Lausanne Hospitality Consulting to help establish Indian Culinary Institute
In a bid to support the rapidly expanding restaurant and hospitality industries in India, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has decided to establish an Indian Culinary Institute – a plan that it will execute in collaboration with Swiss management advisory institute Lausanne Hospitality Consulting.
Perhaps the two most direct indicators of a vibrant economy are an increase in disposable income and an increase in tourism, respectively representing domestic prosperity and attractiveness to the international community. In turn, two industries that benefit directly form such a scenario are the restaurant and hospitality sectors.
India is thriving is both fields. The restaurant industry is on a steady growth trajectory, pushed along by domestic and international expansion strategies from restaurant owners, who are further encouraged by the favourable conditions brought about by the recently implemented GST.
In the hospitality sector, occupancy rates across the country are at their highest in over a decade, and the average rates have risen in correspondence. The CII has now taken a step towards deploying skilled manpower in both sectors, through the establishment of an Indian Culinary Institute (ICI). 
Skill-development is already a major priority across all public-sector initiatives in India, and the new establishment will offer a training/certification model, entailing the provision of highly specialised training programmes, including master classes from leading professionals in the international culinary fields.
For support with the establishment of the institute, the CII has signed a memorandum of understanding with Lausanne Hospitality Consulting (LHC). The consulting firm was established in 1976 as the training division of the Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne, and has since grown into a specialist advisory firm for the international hospitality market.
LHC’s advisory portfolio spans market analysis, feasibility studies & valuations, strategic advisory services, project management, and performance evaluation. The firm also extends to more specialised domains such as executive search and assistance with effective organisational integration.
In addition to support with the establishment of the ICI, the partnership includes a proposal for the launch of the Lausanne Hotel and Restaurant Training Centre in India, which offers licenses upon the completion of specialised programmes. CII and LHC will also publish collaborative research papers and market analysis.
The objective of the partnership is essentially the development of skilled and strategic labour force in the hospitality and culinary segments. As summarised by the Head of Skill Development for the CII, Sougata Roy Choudhary, “India's burgeoning population presents a huge opportunity, which if coupled with international training standards can help the creation of a truly globalised workforce.”
