IICA Showcases Healthy Festive Cuisine with Navratri Special Masterclass in Partnership with Shoppers Stop, Pitampura.
New Delhi, Mar 25: The International Institute of Culinary Arts (IICA), Hauz Khas, successfully conducted a Navratri Special Salad Masterclass at Shoppers Stop, Pitampura, creating an engaging platform for food enthusiasts to explore festive, health-focused recipes through hands-on learning. The initiative reflects IICA’s continued effort to bridge culinary education with real-time consumer experiences in a retail environment.
The masterclass featured two refreshing and nutritious dishes—Mediterranean Chickpea Salad and Pesto Pasta Salad—carefully curated to align with Navratri preferences while promoting mindful eating. The session was led by Executive Chef Sumit Gupta and Chef Pradeep Kumar, Chef de Cuisine at IICA, who guided participants through preparation techniques, ingredient understanding, and presentation. Such hands-on, industry-integrated experiences are a core part of IICA’s full-time culinary and bakery programs, giving students real-world exposure from day one.
Designed as an intimate learning experience with four curated participant slots, the workshop ensured personalized interaction and practical exposure. Participants remained actively engaged throughout the session and were awarded certificates upon completion, along with recipe cards and aprons used during the workshop.
Two IICA students, Gyan Vrat Arya (Bakery Student) and Aryan Jha (Culinary Student), also assisted the chefs during the demonstration, gaining valuable on-ground experience.
Speaking about the initiative, Chef Virender S. Datta, Founder, IICA, said, “Festivals like Navratri offer a wonderful opportunity to celebrate food traditions while encouraging healthier cooking practices. Through such masterclasses, we aim to inspire individuals to experiment with ingredients and techniques, while also nurturing a deeper appreciation for the culinary arts.”
The session was attended by representatives from Shoppers Stop, including Gandharv, Customer Care Associate & Marketing Manager; Sumit Kumar Verma, Customer Care Associate & Unit Head; and Yash Singh Hada, Customer Care Associate & Department Manager.
Adding further, Arjun S. Datta, Managing Director & COO, IICA, said, “At IICA, we believe culinary education should go beyond classrooms and connect directly with evolving consumer preferences. This Navratri masterclass is an effort to showcase how festive food can be both nutritious and innovative, while also creating meaningful engagement in a retail setting.”
Building on the success of this session, IICA will host its next workshop on 29th March at the Shoppers Stop outlet in Sector 66, Gurugram. The upcoming masterclass will focus on bakery and dessert preparations, featuring Foxnut and Chocolate Rocks and Fruit Trifle with Eggless Sponge. The session will be conducted by Chef Romi Micka, Pastry Chef at IICA, and Chef Dharmendra, Sous Chef – Bakery & Pastry.
For those looking to begin a career in culinary or bakery arts, registrations are open for the July ’26 batch at IICA’s Hauz Khas campus, offering structured training under experienced chefs with a strong focus on practical learning and industry exposure. This also offers global work opportunities to graduating students.
Founded in 2005 by legendary Chef and hospitality industry veteran Virender S. Datta, with over five decades of global experience, IICA is among India’s earliest institutions to introduce internationally benchmarked culinary education. It combines structured kitchen training with globally recognised qualifications from City & Guilds (UK) and BSI Learning (Australia), offered exclusively at IICA. Strengthening its global footprint, IICA has expanded through international collaborations, including a Memorandum of Understanding with Kyoto Culinary Art College and Kyoto Pastry & Bakery Art College, Japan, under the Taiwa Gakuen Educational Corporation. The partnership enables faculty and student exchange, joint curriculum development, and cross-cultural culinary pathways between India and IICA Showcases Healthy Festive Cuisine with Navratri Special Masterclass in Partnership with Shoppers Stop, Pitampura.
