The Indian food industry scene is changing at a supersonic speed. People are getting more and more opened to international flavors and home cooks are stirring storm in their kitchens. Now fathers don’t mind their sons dreaming about being a future chef. And mothers love to get more and more experimental with serving Thai, Burmese and Italian on their everyday dinner tables. Much thanks to globalization and people travelling more frequently to far overseas locations and getting accustomed to acquired tastes of foreign lands.  There’s a high probability you would find an average Indian homemaker hooked to Masterchef Australia than the Indian version on television. Internet has also opened up the vast avenues to learning new techniques and methods to classic dishes.

We are the nation producing largest number of doctors and engineers in an year and hence we have a sound academic infrastructure to support that. But now when more and more of future generations are showing their proclivity to a culinary career than to opt for the traditional courses, the question which strikes back us is “Do we have good culinary institutes with similar, if not better faculties?”

Of course, people can get admission in foreign culinary institutes and gain excellent education and skills required. But truly speaking, how many of us can afford to get a giant hole of foreign exchange in our pockets? So, the need of the hour is to have opened up more and more culinary institutes locally, but not by compromising the quality of education.

Blogger’s Table, few days back got a chance to have visited this not so old yet renowned culinary institute, International Institute of Culinary Arts,  in capital. The purpose of the visit was primarily to apprise of the kind of education, faculty, infrastructure. IICA was founded by Chef Virender S. Datta who has over 40 years of versatile experience in Hotels & Hospitality Industry, including that of Executive Chef-Oberoi Sheraton Hotels, General Manager & Vice President Operations of ITC Hotels, Founder President , Fortune Park Hotels by Welcomgroup. The institute offers a variety of courses accredited by Edexcel and City & Guilds, including Hotel Management, Culinary Arts. And there are courses for Hobby chefs in international cuisine, chocolate making and patisserie as well. And guess what, IICA doesn’t have any age limit, unlike many other culinary institutes in country. Isn’t it something really motivating?

We got to taste some of the authentic french delicacies prepared by their first year students. And I tell you, it was one of the most honest and delish food which was served that afternoon. It speaks for the kind of skills and talent the faculty has over there, that students who’ve just been for four months in the course could manage to pull up these dishes. Yes, you read it right, just four months! Amazing, isn’t it? Look at it yourself! And don’t miss those nice plating skills.

Salade Nicoise, A classic combination of tuna fish, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, anchovies and eggs bound in a French dressing.

Assorted Bread Basket with herbed butter

Sole Meunière, pan seared sole accompanied with sauteed spinach and lemon butter

Poulet Saute Chasseur, hunter style chicken served with bundle vegetables and chateau potatoes

Mangue Romanoff, mango and cream dessert with caramel sugar work

Coffee with petit fours

And, in case you are wondering how that beautiful sugarwork was done. We were lucky enough to have seen this happening live in the kitchen.

Aren’t these some of the marvelous creations.

The methods of teaching in IICA are very practical oriented than focusing more on theory or demonstration. Students are encouraged more to learn about the classic techniques and methods of cooking than to know about the recipes only. And IICA seems to be a promising and emerging culinary institute of the country who encourage their students to follow their dreams and be passionate about them.

See, what others have to say about IICA

Image courtesy @ http://www.aishwaryaeats.com/

• Aishwarya @ Aishwarya Eats
• Sid @ Chef At Large
• Charis @ Culinary Storm
• Mukta @ Bake-a-Mania
• Tanya @ Communi Cooking