IGNOU Is Going To Launch Its Institute Of Culinary Arts (ICA) By July 2012

The Indra Gandhi National Open University’s School of Tourism and Hospitality Services Sectoral Management (SOTHSSM) is going to launch its Institute of  Culinary Arts(ICA) by July 2012.  The university has teamed up with Hospitality Services Sectoral Management (SOTHSSM) for the launch of ICA with an aim to encourage culinary research, development and documentation of culinary arts in India. The university has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gothenburg University, Sweden for collaboration and to support the actualisation of the ICA and the culinary research centres. Three year degree programmes in culinary arts, culinary management and catering technology and one year diploma programmes in food production and patisserie as well as food processing will be conducted.

In an advisory board meeting of the ICA recently, updates on the activities of the research and documentation centre (R&D Centre) were provided by Chef Y B Mathur of Ignou he said that, “A space for the R&D centre has been allocated in the new administrative block of the university. Purchase of its equipment as well as the books for library of the centre has been done.” Our main focus is to provide ready to train workers for kitchen. The kitchen of the R&D centre will be of amphitheater style for photography and training purposes to provide trained and ready to use culinary manpower to the industry.

“The manpower would have all types of domain skills and knowledge and fit into different job positions and resource categories of the industry.”

-said by B K Goswami, former secretary Tourism, Government of India and honourary advisor for ICA

An encyclopedia of Indian food will be also be brought up which would include the cuisines of each state of the country. The institute will be launched with three year degree programmes in culinary arts, culinary management and catering technology and one year diploma programmes in food production and patisserie as well as food processing.