Kikkoman India Hosts Cooking Competition and Culinary Experts Meetup in Delhi
― Promoting the International Exchange of Food Culture―

In February 2026, Kikkoman India Private Limited (KID) held a cooking competition for students and professional chefs, along with a networking event titled "Culinary Experts Meetup" for food service industry professionals, marking the fourth annual edition of these initiatives and their first time being held in Delhi. These ongoing initiatives aim to promote awareness and understanding of honjozo soy sauce in India, particularly within the food service industry, while fostering new ideas and creative interactions by connecting food cultures, people, and ingredients, thereby contributing to the creation of "new deliciousness" in India.

Since its establishment, KID has focused on initiatives to communicate the value of Japan's honjozo soy sauce, which differs from the dark soy sauce that has been mainstream in the Indian market. With the goal of increasing brand awareness within the food service industry and achieving a leading market position, KID has pursued these efforts on a continuous, annual basis since its founding. Among these initiatives, key focuses have been the "All-India Kikkoman Cooking Contest," designed for both students and professional chefs, and the "Culinary Experts Meetup (CEM)," which brings food service industry professionals together.

In the cooking competition, participants create original dishes using Kikkoman Honjozo Soy Sauce, helping them gain a deeper understanding of its quality and characteristics. The contest aims to support the creation of "new deliciousness" in India while providing students and professional chefs with opportunities to take on new challenges. Under the shared concept of creating "new deliciousness" with Kikkoman Soy Sauce, a different theme is set each year. In 2026, the theme focused on new ingredient combinations, resulting in a wide range of creative culinary expressions. Meanwhile, at the Culinary Experts Meetup, panel discussion themes are established, and relevant guests are invited to share perspectives on industry‑wide challenges and the latest trends.

In this year's cooking competition, in the student and professional categories, eight student groups (16 participants) and nine professional groups (18 participants) took part, showcasing highly creative dishes using Kikkoman Honjozo Soy Sauce. Many students and professional chefs challenged themselves to explore new ways of using soy sauce, drawing on their individual ideas. The competition provided a valuable opportunity to rediscover the potential and versatility of honjozo soy sauce.

In addition, a total of 126 participants, including students, chefs, and food service industry professionals, attended the Culinary Experts Meetup. At the venue, meaningful discussions were held on the future development of India's food service industry. Following the discussions, many participants further deepened their exchanges during the networking session and built new connections. Throughout the event, the meetup saw strong engagement and concluded with great success.

Kikkoman aims to fuse the appeal of honjozo soy sauce with India's food culture, creating new value and deliciousness.