The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power, organized the "Commercial Induction Cooking Showcase & Chef Challenge" in New Delhi with the theme "Accelerating India's Electric Cooking Ambition: From Technology Demonstration to Real-World Adoption." The event brought together policymakers, public sector enterprises, manufacturers, technology providers, chefs, hoteliers, and commercial kitchen operators to advance adoption of energy-efficient electric cooking in India's commercial and institutional kitchens.
Shri Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power, served as Chief Guest and inaugurated an exhibition featuring commercial e-cooking appliances and technologies from seven leading manufacturers. He identified energy security as the primary driver behind India's shift to electric cooking, citing ongoing global conflict and rising LPG prices as key factors. He noted that existing schemes including Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA) and PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana provide a strong foundation for promoting e-cooking appliances, while acknowledging behavioral and infrastructural barriers including chef/consumer comfort with induction-cooked food taste and gaps in local distribution capacity.
Shri Krushna Chandra Panigrahy, Director General, BEE, announced that BEE is inviting manufacturers, distributors, system integrators, and solution providers to register for the Go Electric Commercial Electric Cooking Vendor Directory, a public platform that will help hotels, restaurants, canteens, hospitals, and institutions find credible providers. He also revealed that BEE is working with the Bureau of Indian Standards to develop a Standards & Labeling framework for commercial induction hobs. The event included a Commercial Induction Chef Challenge where three chefs prepared dishes using induction cooktops, demonstrating cooking performance, ease of use, heat control, and cooking time.