Cooking Competition
Cooking
Competition
SheChef
SheChef is a women-only cooking competition that brings together the culinary talent, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of the women of Manipur. Organised by Popa in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, Manipur, the competition is held during the Shirui Festival, one of the state’s celebrated cultural and tourism festivals.
The platform was created with a vision to encourage women to showcase their culinary skills, explore their potential and find new ways to take their passion for food forward, while creating opportunities for them to gain recognition, build confidence and discover new possibilities through their skills.
One of the strengths of SheChef lies in the diversity of women it brings together. Over the years, the competition has welcomed young women and girls from varied backgrounds and stages of their culinary journeys. Some are home cooks whose skills and passion may otherwise have remained within their homes, with SheChef providing them an opportunity to have their talent recognised.
Others come with experience from working in restaurants, while some already run home-based bakeries or food businesses. They may enter the competition with different levels of experience, but come together through a shared love for food and the desire to learn, grow and challenge themselves.
The competition began in 2018 under the name SheChef. Its second edition, held in 2019, was aligned with the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” initiative, following which the competition was renamed SheChef. Since then, it has continued to provide a dedicated platform for women to come forward, experiment, innovate and celebrate their culinary abilities.
Beyond the opportunity to compete, SheChef has also become a space for participants to learn. Through the guidance, feedback and advice of its judges and curators, contestants are exposed to more technical approaches to cooking, presentation and food preparation. The experience allows participants to take home not just the recognition that comes with participating in a competition, but also new skills, knowledge and confidence that they can apply beyond the event.
For many participants, SheChef has become a stepping stone towards pursuing a career in the culinary field. For some, the experience has provided the encouragement and push they needed to take their skills more seriously, explore professional opportunities or develop their existing food ventures further. In this way, the competition has grown beyond a one-time culinary event to become a starting point for women looking to build a future around their passion for food.
A key feature of SheChef is its emphasis on the rich and diverse food traditions of Manipur. Contestants are encouraged to reinterpret traditional recipes as well as develop new dishes using locally available ingredients. With more than 200 local ingredients made available in the competition pantries, participants have the opportunity to work with indigenous herbs, vegetables, crops and other produce sourced from the state.
Beyond the competition itself, SheChef creates a connection between culinary creativity and the local
food ecosystem. By placing locally produced ingredients at the centre of the competition, it helps showcase the value and versatility of Manipur’s agricultural produce and creates greater visibility for the farmers and food producers behind them.
Over the years, SheChef has brought forward an array of distinctive local culinary creations and reinterpretations, demonstrating how traditional knowledge can coexist with contemporary presentation and innovation. The 4th edition of SheChef was held in 2025, continuing its journey of celebrating women, food and the diverse culinary heritage of Manipur.
With the tagline “Redefining Indigenous Cuisines”, SheChef continues to redefine what a culinary platform can be—one that not only celebrates food, but also creates opportunities for women to be recognised, empowered and heard through their craft.
SangaiChef
SangaiChef is a cooking competition that celebrates the diverse food traditions, indigenous ingredients and culinary knowledge of Manipur. Held during the Sangai Festival, the state’s flagship tourism and cultural festival, it brings together culinary talent from across the state to showcase the richness and diversity of Manipuri cuisine.
SangaiChef came into being in 2018 with the vision of putting the cuisines of Manipur on the culinary map by unearthing the distinctive and lesser-known food traditions of the state’s diverse communities and showcasing them to the world through thoughtful and aesthetic presentation.
At its core is the idea of “Redefining Indigenous Cuisines”—creating a space where traditional culinary knowledge meets contemporary ideas of cooking and creativity.
At the heart of the competition is the use of locally available produce. Contestants draw inspiration from Manipur’s indigenous herbs, vegetables, crops and other local ingredients to reinterpret traditional dishes, experiment with new ideas and create contemporary expressions of familiar flavours. This focus on local produce also seeks to add value to the work of farmers and food producers while highlighting the richness and potential of ingredients grown in the state.
The competition witnesses a fascinating variety of cooking techniques and approaches. Participants prepare dishes using traditional methods passed down through generations, while others explore contemporary ways of cooking. Baking, steaming, roasting and other methods all find their place in the competition, with each participant bringing their own interpretation to the ingredients and dishes.
The result is a diverse array of creations that are not only visually appealing but also memorable in taste. In many ways, this reflects the spirit of SangaiChef—reviving traditional ways of cooking, encouraging new approaches and bringing the two together to create food that is rooted in its heritage while open to new possibilities.
More than a cooking competition, SangaiChef provides a platform to preserve and celebrate traditional food knowledge while encouraging culinary creativity and innovation.
It gives aspiring cooks and other talented, passionate individuals an opportunity to showcase their skills, gain recognition and explore their culinary potential. Cash prizes are awarded to the winners, along with consolation prizes for other participants in recognition of their efforts and participation.
An important part of the SangaiChef experience is the opportunity to learn from esteemed chefs and personalities from the culinary and food sector, who are invited as judges. Their role extends beyond evaluating the dishes; through their feedback, guidance and conversations with participants, they also become mentors throughout the competition.
Participants gain insights into techniques, presentation,
ingredients and different approaches to cooking, taking away knowledge and skills that can continue to shape their culinary journey long after the competition is over.
Over the years, SangaiChef has brought forward distinctive culinary creations inspired by the communities, traditions and natural abundance of Manipur.
Through thoughtful preparation and aesthetic presentation, it has helped introduce the state’s diverse food culture to audiences both within and beyond Manipur.
The 3rd edition of SangaiChef was held in 2022, continuing its journey of celebrating Manipur’s culinary heritage and creating new possibilities for its indigenous cuisines.
