Kumar Mahadevan facts for kids
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| Born | 23 November 1959 Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India |
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| Cooking style | Contemporary South Indian cuisine |
| Education | Madras Catering College |
| Spouse |
Suba Mahadevan
(m. 1987) |
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Rating(s)
Abhi's awarded 1 Chef's Hat by The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide in 1995, 1996 & 1997.
Aki's awarded 1 Chef's Hat by The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide in 2011, 2012, 2013,2014,2015,2017. |
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Current restaurant(s)
Abhi's
Aki's |
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| Official website | |
Kumar Mahadevan, born on November 23, 1959, is a famous Indian chef. He also owns restaurants and appears on TV. He lives in Australia. Many people in Sydney call him the "Guru of Indian cuisine". He is known for bringing real Indian food to Australia. He opened his first restaurant, Abhi's, in 1990. After Abhi's became popular, he opened Aki's. This second restaurant is in a famous dining area in Sydney. Aki's has won many awards. It's the only Indian restaurant to win the 'Chef Hat' award for many years in a row since 2011.
Contents
Early Life and Cooking Start
Kumar Mahadevan grew up in Tirunelveli. This town is in Tamil Nadu, a state in South India. He lived in a big family with his grandmother, her three sons, their wives, and children. His father worked as a steel merchant.
Kumar first learned about Indian cooking in his mother's kitchen. He was very young then. He says his grandmother was his biggest cooking inspiration. She taught him how to make rasam when he was eight. Rasam is a tasty lentil soup. It is a common dish in South Indian meals.
Training to Become a Chef
At 16, Kumar Mahadevan started studying economics. He went to the University of Madras. But he left after only one month. His family had money problems. A friend suggested he join Madras Catering College. He got a full scholarship for the three-year course. However, his parents wanted him to study something academic.
After his first year, Kumar got a summer job. He worked at The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai. This is a five-star hotel. Kumar worked very long hours, sometimes for 18 days straight. He worked in many different parts of the kitchen. He learned a lot from Chef Cyrus Todiwala. Kumar finished his studies in 1979.
He went back to the Taj Hotel for his apprenticeship. He finished it in half the usual time. In 1981, he moved to Basrah, Iraq. He worked at a new Sheraton hotel there. But the Iran-Iraq war got worse. He returned to Mumbai in 1984.
Moving to Australia
Kumar moved to Australia in 1985. He worked at the Mayur restaurant in Sydney. This restaurant was a project by The Tea Board of India and Air India. He cooked for famous people like Elton John and Mick Jagger. He worked very long hours for little pay. He had signed a four-year contract. If he left, his parents would have to pay a large fine.
Kumar got married in July 1987. His wife, Suba, joined him in Sydney. The long hours and low pay were hard for Kumar. He wanted to leave his job. In 1988, he almost quit. He was forced to return to work just hours after his son was born. Luckily, the Mayur restaurant had money problems. This freed Kumar from his contract.
Opening His Own Restaurants
In 1989, Kumar joined Sorrentino cafe in Sydney. He became friends with the owner, Doug Moxon. They decided to open an Indian restaurant together. They found a place in North Strathfield. In 1990, Abhi's opened. It was named after his first son, Abhinav. In 1991, his second son, Akilesh, was born. Even with good reviews, Kumar and his wife struggled financially for a few years.
Abhi's Becomes Famous
In 1994, a food critic named Les Luxford found Abhi's. He worked for The Sydney Morning Herald. He wrote a very positive review in April 1994. The headline was "The Search is Over". Abhi's became an instant success. Kumar said, "there were queues down the street". When it got very busy, Kumar asked his wife, Suba, to help. Abhi's is still a very popular restaurant today. It has been open for over 28 years.
Opening Aki's
Kumar opened his second restaurant, Aki's, in November 2003. It was named after his second son. Aki's is located at the Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf. This was a chance for Kumar to show a new style of Indian food. He combined traditional flavors with a modern touch. Aki's offers a fine-dining experience. Both of his restaurants are known for their clever flavors and fresh spices. Kumar loves to mix authentic South Indian tastes with Australian seafood and local produce. This has made him very popular.
Awards and Recognition
Kumar Mahadevan and his restaurants have won many awards:
- Abhi's won 1 Chef's Hat from The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide in 1995, 1996, and 1997. It was the first Indian restaurant to get this award.
- Aki's won 1 Chef's Hat from The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2017.
- Kumar was chosen as an Ambassador for Indian Cuisine. This was for the first Sydney International Food Festival (SIFF).
- Aki's was named Best Indian/Sub Continental Restaurant by the Restaurant and Catering Association of NSW (RCA) in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017.
- Aki's was named Best Indian Restaurant in 2015 by the India Australia Business & Community Awards (IABCA).
- Aki's received 2 Hats from the Gault&Millau Awards in 2015 and 2016.
Television Appearances
Kumar Mahadevan has appeared on many TV shows in Australia:
- He was on MasterChef Australia (series 2). He taught a class on a South Indian dish called Eral Vendakkai Kuzhambu (Prawn Okra Curry).
- He was a judge on MasterChef Junior Australia for an Indian cooking challenge.
- He appeared on MasterChef Australia (series 4). He helped teams cook a traditional Sri Lankan Hindu wedding meal for 450 guests.
- He was featured on SBS Food Safari with Maeve O'Meara in 2014, showing Abhi's.
- He was on SBS Food Safari Fire in 2017, showing Abhi's and Aki's in an episode about the tandoor oven.
Personal Life
In July 1987, Kumar Mahadevan married Suba Krishnamurthi. She is a business graduate from Chennai. He says she is his biggest inspiration and sometimes his biggest critic. Since Abhi's became successful in 1994, she has helped him run both restaurants.
They have two sons. Abhinav was born in 1988, and Akilesh in 1991. Kumar named his restaurants after them. Kumar also loves photography, wine, and traveling. Every year, he and Suba visit their home country for new ideas.
Kumar enjoys finding old recipes. He visits cooks and housewives to learn their traditional styles. He then uses these ideas in the food at Abhi's and Aki's. He also credits his friend, Chef Praveen Anand, for helping him learn more about Indian food history.
Books
In 2013, Kumar and Suba Mahadevan wrote a book together. It is called From India: food, family & tradition. The book shares traditional and modern recipes. It also tells their personal story. This includes their arranged marriage, travels, and moving to Australia. The recipes are grouped by taste: sour, sweet, salt, bitter, and spice. This is a nod to the ancient Indian idea of six tastes.
The book has won awards:
- It won in the 'lifestyle' category at the British Book Design & Production Awards in 2013.
- It won a Silver Medal at the Frankfurt International Book Festival in 2014.
