GRT Hotels GReaT Shef Awards ₹1 Lakh Prizes in Chennai
Grand Chennai by GRT Hotels hosts GReaT Shef finale, awarding ₹1 lakh in prizes to women home chefs after a multi-round culinary competition in Chennai.
nishathapa 
Chennai, May 7, 2026 — Talk in hotel kitchens is shifting, talent isn’t just coming from culinary schools anymore, and Grand Chennai by GRT Hotels and Resorts just put that on display. The property hosted the finale of the second edition of GReaT Shef, a competition built around women home chefs, wrapping up with a live cook-off and prizes worth ₹1 lakh.
Participants came in from Chennai and nearby regions. And the spotlight stayed firmly on grassroots talent.
Multi-Round Competition Culminates in Live Finale
The competition ran in stages. Early rounds filtered the field before pushing finalists into a live kitchen battle.
At the finale, contestants cooked their signature dishes on-site, in front of judges. No second takes. No home advantage.
It wasn’t just about taste. The setup tested:
- Speed
- Presentation
- Control under pressure
Basically, how close they could get to a real hotel kitchen environment.
Industry Jury Evaluates Culinary Talent
The judging panel included Sheetharaman Prasad, Ganesh U, Kishore Kumar, V N Kumar and Nagesh.
They scored entries on flavour, creativity, plating, and overall execution.
But the bigger play here was exposure. The event gave home chefs a shot at stepping outside their kitchens and into a professional setting.
And that’s a space hotels are starting to open up more often.
₹1 Lakh Prize Pool and Hospitality Rewards
The winners walked away with prizes worth ₹1 lakh.
The rewards weren’t cash-heavy. Instead, they leaned into hospitality experiences:
- Luxury stays in Mamallapuram, Yercaud, and Kodaikanal
- Gourmet dining vouchers
It’s a familiar play, use experiences to build recall, while quietly pushing destination properties.
Platform for Women Home Chefs
GReaT Shef is built around one idea, give women home chefs a real platform.
Not just recognition. But visibility inside the industry.
The turnout showed demand is there. Women from across Chennai and nearby regions signed up, many bringing serious skill despite no commercial kitchen background.
And some of them delivered near-professional execution.
They also got face time with industry professionals. That matters.
Hospitality-Led Engagement Initiatives on the Rise
Hotels aren’t just selling rooms anymore. They’re building engagement.
Events like GReaT Shef show how properties are turning into platforms, for talent, culture, and community interaction.
And it’s not random. These formats help hotels stay relevant with local audiences while building brand recall.
The second edition sticking to a structured format, rounds, jury, rewards, shows this isn’t a one-off experiment.
It’s a strategy.
The finale at Grand Chennai closes this year’s edition. But more importantly, it signals where hospitality is heading, closer to people, closer to real stories, and far beyond just check-ins and check-outs.
