The International Institute of Culinary Arts (IICA) recently hosted a Kids Gourmet Dessert Masterclass at the Shoppers Stop outlet in Sector 66, Gurugram. The session was designed as an interactive, hands-on experience, introducing young participants to the basics of gourmet dessert-making while encouraging creativity and confidence in the kitchen. Over 65 young learners took part in the workshop, making it a lively and engaging session. This also marked the third workshop conducted by IICA at Shoppers Stop.

The masterclass was led by Chef Dharmendra Kumar, Sous Chef, Bakery & Pastry, IICA, along with Chef Prashant Kumar, Jr. Sous Chef, IICA. During the session, they demonstrated two recipes, Foxnut and Chocolate Rocks, and Fruit Trifle with Eggless Sponge. The chefs focused on simplifying techniques, making gourmet concepts easy for children to understand and enjoy.

The workshop was attended by Gandharv, Customer Care Associate & Marketing Manager at Shoppers Stop. Supporting the chefs were IICA students Gyan Vrat Arya (Bakery Student) and Aryan Jha (Culinary Student), who gained hands-on experience through the session. Such workshops at IICA are aimed at bridging the gap between classroom learning and industry exposure, giving students a chance to understand real-world environments.

Chef Virender S. Datta, Founder, International Institute of Culinary Arts (IICA), said, "Workshops like these play an important role in introducing young audiences to culinary creativity in an engaging and interactive manner. Such initiatives not only encourage early interest in the culinary arts but also help create memorable experiences for participants, while enabling brands like Shoppers Stop to meaningfully engage with their customers through unique, hands-on activities."

Arjun S. Datta, Managing Director & COO, International Institute of Culinary Arts (IICA), added, "Collaborations like these provide an effective platform for organisations such as Shoppers Stop to enhance customer engagement by offering interactive culinary and pastry workshops. These experiences help create stronger connections with their audience while bringing a unique experiential dimension to retail environments."

For those interested in building a career in culinary or bakery arts, registrations are currently open for the July '26 batch at IICA’s Hauz Khas campus. The programmes offer structured training under experienced chefs, with a strong focus on practical learning and industry exposure, along with pathways to global work opportunities.

Founded in 2005 by Chef Virender S. Datta, IICA is among the early institutions in India to introduce internationally benchmarked culinary education. The institute combines structured kitchen training with globally recognised qualifications from City & Guilds (UK) and BSI Learning (Australia), offered exclusively at IICA. It has also expanded its global presence through collaborations, including a Memorandum of Understanding with Kyoto Culinary Art College and Kyoto Pastry & Bakery Art College in Japan, enabling student exchange, joint curriculum development, and cross-cultural learning opportunities.