Captions:
By Subhasis Mandal
In tourism-dependent Goa, where luxury hotels, beach shacks, cruise liners and cafés all compete to serve a global audience, the role of a chef is being gradually redefined. This World Youth Skills Day, Subhasis Mandal, principal of Kamaxi Skills and Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts (KCCA), shifts the spotlight beyond the plate on to the new skills shaping tomorrow’s culinary professionals, that encourage leadership driven by sustainability and cultural empathy.
Panaji: A chef today is no longer judged only by what they bring to the plate. The idea of what makes a “skilled chef” has evolved beyond technical expertise to include teamwork, sustainability and the ability to understand different cultures.
This is especially true in Goa, where the same coastline is home to luxury hotels, beach shacks, cruise liners, cafés and a steady stream of international visitors, each with unique tastes and expectations. In this dynamic environment, chefs are expected not only to create memorable dishes but also to lead their teams towards zero food wastage and adapt to diverse cultural preferences.
July 15 marks World Youth Skills Day, a reminder that young people need more than just technical knowledge to succeed. They also need empathy, cross-cultural communication and a strong sense of environmental responsibility. Reflecting this year’s theme, “Skills for a Shared Future”, these values must be merged into the core of the modern curriculum.
Cooking has become a team discipline where the chef’s role has shifted from sole owner of recipes to leader and mentor, responsible for passing knowledge on rather than withholding it.
To be successful today, a chef must possess these new skills. They need to be friendly, kind and trustworthy leaders who encourage their teammates while understanding modern ideas like ‘Farm-to-Plate’ and promoting the use of clean energy such as biogas. Despite these new-age needs, the basic rules of cooking remain the same. Strong kitchen discipline, attention to detail and excellent knife skills remain essential.
Sustainability has become an integral part of culinary operations. Businesses are expected to minimise food waste, source ingredients responsibly and adopt environmentally sustainable practices. Culinary graduates who understand sustainable food systems and circular economy principles will enjoy a significant competitive advantage.
Institutions must equip students with knowledge of plant-based cuisine, alternative proteins, zero-waste cooking, regenerative agriculture, precision fermentation, vertical farming and the use of locally sourced ingredients alongside nutrition, healthy cooking techniques and functional foods. As the industry evolves, the human element remains irreplaceable. Creativity, craftsmanship and the ability to achieve harmony in colour, texture and flavour continue to define the true hallmarks of culinary excellence.
Sustainability at Kamaxi Skills is treated as a habit rather than a theory. Students follow a waste management system inspired by international cruise industry protocols, where kitchen waste is segregated into three separate bins during every practical session. At the end of each class, the waste is measured, analysed and reviewed with students to identify opportunities for further waste reduction and improved kitchen efficiency, thereby turning waste disposal into a teaching tool.
Cultural empathy is built into sourcing decisions as much as into recipes. Students at the institution work with locally sourced ingredients, creatively adapting international cuisines while understanding their cultural roots. Supported by specialised courses including larder, butchery, gastronomic tourism and food science, they build strong conceptual knowledge, practical skills and an appreciation of evolving culinary traditions.
This World Youth Skills Day reminds us that the future of culinary education lies in preparing young professionals who combine technical excellence with responsibility towards a shared future. A chef must share skills, cook with conscience and understand that every plate carries the weight of the world it feeds.
(Subhasis Mandal, serves as the principal of the skilling and culinary institutions, Kamaxi Skills and Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts (KCCA), respectively)