The event which celebrates the multicultural diversity of food from across the borders, will be held across five cities - Delhi, Pune, Goa, Bengaluru and Kolkata.
YCO 2020 will witness participation of student chefs from 60 countries, including Scotland, England, Singapore, USA, Spain, Portugal, Kenya, Iran, Cambodia and Germany, among others.
Adopting the theme 'Sustainability', this year the competition will be uniting the young talent of the culinary world to champion the sustainability revolution through positive action.
The five-day competition, which is being organized by the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) in partnership with the International Hospitality Council London, will see contestants undertake three rounds of culinary challenges in their quest to win the coveted YCO 2020 Champion Trophy, a cash prize of $10,000 and a validation of their skills by globally renowned experts from the food and hospitality industry.
Suborno Bose, Chief Executive Officer of International Hospitality Council (IHC) and founder YCO, said: "With 60 countries coming together under one roof to celebrate the diversity of food from across the borders, YCO 2020 is not just the biggest culinary competition in the world but also a global platform fostering the spirit of youth, friendship, inclusiveness and camaraderie.
"Moreover, by making sustainability as the theme for this year, we are championing the cause with the involvement of young people who will help determine and shape the future through a global impact."
YCO 2020 will be inaugurated on January 28 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. The competition rounds will start from January 29 and the first two rounds will be held in Delhi, Pune, Goa and Bengaluru. The top 10 contestants as per the scores of the two rounds will compete in the Grand Finale of YCO 2020 in Kolkata on February 2.
The Plate Trophy, which was introduced last year, will be held on February 2 wherein the contestants holding positions 11 to 20 in the first two rounds will compete. The Olympiad will conclude on February 2 with a closing ceremony, where the YCO 2020 Champion, runners-up and other awardees will be announced.
Padma Shri Chef Sanjeev Kapoor will be the Principal Judge and Mentor for YCO 2020, while Prof David Foskett (MBE) will be the Chairman of the Jury. The panel of judges will include internationally acclaimed judges and celebrity chef judges.
( With inputs from IANS )