Vikas Khanna, one of the most versatile personalities in the culinary industry with a diverse portfolio sat down to talk about his journey and was moderated by host Chetan Bhagat.
Khanna is regarded as one of the world’s most popular Indian chefs. He is a Michelin-starred chef and the host of famous prime-time shows like MasterChef India, Twist of Taste, and India’s Mega Kitchens.
At ABP’s IOI, Vikas remembered how his passion in this industry blossomed from being a small-town boy in Amritsar to owning and operating restaurants all around the world: “Amritsar, or ‘Ambarsar,’ as we call it. I did not come from a wealthy household. We were all the same. That was the state of the economy in the 1970s. I began cooking at a young age. I was an expert at tandoor. I put it very well.”
“Another thing that got me into food and a better understanding of food is Golden Temple, it made me understand on a much different scale and magnitude. People from all walks of come and sit together,” he added.
Further, he discussed his incredible business experience in this industry. He described how his first “kitty-party business” failed miserably. “To start a business, you need money, therefore we (Vikas and his family) spoke with a nearby school principal, who was always quite talkative. I made 700 sweaters for a school requirement, got 12,000 rupees, and started that business at the age of 16. I did terribly bad, “Vikas stated.
“Biji, kehti thi ki paise nhi lene, ye ghar hai. And aas-pados ki aunties took advantage of that. Auntiyan khaati thi unlimited bhatoore, and they used to get it packed,” he said.
“That wasn’t viable?” Chetan inquired. “That was viable, I obtained my college admission because of it,” Vikas responded.
In terms of his experience, how did it feel to feed India’s Prime Minister? “When he was travelling to the UN General Assembly, I said, I want to do a dine-in food,” Vikas answered.
The Prime Minister was throwing a dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in New York for some of the world’s most powerful CEOs. And Chef Vikas Khanna was in command.
Vikas went on to discuss his accomplishments over the years, saying, “from Rs 10 to A Michelin Star, I prepared dinner the most expensive meal, 39,000 dollars for a person.”
“When you work internationally, you are judged by your origin, colour, and background,” he remarked of his struggles. We were advised not to ask questions, and that we would be working under the white chef, but I questioned why. Why can’t I take the initiative? But look how the transition has transpired”.
But none of this helped Vikas Khanna achieve what he has now; the big hit was still to come, as Vikas explained: “I was working at the Leela Hotel when I returned to Amritsar and ran the kitty hall for 5 years. When you cook at banquets in 2000, a lot of cops come to such places. I was too busy to serve them, and they broke my banquet shed. My heart was broken.”
“I went to the Golden Temple, but it was closed that day. It had never happened before that all of the temple’s doors were shut, but it was on that day. I was broken, and even God’s door was closed to me today, but who knew this would open the door to success for me? After that day, I decided to go abroad and soon I went to New York.”
Two Major Incidents That Had A Major Impact On Vikas:
“The 92 Riots are one of the two incidents that have had an impact on me,” Vikas remarked. “I was working in Bombay at the time, and the hotel had closed. I received word that my brother’s apartment had caught fire. The authorities informed me that if I left, I would not receive my training certificate, but I still opted to leave. A mob was also walking while I was walking. I was rescued by a lady, and I now have my mummy and ammi.”
“When I told Mr Kher (Anupam Kher) about the story, the media contacted her, and she recognised me. Since then, I’ve been keeping one roza in her honour during Ramadan,” he stated.
Another event that has had an impact on Vikas and his journey to success is how he got the Michelin star.
Check Out How Vikas Got His Michelin Star:
#WATCH | @TheVikasKhanna shares how he got his first Michelin star for his restaurant Junoon in New York, USA
Ideas of India Summit 2023 | @panavi #ABPIdeasOfIndia #NayaIndia pic.twitter.com/LiNJeHyPVz
— ABP LIVE (@abplive) February 25, 2023
Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s Kitchen, as well as The Martha Stewart Show, Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, and MasterChef Australia, have all featured Chef Khanna. Former US President Barack Obama, the Dalai Lama, Pope Francis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and many other world leaders and celebrities have attended his events.
Deutsche Welle named him one of the world’s 10 most iconic chefs of all time in 2015. Chef Khanna also collaborates with numerous foundations around the world to eliminate malnutrition in India.
ABP Network’s Ideas of India 2023:
The ABP Network’s Ideas Of India Summit 2023 has concluded. The two-day event featured a slew of notable people presenting their perspectives and ideas for a ‘Naya India,’ which was this year’s theme. In his vote of thanks, CEO Avinash Pandey stated that the summit will return next year and will be “even bigger and better.”