Indian Hotel School to Dedicate a Fifth of Chef Training to Plant-Based Cooking From 2027

SRM Institute of Hotel Management has announced that starting in 2027, students will spend a significant portion of their coursework learning to cook plant-based dishes, with a focus on excluding meat, fish, eggs, and dairy. The curriculum change follows faculty training delivered by Humane World for Animals India, focusing on fundamentals of plant-based cooking, ingredient substitution, and menu planning. Practical sessions at the institute involve working with vegetables, grains, pulses, and plant-based dairy alternatives to recreate familiar dishes with an emphasis on flavor, texture, presentation, and nutrition.

Similar initiatives to promote plant-based cooking are being implemented at other hospitality schools in India, with organizations like Vegan Outreach also offering programs to train chefs in plant-based culinary techniques. This training aims to meet the growing demand for plant-based dishes in hotel and restaurant kitchens, with the goal of converting millions of meals to more plant-forward options. As a result, institutions like SRM IHM are working to prepare students for careers in the hospitality industry with an emphasis on sustainability and plant-based cooking practices.