Bengaluru: Students of the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) Bangalore brought together global flavours and cultures with the launch of Ambrosial Atlas, the 12th edition of the institute’s International Food Festival.
Titled “Ambrosial Atlas – Every Nation, Every Flavor, Elevated,” the event was hosted at Holiday Inn Bengaluru Racecourse Road and showcased a vibrant culinary experience designed and executed entirely by students.
The Ambrosial Atlas festival was organised by final-year students from the Batch of 2023–2026.
The initiative reflected IIHM’s experiential learning philosophy, where students take complete ownership of conceptualising and executing a large-scale hospitality event – from theme development and menu engineering to kitchen operations, guest service, marketing and event management.
Inspired by the global spirit of the Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) 2026, which recently opened in Bengaluru, Ambrosial Atlas celebrated the diversity of international cuisines including Pan-Asian, American, European and Middle Eastern culinary traditions.
The festival highlighted the evolving intersection of culinary heritage, technology and innovation within modern hospitality education.
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Sanchari Chowdhury, Director of IIHM Bangalore and Head-South, said, “At IIHM, experiential learning is at the heart of our curriculum.
The International Food Festival is not just an event but a learning platform where students take ownership of every aspect, from conceptualising the theme to executing the final service.
It allows them to develop leadership, operational and marketing skills while experiencing the intensity and excitement of real-world hospitality.”
Unlike typical institutional food festivals, Ambrosial Atlas was designed as a full-scale hospitality experience. The event welcomed guests who purchased tickets as well as hotel patrons, offering a real-world hospitality environment for students to demonstrate their culinary and operational expertise.
The festival also marked the first collaboration between IIHM Bangalore and Holiday Inn Bengaluru Racecourse Road as the venue partner, enabling students to operate within a professional hotel ecosystem.
Ambrosial Atlas: Blending Ingredients and Cultural Influences from Multiple Culinary Traditions
Adding a unique dimension to Ambrosial Atlas was a specially curated mocktail bar where student mixologists presented globally inspired beverages.
These creations blended ingredients and cultural influences from multiple culinary traditions, further enhancing the international theme of the festival.
Dr Suborno Bose, Chairman of IIHM and Founder of the Young Chef Olympiad, said: “Hospitality education must evolve with the changing world. Today’s students must be equally comfortable with culinary traditions, global cultures and emerging technologies like AI.
Initiatives such as Ambrosial Atlas allow young hospitality professionals to experiment, innovate and lead, preparing them for a global industry where creativity and adaptability are essential.”
The Ambrosial Atlas festival also reflected IIHM’s growing focus on technology-driven hospitality education.
The institute has introduced its AI-powered learning platform Namaste GPT, which enables students to analyse culinary creations, experiment with presentation concepts and gain insights inspired by global culinary masters such as Gordon Ramsay.
For the participating students, Ambrosial Atlas represented the culmination of three years of learning, bringing together leadership, teamwork, culinary craftsmanship and event management capabilities in a real-world hospitality setting.
The event was attended by several dignitaries including Shabinaa Sultana, Guest of Honor and representative from the Office of the Honorary Consulate of Tunisia, and Shiv Bose, General Manager of Holiday Inn Bengaluru Racecourse Road, along with industry partners and members of the hospitality ecosystem.
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Shabinaa Sultana said: “Despite observing the Ramadan fast, I did not want to miss the warmth, hospitality and culinary excellence showcased by IIHM. The festival beautifully reflects India’s unity in diversity through food and culture.
It is inspiring to see the passion and professionalism of the students and we look forward to strengthening our collaborations with IIHM, including opportunities connecting students with Tunisia’s hospitality and culinary ecosystem.”
Shiv Bose, General Manager, Holiday Inn Bengaluru Racecourse Road, added: “We are delighted to collaborate with IIHM Bangalore in hosting Ambrosial Atlas. Providing students the opportunity to operate within a professional hotel environment bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world hospitality.
It is inspiring to see the passion, creativity and professionalism these young hospitality professionals bring to the table and we are proud to support initiatives that nurture the next generation of industry leaders.”
More than a culinary showcase, Ambrosial Atlas reflected IIHM Bangalore’s mission to prepare the next generation of hospitality professionals through real-world responsibility rather than classroom simulations.
The festival offered guests an immersive evening where global flavours, culture and innovation converged.
The Ambrosial Atlas festival was hosted at Holiday Inn Bengaluru Racecourse Road in collaboration with Brigade Hospitality Services Limited.
The event was supported by partners including Campa Cola and Nutriscan, enabling students to deliver the event at professional hospitality standards while presenting a global culinary experience.
