Traditional Indian food culture once again came to the forefront as Pushpa Gujral Science City, Kapurthala organized a ‘Food & Nutrition Show’ under Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) – an initiative of the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Govt. of India, with Punjab State Council for Science & Technology as the state nodal agency.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Rajesh Grover, Director, Science City said that Indian cuisine beautifully demonstrated how tradition and nutrition can go hand in hand without losing flavour. Further, our food traditions have scientific value because traditional cooking practices ensure balanced nutrition, support gut health and encourage sustainable eating. Today’s youth must take pride in these roots and find creative ways to modernize them while focusing on health and sustainability. These initiatives not only promote healthy living but also help minimize food waste, save energy, reduce carbon emissions and support eco-friendly eating habits, he added. 

Renowned culinary experts Chef Sanjeev Verma and Chef Nellu Kaura and judged the show, evaluating creativity, presentation, nutritional value and use of traditional ingredients. 

Around 150 participants, including students from hotel management institutes, colleges, school children and homemakers, showcased their traditional and innovative recipes. The winners of the competition were awarded cash prizes. In the Professional Category, 1st prize was bagged by Bhavya Singhania & Yuvraj Singh from PCTE Group of Institutes, 2nd prize went to Gursharan Singh from NFCI Maqsudan, Jalandhar , 3rd prize was secured by Anjani and Khushbu Thapa from Lovely Professional University while consolation prizes were awarded to Harleen from Krystal cooking & Baking Institute and Baljeet from Aroma Institute. 

In the Amateur Category, 1st prize was bagged by Poonam Makkar from Malout, 2nd by Advita Sharma and Raghuvar Thakur from Innocent Hearts school, Surgical Complex, Jalandhar and 3rd prize was secured by Shubha Bansal. Further, 1st consolation prize was presented to Aarti & Krishna from HMV Collegiate Sr. Secondary School, Jalandhar whereas 2nd consolation prize was presented to Parisa Khanna and Myra Vig from Mayor World School, Jalandhar.