A Star is Born

Chef Vijay Kumar's unapologetic rural Tamilian food at Semma has won a James Beard, a Michelin, and the hearts of many New Yorkers.

- Shradha Shahani

Long before he found a stage for his cooking, Chef Vijay Kumar was a village boy in Tamil Nadu, worried his food might never be enough.

"I belonged to a farmer's family and didn't have the luxury of eating expensive food," he recalls. "I always felt judged for it. As a child, you can only hope things will change." Little did the boy who once walked barefoot to school know he would grow up to be that change.

Today, Chef Vijay Kumar's food and culture take centre stage. His Manhattan restaurant, Semma, a celebration of village-style Tamilian flavours, has been crowned number one on The New York Times’ 100 Best Restaurants list and has earned a Michelin star. The 44-year-old chef also won the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef in New York State. “If you asked eight-year-old me, he'd never imagine he'd be sitting here talking to you,” Kumar says over a Zoom call just weeks after the win.

Unapologetically Indian

Kumar’s accolades are more than a personal triumph—they mark a milestone for Tamilian cuisine and a bigger win for Indian food at large. In the Western world, where Indian cuisine is too often reduced to curry, chicken tikka masala and 'naan bread,' the chef made a deliberate choice to stand apart.