The Western India Culinary Association (WICA) brought together more than 200 executive chefs and hospitality professionals from Maharashtra, Delhi, Kolkata, Goa, Hyderabad and Chennai for the 13th edition of Chefs Connect 2026, held on October 8 at Hilton Mumbai International Airport.
The annual gathering served as a platform for culinary professionals to exchange ideas, strengthen industry connections and recognise excellence across the hospitality sector. A key highlight of the evening was the celebration of Maharashtra's rich culinary heritage through a specially curated regional dinner featuring authentic Khandeshi, Koli and Malvani cuisines.
Addressing the gathering, Chef Sudhir Pai, Treasurer of WICA, said, "An event like this is a celebration of our culinary fraternity, our shared passion for food and the people who make this industry special. With over 200 executive chefs coming together from different cities, we are witnessing the strength of our professional community. Through the WICA Awards, Student Competition Awards and Unsung Hero Awards, we aim to recognise excellence, encourage emerging talent and honour the dedicated professionals whose contributions often go unnoticed."
Chef Pai also announced that WICA will celebrate its Silver Jubilee Year in May 2027, marking 25 years of the association's contribution to the culinary profession.
The evening featured the presentation of the prestigious WICA Awards, recognising outstanding contributions across multiple categories.
WICA Awards 2026
Chef Vernon Coelho Lifetime Achievement Award: Chef Pavan Kapur
Delta Nutritives Pastry Chef of the Year: Shrikant Dhanu, Executive Pastry Chef, TajSATS
Chef Educator of the Year: Chef Kumar Nair, Principal, Rizvi College of Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Mumbai
Chef Entrepreneur of the Year: Chef Stany Philip Dabre, Founder, O-Cakes
Lady Chef of the Year: Chef Juhi Kaur Makhija, Head Chef, Ibis Pune Viman Nagar
Young Chef Achiever: Chef Mihir Kane, Director of Culinary, Fairmont Mumbai & Roswyn – A Morgans Originals Hotel
Unsung Hero Awards 2026
The Unsung Hero Awards recognised kitchen professionals whose behind-the-scenes contributions play a critical role in ensuring operational excellence and guest satisfaction:
Chef Richard Saldanha, Chef De Cuisine, Fairmont Mumbai
Chef Sukumar Adak, Jr. Sous Chef, Roswyn – A Morgans Originals Hotel
Chef Cadian Menezes, Jr. Sous Chef, Sofitel Mumbai BKC
Chef Rahul Parker, Chef de Partie, Trident Nariman Point
Chef Avtar Singh, Senior Executive, Peshawri, ITC Maratha Mumbai
Chef Ganesh Rasal, Demi Chef de Partie, Hotel Sahara Star
Chef Madan Bohra, Sous Chef, Novotel Mumbai International Airport
Chef Yusuf Qureshi, Master Indian Cuisine, Radisson Hotel Mumbai Andheri MIDC
Chef Anand Singh Bist, Pastry Chef, Radisson Blu Mumbai International Airport
Chef Yudhvir Singh, Chef de Partie, Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport
Chef Narendra Nambiar, Sous Chef, South Indian Cuisine, The Leela Mumbai
Chef Nadeem Sonone, Sous Chef, The Lalit Mumbai
Chef Prabhu Saw, Chef de Partie, Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach
Chef Chandan Singh, Sous Chef, Hilton Mumbai International Airport
The event also featured the presentation of awards for the WICA Student Pastry Championship powered by Delta, the Nestlé Young Star Chef Challenge, and other culinary competitions designed to encourage innovation and recognise emerging talent.
The success of Chefs Connect 2026 was made possible through the support of a strong network of industry partners. Delta Nutritives Pvt. Ltd. served as the Presenting Partner, while Nestlé Professional was the Powered By Partner. The event was further supported by Fortune Gourmet Specialties Pvt. Ltd. as Associate Partner, Bakels India as Bread Innovation Partner, Signature International Foods India Pvt. Ltd. as Flat Bread Partner, Biokraft Foods as Food Innovation Partner, King Metal Works as Gift Partner, Heineken as Beverage Partner and Chefs Unlimited as Uniform Partner. Additional support came from Suvisudh Consumer Products LLP, Fagor Professionals, Zanuff Industries India Pvt. Ltd. and Earthling Consumer Products Pvt. Ltd., reflecting the industry's collective commitment to promoting culinary excellence, professional development and innovation within the hospitality sector.
The evening concluded with networking, celebration and recognition of the industry's achievements, reaffirming WICA's role in fostering excellence and strengthening the culinary fraternity across the country.
