Harpal Singh Sokhi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harpal Singh Sokhi
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Sokhi in 2020
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| Born | 1966 (age 58–59) Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
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| Known for | "Namak Shamak" |
| Culinary career | |
| Cooking style | Indian Cuisine |
| Education | Diploma in Hotel Management from IHM, Bhubaneswar |
| Spouse |
Aparna Sokhi
(m. 1996) |
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Current restaurant(s)
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Television show(s)
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Harpal Singh Sokhi (born 1966) is a famous Indian chef and restaurant owner. He started his cooking journey in 1987. Six years later, he became an executive chef, which is a top chef position. He is well-known for his fun catchphrase, "Namak Shamak!"
Contents
Early Life and Education
Harpal Singh Sokhi grew up in Kharagpur, West Bengal, India. His father worked for the Indian Railways. Harpal has two older sisters and one brother. He went to the South Eastern Railway Mixed Higher Secondary School.
His mother's cooking inspired him to become a chef. His father traveled a lot for work. He encouraged his children to try many different types of food. Harpal's brother also cooked food at a langar, which is a community kitchen in Sikh temples.
Harpal first wanted to be an engineer. This was because Kharagpur has a famous engineering school, IIT Kharagpur. But he found studies difficult. He also thought about joining the Indian Air Force. However, he was too old by the time he decided to apply.
A friend told him about hotel management careers. Harpal's brother encouraged him to take the entrance exam. In 1984, Harpal joined the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) in Bhubaneswar.
Becoming a Chef
In 1987, Harpal finished his diploma in catering. He began his career as a trainee cook at The Oberoi in Bhubaneswar. By age 27, he became an executive chef.
Harpal spent many years learning about different foods from around the world. He learned Hyderabadi cooking from expert chefs. He also studied Ayurveda-based food. He wanted to see how cooking could make food healthier.
Working in Restaurants
Sokhi worked as a chef at many restaurants. These included Vintage, a Hyderabadi restaurant, and hotels like Centaur Hotel in Juhu, Mumbai. He also worked at Hotel Tuli International in Nagpur from 1994 to 1998. Later, he worked at The Regent in Mumbai and Jakarta. He also cooked at Taj Lands End in Mumbai.
Harpal taught cooking classes at Regent Jakarta and The Peninsula Manila. He also organized Indian food festivals in other countries. In 2001, he helped start Khana Khazana India Pvt Ltd. He helped create ready-to-eat foods for the Khazana brand. He also designed new types of chocolate mithais (Indian sweets). He has also worked with the Ching's Secret food brand.
Other Food Projects
Harpal Sokhi created business class menus for Singapore Airlines for seven years. He also promoted "Ancient Indian Food" on Indian Airlines. He has developed menus for travel companies like SOTC. He also designed menus for Wockhardt Hospitals.
He was a guest teacher at the N. L. Dalmia Institute of Management Studies and Research. He has also designed menus for many special events. These include weddings and birthday parties.
Television Shows
In 1993, Harpal Sokhi hosted the first episode of Khana Khazana on Zee TV. Later, he started his own show called Harpal ki Rasoi on a local TV channel in Nagpur. This show was not very successful at first.
Then, Sokhi started hosting Turban Tadka on the Food Food channel. This show made him very popular in India. He became famous for his phrase "Namak Shamak" and a song he sings while adding seasoning to food. Turban Tadka became one of the most-watched cooking shows.
He has also hosted other TV shows like Kitchen Khiladi and Sirf Tees Minute on FoodFood channel. In 2014, he hosted Desh da Swaad on Zee News. For this show, he traveled across India trying different foods. He is also one of India's top chefs on YouTube. In 2016, he was a contestant on the dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 9.
As of 2025, he is a Celebrity Chef Coach on the TV show "Laughter Chefs Unlimited Entertainment" on Colors. On this show, he helps celebrities with funny cooking challenges. He works alongside Bharti Singh and also cooks to help the celebrity participants.
Other Work
In 1998, Sokhi helped open an Indian restaurant called Khazana in Dubai. He also created plans for opening other restaurants. In 2012, he started his own restaurant chain called The Funjabi Tadka (TFT). The first restaurant opened in Kolkata on January 18, 2013.
Harpal Sokhi has written food articles for newspapers and magazines. He has worked with famous chef Sanjeev Kapoor for a long time. He has helped create content for Kapoor's books. They also wrote a book together called Royal Hyderabadi Cooking.
Personal Life
Harpal Sokhi lives in Mumbai with his wife, Aparna. They have two daughters named Anushka and Antra. Harpal can speak six languages: English, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Odia, and Telugu.
