight enough to test the participants in depth knowledge about the industry in all possible aspects.

The judges, Ms. Rajni  yadav (HR Manager Crowne Plaza Okhla New Delhi ); Ms. Neeti Chauhan (L&D Manager Radisson BLU Paschim Vihar); and Mr. Rahul Kestwal (Senior Territory Manager, Oxford University Press) announced the winner of the competition Dhruv Gulati, Ambedkar University, followed by the runner up Rishabh Chauhan BCIHMCT, New Delhi and the second runner up was Aniket Tata, LBIIHM, New Delhi .

The OXFORD HOSPITALITY BRAIN TWISTER proved to be knowledgeable for the budding hoteliers who want to step foot into the professional industry; it tested their knowledge and improved them as well. It imparted the awareness and updates on the hospitality and tourism industry which boosted the participants’ insights of the industry as well.

Chandiwala Art of Towel Origami

Apps may soon replace hotel phones, walls may be turned into screens and room service may be delivered by a robot. But it will be very difficult to take the human touch out of hotel. Therefore an hotelier must be equipped with some special skills which come in handy. Chandiwala art of Towel Origami competition 2021 was organized to professionally groom the budding hospitality minds into hospitality experts and counterfeit this necessity. 

Every thematic towel art implies that a guest is warmly welcomed and sought after in the most trustworthy manner. Thereby, this competition focused on quality enhancement, creativity and presentation from the participants.

The Event was judged by Mr.Dishant Jamwal (HOUSE KEEPING MANAGER Crowne Plaza Okhla New Delhi); and Ms.Sharda Sharma (Executive Housekeeper Radisson Blu Mahipalpur, New Delhi), where the Participants were required to make a video of their towel folding. And arrangements on the basis of a particular theme or topic were to be chosen by them liberally. The video was then judged by the panel.

The Winner of this competition was J. Srikant, Trinity College of Hotel Management, Telangana. The runner up was Anusree, IIHMCA Hyderabad and finally, the second runner up position was held by Adityan Anil, Pionner Institute, Hyderabad.

Experts from the Industry shared their insight with regard to working towards perfection and sublimit. These words triggered the students to strive more towards excellence and enrich their skills.

ZONE BARWIZARD BAR CHALLENGE 

No great story ever started with a glass of water. So, to create one we make cocktails! Just as every picture depicts an ocean of emotions, a cocktail in a similar manner carries a great depth of antiquity. Based on this scheme a cocktail, apart from having a background must also gain a balance of flavours and texture much similar to life in general.

To address such stories, Chandiwala Hospitality Ensemble thought of Zone Bar-wizard Bar Challenge where the youthful wizards showed their ability to entertain not forgetting to compete on the other hand as well. Participants were expected to be engaging and intuitive all through the timed out cocktail-making session showing illustrative and creative manifestations, on which they would be judged.

Upon being evaluated by the judges Ms.Priti Parihar (Training Manager The Suryaa, New Delhi); and Mr.Harsh Bhati (Manager Food AND Beverage The Park Hotel New Delhi), on various parameters like technique, bouquet and appearance of the drink, flair with ice and bar equipment, overall efficiency.

The winner of this competition came out to be P.Dinesh, Trinity College of Hotel Management, Telangana, following the runner up Gunjan Sangal, Indian Culinary Institute, Noida and the second runner up Rishabh Chauhan, BCIHMCT, New Delhi.

Cornitos Nachos Culinary Challenge

Cornitos nacho/tortilla chips are a part of healthy snacking. The healthy nacho chips are made in corn oil and are gluten-free. Cornitos nachos are baked and shallow fried with minimal oil and are healthier within the snacking segment. The oil content, compared to potato chips, is 40 percent less.

Cornitos Nachos Culinary Challenge was an essential event of the Chandiwala Hospitality Ensemble 2021. In this challenge the participants were given a time limit in which they had to prepare a course using Cornitos Nachos.

The students were supposed to use their own innovative skills, their imagination and creative thinking so as to fuse nachos – a snacky item into a proper meal and not forgetting to incorporate an artistic way of presentation of the dish in a time bound competition.

Even though sounding competitive and out of the box, it was seen by the jury Chef Gaurav Mullick, Sr.Executive Chef, Lemon Tree Hotels; Chef Anirudh Sethi, Owner-The Mad Fat Chef Hospitality Services; and Chef Parth Bharti-Executive Chef, Pikkle, Lanterns-OH, Delhi.

Ahshita Kashyap, BCIHMCT, New Delhi was able to impressed them all and awarded the winner title, followed by the runner up Divyansh Bhargawa, Indian Culinary Institute, Noida , and the second runner up was Sohail Saifi, BCIHMCT, New Delhi.

The competition proved to enhance the student’s imagination paving a way for them to enter the professional industry of being called ‘Chefs’ – who are all but imaginative and expert cooks!

MDH Healthy millet recipe contest

Millets are a group of highly variable small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. The most popular Indian millet is Pearl millet called Bajra in Hindi and the second most widely grown millet in India is foxtail millet, called Kangni or Kakum in Hindi. 

Each season offers new opportunities for Chefs to learn about flavors that pair well with Millet. MDH Healthy Millet Recipe Contest was another competition aimed at budding chefs of the hospitality industry, conducting in a virtual yet sophisticated way in lieu of the pandemic. Where the budding chefs were required to send their videos, covering each and every detail from scratch. From chopping to cooking and from plating to presenting the final outcome of the dish.

The main objective for the participants was to prepare one main course using MDH Millet. They could use any kind of millet, be it jowar or bajra, as long as their creativity is shown on the final platter of their dish! Participants showed wide variety of preparation using MDH Millet, which was judged by Chef Kapil Sahi, Executive Chef, Radisson, Noida; Chef Nitin Pal Singh, Co-Founder Chef at Cook and bake Academy; and Chef Surinder Kumar, Chef-cum GM at Manla Homes Resort, Shimla.

The winner of the competition was Harsh Budhiraja, BCIHMCT, New Delhi. The runner up was K. Harish Goud, Pionner Institute, Hyderabad . And the second runner up was Manas Hire, Chandigarh University.

The virtual event proved to be as significant as a live one, where the imagination of the students weren’t compromised because of the pandemic.

CLOSING CEREMONY

The closing ceremony of the 20th Chandiwala Hospitality Ensemble was held at Banquet Hall of Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology on the same day i.e. 9th December 2021. The day witnessed a plethora of events which included the Prize distribution to the Winners, Souvenir release, Presenting of Mementos, address by the Principal and by the honourable Chief Guest.

This was followed by the impeccable performances by the cultural team of the institute. A solo blind folded 3 minutes performance on Digital Piano by Sarthak Tandon. The instrumental music touched the hearts of everyone present with praiseworthy efforts and skill put into it.

The efforts of the participants across the nation were appreciated with the prize distribution ceremony. The presence of the guests was thanked and mementoes were presented to the guests as a mark of respect. 

Conclusively, Chef Prem Ram, Event Coordinator, presented the vote of thanks to the Chief Guest Ms. Sheetal Singh, and other guests including Judges as well as the budding chef, media partners, and sponsors who made this event a wonderful success despite all the limitations. He mentioned even though the participants had a virtual presence but all of them put a wonderful effort in showcasing their skill making this an important experience to the digitalization. Lastly, Chef Prem ram specially thanked our Principal, Mr. R.K Bhandari for his presence and support throughout the event.

The sponsors and media partners were thanked again and, the guests, other faculty members and staff were cordially invited for a lunch putting the curtain to the Virtual Chandiwala Hospitality Ensemble 2021.