Top 6 Indian Chefs With Michelin Stars
Michelin stars are the pinnacle in the world of culinary skills. Anonymous diners (s) visit the restaurant to assess the restaurant / chef on numerous parameters like food quality, consistency between visitors and culinary skills of the chefs along with the hospitality they offer.
Even Indian chefs are making their mark globally by achieving Michelin Stars; let us take a look at these chefs.
Vikas Khanna
- Born and raised in Amritsar (Punjab), Chef Vikas Khanna left for US to pursue his dream.
- Gained recognition at James Beard House at a non-profit that became his stepping stone.
- 2006- Launched Spice Route, got an invitation by Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay on the show Kitchen Nightmares.
- In 2010 launched his restaurant Junoon (Flatiron district of Manhattan). Following year achieved his first Michelin star and continued on the journey for next six years.
- Featured in MasterChef Australia, was one of the judges on MasterChef India.
- Cooked for Obamas at the White House.
- Launched an initiative Feed India from NY arranging for meals for millions of people during COVID-19 pandemic in India.
- Own documentary by the name of Buried Seeds: Life Journey of Chef Vikas Khanna. It premiered on National Geographic on 15 August 2021.
Atul Kochhar
- First Indian to achieve the Michelin star for his London restaurant Tamarind in 2001. Following year launched Benares in the city’s upscale Mayfair district, got second Michelin star.
- Signature dishes are a combination of traditional Indian and British dishes.
- Launched Saga with restaurateur Vishal Anand in Gurugram after two decades on his return to Delhi.
Vineet Bhatia
- Born in Mumbai in 1976, known for spreading the taste of Indian cuisine globally.
- Worked as the executive chef at Mewar and Kandahar restaurants (Oberoi group of hotels) in Delhi and Mumbai.
- Steeled in UK to work on his culinary skills and initiated a unique taste of spices with his ‘anglicized’ signature dishes at UK.
- In 1999 that he opened Zaika in Chelsea but then shifted it to Kensington High Street.
- His dishes named Dhunga machli tikka and Veinchinna mamsun at Zaika won him his first Michelin star in 2001.
- Got a Michelin star in 2009, Rasoi by Vineet at the Mandarin Oriental in Geneva, Switzerland.
- In 2016 relaunched his restaurant by the name VBL (Vineet Bhatia London), the restaurant serves Indian cuisines with a twist of international flavors.
- With the love of travel and adventure the chef is said to have created a pop-up restaurant at the Everest Base Camp for 10 lucky trekkers in 2018.
Garima Arora
- Transitioned from being a journalist to a chef.
- Inaugurated Gaa, a three-storied restaurant in Bangkok’s Phatumwan, in 2017.
- She is the first ever female to get a Michelin star for Gaa in 2018.
- Same year bagged the title of Asia’s Best Female Chef 2019 by World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
- Is an alumna of the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu Paris.
- Trained under Gordon Ramsey.
- Worked in Gaggan Anand’s Bangkok establishment Gaggan as the sous chef after her return to Asia.
Sriram Aylur
- Won a Michelin star in 2008 retained it for 14 years.
- Given coastal Indian food a global twist at Quilon ( Buckingham Gate, London).
- Chef offers menu tasting to the visitors for tailor made preferences.
Srijith Gopinathan
- An alumnus of Culinary Institute of America.
- Worked under the wing of Chef Raymond Blanc’s two Michelin-starred restaurant Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in England.
- Held a Michelin star for eight years for Taj Hotel at San Francisco.
- In 2016 and 2017 that he went on to win two Michelin star.
- Known to have defined a Cal-Indian taste palate at Campton Place.