Indian biotech startup Biokraft Foods is set to host what is claimed to be the country’s first cultivated chicken cook-off.
The event will take place on August 22 at DY Patil University, School of Hospitality and Tourism Studies, Navi Mumbai. Ten student chefs from top hospitality and culinary institutes have already earned their places in the finale through internal qualifiers held at their campuses, and will compete live to create original dishes featuring Biokraft’s cultivated chicken.
Entries will be evaluated by judging partner the Western India Culinary Association (WICA). Winners will receive cash prizes and an opportunity to visit the Merck Life Science facility in Bangalore.
Forkward panel discussions
Alongside the cook-off, Biokraft will host Forkward, a series of panel
discussions on the future of food. Prominent guest speakers and expert moderators will take part, providing insights into science, industry, policy, and the culinary world.
The panel themes are:
- Food with a Conscience — Meat, Morals & the Mission: Reimagining Protein for People & Planet.
- The Food Tech Frontier — Science, Safety & the Future of What We Eat.
- Plating the Possible — The Future of Dining.
The cook-off is supported by a variety of partners, including Nufoods Spectrum, Amerging Technologies, Equinox Labs, Humane World for Animals India, Merck, and GFI India, among others.
Preparing chefs to engage with new ingredients
In December of 2024, Biokraft Foods hosted India’s first formal cultivated meat tasting event, showcasing its cultivated chicken products. Then, in April of this year, the company announced it had developed what was claimed to be India’s first cultivated trout fillet, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Central Institute of Coldwater Fisheries Research (ICAR-CICFR).
“It is a step toward a better food system and an exciting opportunity for young chefs to work with next-gen ingredients,” said Kamalnayan Tibrewal, founder of Biokraft Foods, regarding the upcoming event. “As the food industry faces shifting consumer expectations and the need for innovation and sustainability on every plate, cultivated chicken meat offers a chance to rethink what is possible. This competition is about preparing the next generation of chefs to engage with new ingredients, understand the science, and stay ahead of what diners will be asking for in the near future.”
