Jamshedpur, Mumbai July 24, 2026: Tata Steel Foundation, under its Tribal Cuisine Initiative, in collaboration with Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Aurangabad, successfully concluded a 10-day Basic Level Capacity Building Workshop for tribal home cooks from across India.
Held from 13 to 23 July 2026, the workshop brought together 20 tribal home cooks representing 12 tribes from 8 states, creating a unique platform for learning, cultural exchange and culinary innovation. The participants, who are custodians of rich indigenous food traditions, underwent intensive training designed to enhance their culinary and entrepreneurial skills while preserving the authenticity of tribal cuisines.
Over the ten-day programme, participants received hands-on training in food hygiene and safety, kitchen operations, recipe standardisation, menu planning, food presentation, customer service and professional culinary practices. The curriculum blended classroom sessions, practical demonstrations and interactive learning experiences, enabling participants to gain exposure to modern hospitality standards while showcasing the depth and diversity of their traditional food knowledge. The workshop also facilitated interactions with hospitality professionals, culinary experts and fellow home cooks from diverse regions of the country.
The knowledge and skills gained through the programme are expected to strengthen participants’ ability to improve the quality, consistency and presentation of their culinary offerings. It will also support them in pursuing livelihood opportunities through home-based food enterprises, catering services, food festivals, pop-up dining experiences and other market-linked initiatives.
Speaking on the occasion, Gaurav Pokhariyal, Executive Vice President – Human Resources, IHCL, said, “At IHCL, we believe capability building is a powerful enabler of economic opportunity. By combining structured hospitality training with participants’ existing culinary expertise, this programme helps strengthen professional skills and opens pathways for sustainable livelihoods.”
Adding his thoughts, Sourav Roy, Chief Executive Officer, Tata Steel Foundation, said: ” India’s tribal communities carry culinary traditions that reflect generations of knowledge and cultural identity. Through the Tribal Cuisine initiative, we aim to create opportunities for tribal home cooks to strengthen their skills, enhance their livelihoods and share their unique food heritage with wider audiences. This workshop is an important milestone in building a vibrant ecosystem for tribal cuisine, where traditional wisdom is celebrated alongside excellence in hospitality and entrepreneurship.”
The Basic Level Capacity Building Workshop marks another significant step in Tata Steel Foundation’s efforts to promote tribal cuisine as a vehicle for cultural preservation, economic empowerment and sustainable livelihood creation. By combining traditional culinary wisdom with contemporary hospitality practices, the initiative seeks to create greater market access and visibility for indigenous food traditions while empowering tribal communities to benefit from emerging opportunities in the culinary sector.
