Odisha’s Subhadra Shakti Food Contest Showcases Women’s Culinary Talent, Entrepreneurship

Bhubaneswar: Celebrating Odisha’s rich culinary heritage and promoting women-led food entrepreneurship, the Mission Shakti Department has launched the Subhadra Shakti Traditional Food Competition — a first-of-its-kind state-wide initiative spotlighting traditional dishes crafted by women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs). The top SHG teams from 30 districts arrived in Bhubaneswar today for a week-long professional training at the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), marking the lead-up to the competition’s semi-finals and grand finale.

The competition, which began at the Block and Urban Local Body level, culminates in a grand finale scheduled for 22nd July 2025 at Hotel Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneswar. The semi-finals will be held on 20th July, following an intensive training programme to hone the participants’ skills in food preparation, presentation, and entrepreneurship.

Welcoming the district teams today were prominent figures such as Chef Abinash Nayak, MasterChef India Season 6 winner; Sharada Ghose, Principal of IHM Bhubaneswar; and Chef Suraj Kumar Sahoo, Executive Chef at Hotel Mayfair Lagoon, along with officials from the Mission Shakti Department and IHM faculty.

The initiative is more than just a contest — it’s a powerful effort to empower women economically and culturally. The event will feature traditional Odia dishes like mandia chakuli, sija pitha, biri chakuli, mudhi mansa, and chhena jhilli, using indigenous and seasonal ingredients such as jackfruit, wild greens, kandamula, and turmeric. The aim is to promote nutritious, sustainable, and authentic regional cuisines.

A jury of chefs, nutritionists, and hospitality experts will assess dishes based on authenticity, taste, presentation, innovation, storytelling, and business potential. Ten finalists will be selected from the semi-final round to compete in the grand finale.

Adding further depth to the programme, kitchen assistants from each team will undergo a special training from 17th to 19th July at Mission Shakti Bhawan. This training will focus on professional kitchen support and soft skills to prepare them for roles in the food service sector.

The winners of the final round will receive substantial cash prizes — ₹2 lakh for the first prize, ₹1.5 lakh for the second, and ₹1 lakh for the third — to support their entrepreneurial journeys. The competition is a key component of the broader Subhadra Shakti Café and Food Mela ecosystem, part of the Odisha Livelihoods Mission and Mission Shakti’s drive to expand market access for SHG-led food ventures.