A culinary chef speaks with students inside a kitchen at the Ecole Ducasse, a French culinary school in the city of Gurugram, in the Indian state of Haryana, on Sept. 22. | AFP-JIJI

NEW DELHI, INDIA – Fiercely proud of its culinary traditions, India is increasingly open to foreign influences, with French cooking schools attracting students eager to make their mark on the country’s growing fine-dining sector.

“Ten or 15 years ago, there were far fewer young people dreaming of becoming chefs,” said Aabhas Jain, director of bakery and pastry training at Ecole Ducasse, a French culinary school also operating in India.

“But with the rise of social media ...…