A Passion's Maestro

NEW YORK BASED CHEF VIKAS KHANNA IS A TREASURED FORCE IN THE CULINARY WORLD, BOTH IN INDIA AND ON FOREIGN TURF. A GENIUS IN PROGRESS FOR OVER THREE DECADES.

- Parineeta Sethi

The first Indian chef to be awarded with a coveted Michelin star. The author of over 37 books. The only Indian name in Top 10 Most Influential Chefs in the world. The maker of acclaimed films. The man with a heart of gold. Vikas Khanna is simply unstoppable and is now on the brink of unveiling “Barefoot Empress”, an inspiring tale of Kartiyani Amma from Kerala who decided to pursue her education and dreams at the age of 96.

Kartiyani Amma went on to become India’s global face for education. “It becomes more inspiring for people when you walk the talk. While we crib over the year we lost during the pandemic, here is a woman who has lost 96 years! Yet she has the grace to accept life. This is what I call inspiration.”

Few know that there is more to Vikas’ multifaceted personality. While he leads with an ardent and compassionate perfection, behind that is a quick-witted personality that has a huge passion for animals, working out, and sculpting (he can make life-size sculptures). “I still have a kid-like excitement because I am always creating. That is the way I deal with my mental health. There have been failures, but you can never tell the pressure and stress I am dealing with when you see me.”

Extending his creative soul to each of his passions besides cooking, Vikas Khanna is the embodiment of “love what you do and do what you love”.

Your love for cooking stems from your grandmother, who was a superb cook. What has been your biggest takeaway from her?