NIPS Institute of Hotel Management, Kolkata, brought together 263 Rare and Forgotten Traditional Recipes of India in a six-hour culinary marathon on 10 September 2026, creating a remarkable showcase of India’s lesser-known culinary heritage.
Titled “Rare Cuisines of India – From Kashmir to Kanyakumari,” the initiative has been provisionally adjudicated by World Book of Records London for preparing the maximum number of Rare & Forgotten Recipes of India in a single culinary marathon.
The challenge required all 263 dishes to be prepared and displayed within a stipulated six-hour window. A total of 126 NIPS students participated in the exercise, with the majority directly involved in food production and others contributing to service, presentation, guest interaction and overall execution.
What made the initiative particularly significant was the participation of several first-year students who had joined NIPS less than a month before the event. They worked shoulder to shoulder with senior students and faculty in a live, high-pressure culinary environment, experiencing within weeks of joining the institute the scale, discipline and teamwork required for a major professional culinary exercise.
The 263 recipes represented food traditions from across India, including preparations rooted in regional households, tribal and indigenous communities, rural kitchens, mountain and forest regions, coastal belts and other lesser-known culinary traditions that are rarely seen on contemporary restaurant menus or in urban homes.
The initiative was preceded by detailed research into the geographical origins, traditional ingredients, methods of preparation and cultural significance of the dishes. The larger objective was not simply to create a record, but to encourage young hospitality students to rediscover, understand and document culinary traditions that risk gradually disappearing from public memory.
The culinary marathon was led by the NIPS Food Production faculty team comprising Chef Joseph Uttam Gomes, Chef Afaque Ahmed and Chef Pratip Nath, who guided the students through the research, preparation, authenticity checks, production and final presentation of the dishes.
Dr. Vivek Pathak, Founder Director, NIPS Institute of Hotel Management, said: “Some of our first-year students had not even completed a month at the institute, yet they worked alongside their seniors and faculty and delivered within a six-hour deadline. What initially appeared almost impossible became possible because everyone worked as one team. The record is important, but what gives me greater satisfaction is that our students discovered a part of India’s culinary heritage that many of them had never known existed. If we can make young people curious about these traditions and help preserve them for the future, this initiative has achieved something far beyond a record.”
The culinary marathon was adjudicated on behalf of World Book of Records London by Chef Subrata Debnath, Area Director – Culinary, IHCL and Executive Chef, Taj City Centre New Town, Kolkata.
The occasion was also graced by Prof. Shabina Nishat Omar, Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Education Directorate, Department of Higher Education, Government of West Bengal, and Mr. Shekhar Mukherjee, former General Manager, Taj SATS Kolkata and veteran hospitality professional.
Guests from the hospitality industry, media, education and the wider community interacted with the students and explored displays representing culinary traditions from different parts of the country. The students were not only responsible for preparing and presenting the dishes, but also for understanding the stories, ingredients and regional context behind the food they were showcasing.
For NIPS, the initiative highlighted a wider responsibility of hospitality and culinary education. While professional training prepares students for contemporary kitchens, educational institutions can also play an important role in researching, documenting and passing on India’s traditional food knowledge to future generations.
The documentation created through the project is intended to remain a reference for future NIPS students and provide a foundation for continued study of India’s lesser-known regional cuisines.
