Vikas Khanna facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vikas Khanna
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| Born | 1971/1972 (age 53–54) |
| Education | Manipal Academy of Higher Education GD Goenka University |
| Style | Indian cuisine |
| Relatives | Radhika Khanna (sister) |
Vikas Khanna (born in 1971 or 1972) is a famous Indian chef, restaurant owner, cookbook writer, and filmmaker. He lives in New York City. Many people know him as one of the main judges on the TV show MasterChef India.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Vikas Khanna was born in Amritsar, India, into a Punjabi family. He went to St. Francis School in Amritsar. When he was born, he had a condition called a club foot, which made it hard for him to run. He couldn't run properly until he was 13 years old.
In 1991, he finished his hotel management studies at Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Later, he continued his education at the Culinary Institute of America and New York University. He also received a special honorary doctorate degree from GD Goenka University for his amazing achievements.
Cooking Career
Before moving to the United States, Vikas Khanna worked in many well-known hotels in India. These included the Taj Hotels, Oberoi group, Welcome group, and Leela Group of Hotels.
In New York, he worked at restaurants like Salaam Bombay and The Café at the Rubin Museum of Art. He then joined Junoon, which is a very fancy Indian restaurant in the Flatiron district of Manhattan.
Vikas Khanna has also opened his own restaurants around the world. In 2019, he opened Kinara in Dubai. The next year, in 2020, he opened another restaurant called Ellora, also in Dubai. In 2024, he opened a new restaurant named Bungalow in the East Village area of New York City.
Television Appearances
Since 2011, Vikas Khanna has been a judge on MasterChef India. He has hosted many seasons of this popular cooking show, which is based on a British TV series.
He was also invited as a special guest judge on MasterChef Australia in its sixth season. You might have also seen him on the TV show Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsay. He helped an Indian restaurant that was having trouble. Vikas Khanna also appeared as a judge and an expert in Indian food on Hell's Kitchen.
Film Projects
Vikas Khanna is not just a chef; he also makes films! His documentary film, Kitchens of Gratitude, was shown at the Marche du Film during the 69th Cannes Film Festival.
He also directed his first feature film, The Last Color. This movie tells the story of the daily challenges people face to survive on the streets of Banaras, India.
Awards and Recognition
Vikas Khanna has received many awards and honors for his work:
- He was named one of the Top 10 Chefs in the world by Deutsche Welle News and Gazette Review.
- He received special doctorate degrees from G D Goenka University and D Y Patil University for his achievements.
- His cookbook, Return to the Rivers, was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award in 2014. This is a very important award in the food world.
- He won the "Rising Star" Chef Award from Star Chefs in 2011. This award recognized his role in shaping the future of American cooking.
- GQ Magazine named him GQ India Man of the Year in 2012.
- He received The Shining Star Award from "Just One Break, Inc."
- He was featured on the cover of Men's Health India Magazine in 2012.
- A poll by the New York Eater blog voted him "New York's Hottest Chef".
- His New York restaurant, Bungalow, won the Michelin 2024 Bib Gourmand award. This award is given to restaurants that offer great food at good prices.
See also
- Indians in the New York City metropolitan area
