The Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition, Mumbai, the first of its kind in South East Asia was founded in the year 1954 by the All India Women’s Central Food Council under the leadership of Late Smt. Lilavati Munshi.

The purpose was to improve the nutritional status of the average from a high cereal diet to a more balanced diet. The critical factor however was to find trained personnel to run these Annapoornas on a self-financing basis. Hence the birth of the training Institute - IHM Mumbai.