NIPS Revives 263 Rare and Forgotten Indian Recipes in Six-Hour Culinary Marathon

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India’s lesser-known culinary traditions took centre stage in Kolkata as NIPS Institute of Hotel Management brought together 263 rare and forgotten recipes during an intensive six-hour culinary marathon on 10 September.

The event, titled “Rare Cuisines of India – From Kashmir to Kanyakumari,” was provisionally adjudicated by the World Book of Records London for preparing the maximum number of rare and forgotten Indian recipes in a single culinary marathon.

263 dishes, one six-hour deadline

The challenge was as much about coordination and culinary discipline as it was about the number of dishes. NIPS had to prepare, complete and display all 263 recipes within a stipulated six-hour period.

A total of 126 students took part. Most worked directly in food production, while others handled service, presentation, guest interaction and the wider operational requirements of the event.

The scale of the exercise also gave newer students an unusually demanding introduction to professional kitchen operations. Several first-year students had joined the institute less than a month earlier, yet worked alongside senior students and faculty during the marathon.

For them, the event offered a practical lesson in teamwork, time management, production planning and execution under pressure.

A journey through India’s lesser-known food traditions

The dishes showcased culinary traditions from across the country, extending well beyond the familiar restaurant staples associated with Indian cuisine.

The collection included recipes connected with regional households, tribal and indigenous communities, rural kitchens, mountain and forest regions, coastal areas and other food cultures that are increasingly difficult to find in contemporary urban kitchens and restaurant menus.

That geographical breadth was central to the project. Rather than treating the exercise simply as a race to produce hundreds of dishes, NIPS positioned it as an effort to reconnect hospitality students with food knowledge that can easily disappear when traditional recipes are no longer regularly prepared.

The project was supported by research into the geographical origins, ingredients, preparation techniques and cultural context of the recipes. Students therefore had to engage with the stories behind the food as well as the cooking itself.

Students put research into practice

The NIPS Food Production faculty team — Chef Joseph Uttam Gomes, Chef Afaque Ahmed and Chef Pratip Nath — led the culinary operation.

They guided students through research, preparation, authenticity checks, production and final presentation, helping turn a large collection of regional recipes into a coordinated culinary showcase.

Dr Vivek Pathak, Founder Director of NIPS Institute of Hotel Management, said the experience had value beyond the record attempt.

He highlighted how first-year students, despite having spent less than a month at the institute, managed to work with senior students and faculty and meet the demanding six-hour deadline.

For NIPS, the outcome demonstrated how culinary education can combine professional training with the preservation of traditional food heritage.

Hospitality industry lends support

The marathon was adjudicated on behalf of the World Book of Records London by Chef Subrata Debnath, Area Director – Culinary, IHCL and Executive Chef, Taj City Centre New Town, Kolkata.

The event was also attended by Prof. Shabina Nishat Omar, Officer on Special Duty, Education Directorate, Department of Higher Education, Government of West Bengal, and Mr Shekhar Mukherjee, former General Manager of Taj SATS Kolkata and a veteran hospitality professional.

Guests from the hospitality sector, education, media and the wider community visited the displays and interacted with the students.

Preserving food knowledge for the next generation

The significance of the initiative extends beyond the provisional record adjudication. India’s culinary identity is built from thousands of regional preparations, many of which remain largely undocumented outside the communities that traditionally prepare them.

NIPS said the documentation generated through the project is intended to serve as a reference for future students and support further study of lesser-known regional cuisines.

For the hospitality industry, such work also offers a reminder that culinary education is not limited to modern restaurant techniques. Understanding traditional ingredients, cooking methods and food histories can help future chefs and hospitality professionals represent India’s culinary diversity with greater depth and authenticity.

The six-hour marathon therefore became more than a race against the clock. It gave 126 young hospitality students a hands-on opportunity to research, cook, explain and present 263 pieces of India’s diverse food heritage — while creating a record attempt that could keep those forgotten recipes in the spotlight.