Chef Vikas Khanna’s tryst with food took him to the United States and consecutively all over the world. From a young student at Manipal University in 1991 – who was disappointed to learn that no Indian Chef had earned an Michelin star, to rubbing shoulders with the Obamas and being good friends with Gordon Ramsay, Vikas went on to become a restaurateur, cookbook writer, filmmaker, humanitarian, TV show host and India’s only Michelin starred chef.
Vikas’ restaurant in New York, Junoon, bagged its fourth Michelin star earlier this month. His newest cookbook Amritsar, Flavours of the Golden City was launched last month and kept the chef busy with promotions across Punjab, Delhi and Mumbai. And, lest we think we’ve seen or heard the last of him, the chef is poised to return to Indian television with the fourth season of Twist of Taste . The show premiering this week on Fox Life will see the award-winning chef re-invent Indian sweets and the menu includes mouth-watering twists such as Mysore Pak made into steamed dumplings with mango sauce, paneer jalebi elevated to cupcakes, shahi tukda into reimagined cannoli and ghewar redefined into tartlets.
“It’s very interesting to return with the show during the festival season. In India celebrations are all about “meetha khilana” and it seemed like perfect timing for the new season that is all about rustling up Indian sweets with a twist,” says Vikas, in-between promotions for his new book.
Vikas, who grew up in Amritsar, fell in love with cooking because of his grandmother, whom he fondly calls Biji. “The book is a tribute to the training-love-peace I went through in my city,” he says. Vikas started experimenting with recipes and turned entrepreneur at a very young age. He started Lawrence Gardens Banquets to cater to weddings and family functions when he was 17. “Amritsar has truly been the defining force in my career.”
At the heart of his cooking also is the langar or community kitchen where Vikas spent much of his time growing up. His documentary series Holy Kitchens and other notable works have looked at langars closely and presented the concept of seva at community kitchens to global audiences. “We all find our force in something,” he says. “For some it could be cars, bank balances or big houses. For me it is the langar. It works well for my gravity.”
Vikram’s foray into television wasn’t planned. The chef counts Gordon Ramsay as one of his mentors and the reason for him being on TV. “In 2006, I got a call from Chef Gordon Ramsay’s team to be on Kitchen Nightmares . I did a small appearance and entered the new world of television. I remember the first time I met him at London Hotel in New York. He took me to his kitchen and we cooked together. I was scared in the beginning and then later could see why he was one of the most prominent chefs in the world. He had truly perfected his art,” says Vikas.
In the fourth season of Twist of Taste , Vikas will be travelling across Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata, Amristar, Mysore, to experience traditional desserts and festive sweets, uncovering what inspired their creation by exploring the history and culture of the city. Taking inspiration from the dish and its core ingredients, Vikas will then return to his kitchen to prepare the dish with a twist.
At Junoon too, the menu includes re-invented Indian dishes. “I feel like I have had to slow down my imagination to not get carried away with re-inventing Indian food. I aim to retain elements of relatability to the original dish, while presenting it in an unseen avatar. For example, the humble motichur laddu has been reinvented to become a motichur soufflé at my restaurant.”
The word Junoon means passion and the restaurant is the Indian chef’s commitment to serve the best of Indian culture and food in modern interpretations. “I think Indian food is catching up like crazy in the west and I am super proud to be part of this wave,” he says.
Seeming to have done it all, one would not be wrong to assume that there is very little left on his platter that doesn’t taste like success. “I’ve realised my dream of selling one of the most expensive meals in the world and now I’m writing the world’s most expensive cookbook,” he says joyfully. As for opening a restaurant in India, Chef Vikas Khanna replies mysteriously, “If destiny so desires, so it shall be.”
Twist of Taste- Sweet Life airs every Monday and Tuesday at 9.30 pm on Fox Life
