Telangana's culinary tourism potential took centre stage at the 12th International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) 2026, as TGTDC Managing Director Valluru Kranthi today attended the regional round held at IIHM, Gachibowli.
Addressing the media, Kranthi cited Telangana's rich food heritage, and said that culinary tourism was a key driver of global travel. She said that the launch of India's first Culinary Experiential Tourism Accelerator was aimed at empowering rural and women entrepreneurs while reviving forgotten regional cuisines.
She also spoke about Hyderabad's UNESCO City of Gastronomy status, and added that Telangana Tourism planned to organise food festivals and initiatives to promote home chefs across the State.
On homestays, she said that online registrations would begin soon, with a target of developing 50-100 homestays in each of the State's top tourist destinations.
The YCO regional round in Hyderabad features participants from 10 countries and forms part of a five-city competition, culminating in the grand finale in Kolkata on February 6, with a Rs 15 lakh prize at stake.