IGNOU to start culinary institute

Updated on: Thursday, September 02, 2010

Indira Gandhi National Open university will soon set up a culinary institute, offering courses to promote diverse Indian cuisines.

The specialised training institute, being set up under IGNOU'S School of Studies in Tourism and Hospitality Management, is expected to take off by January, V N Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor, Chairman Distance Education Council, IGNOU, told reporters here today.

A number of courses starting from certificate to Masters Qualification in Indian Gastronomy and regional cuisines are being planned under this, he said.

"We have very diverse culinary art and culture and the course will also help branding of Indian culinary," he said.

A detailed project report, prepared by renowned chef Y B Mathur along with an expert team under the leadership of Goswamy, former Union tourism secretary, has been approved by university authorities.

The institute's objective is to promote and brand the diverse varieties of Indian culinary arts, practices and cultures. This centre will document, preserve and develop India's own regional cuisines.

"Every region or state has a cuisine that is unique. With passage of time some of the finest and authentic recipes are already lost or dying," Pillai said. Revival and documentation in addition to training new personnel in this area is the major focus of the Centre.

The curriculum will also include comparative studies of other cuisines. The programmes will also include aspects on restaurant management, hospitality sector. The courses will be offered in regular fulltime classroom mode in the campus as
well as in highly equipped hotels and restaurants approved by a due diligence process.

Eminent chefs would be designated as adjunct faculty for the institute and the training and project work will be carried out in collaboration with the hotel and restaurant industry.

IGNOU and Munnar Catering College, a hospitality education institute in the country, have signed an MOU to establish a joint centre of excellence in hospitality education and training. The main objective of this collaboration is to conduct speciality courses and joint research activities in hospitality education in India and
abroad.

IGNOU to start culinary institute

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