The theme on the banner was five words long: "My state in my plate." On 4 October 2026, Kala Kendra in Jammu became the venue for Season 9 of 'Kahin Gum Na Jo Jayen', a national cookery contest, according to a Greater Kashmir report published the next day.
The idea is simple to state and harder to cook: bring the food of where you come from to the table, and let a panel decide whose plate says it best.
Who was in the room
The contest was presented by Let's Give Back and powered by the Kiran Bedi Trust for Education and Welfare for Underprivileged. Studio Kava is named as a sponsor. Col Atul Sassena, co-founder of Let's Give Back, and Sabeeta Sassena, its founder, are named among the organisers. Reena Mukherjee is listed as chief coordinator for Jammu and Kashmir, and Kalpana Vinay as state coordinator.
The judges' panel named in the report was Chef Vinod Saini, Chef Kaushal, Chef Sanjay and Dr Kamla Aggarwal. The report also lists an "eminent panel" of Chef Vikas Khanna, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and television artist Shahnaz Pilai.
The result
- Winner: Shivali Rani
- First runner-up: Pooja Kapoor Suri
- Second runner-up: Mehnaaz Begum
The report mentions a national prize of Rs 1.5 lakh. The photograph issued with it shows the three placed contestants and a stage full of participants holding certificates and trophies, with the season banner behind them.
What the report does not say
A news report of an event is not a how-to guide, and this one leaves several questions a reader might have. Be clear about the gaps before planning anything around it:
- How contestants entered. The report does not describe registration, eligibility, age limits or any entry fee.
- Where the winners are from. Their home states are not given, so it is not clear whether the title went to a Jammu cook or to someone representing another state.
- How the national prize works. The Rs 1.5 lakh is described as a national prize. The report does not say whether it went to Shivali Rani, how it is divided, or whether a further national round follows.
- What was cooked. The report does not describe the dishes, so we have not either.
- How many took part. No contestant count is given.
Why it is worth a note
Jammu's food scene is usually written about through restaurants and street stalls. This was something different: home and amateur cooking staged as a contest, at a venue better known for arts programming, with a theme that asks cooks to speak for a region rather than for themselves.
For readers who cook, the format is the takeaway. Contests of this kind turn on a clear idea of one's own place on a plate. For anyone wanting to enter a future season, the organisers, Let's Give Back and the Kiran Bedi Trust, are the people to ask, since the report gives no entry details.
We will update this piece if the organisers publish the entry process or the winners' states.
Sources:
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