LIFESTYLE
Chef Vikas Khanna, whose 15-year journey has been captured in a documentary, says the world is just beginning to learn about Indian food
Chef Vikas Khanna talks about the recently released documentary on his life, Indian food, his struggles and his journey to becoming a Michelin-star chef.
He was born with misaligned feet in a small town in India. Unable to play with other children, Vikas Khanna found refuge in his grandmother’s kitchen. From watching the puffing of bread to understanding the unique characteristics of each ingredient, simple rituals of cooking intrigued him. In his teenage years, Khanna found his calling in the majestic kitchens of the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
Many years later, he set out to pursue his big American dream without much, except the clothes on his back. From spending nights at a homeless shelter to becoming one of the world’s most celebrated chefs, Khanna has come a long way. Today, the Michelin-starred chef is not only the culinary ambassador of Junoon, one of the best Indian restaurants in New York City, USA, but also a name many associate with Indian food the world over. Also a prolific writer, he has authored over 20 books, judged several TV shows and travelled extensively to research food.
A JOURNEY FULL OF STRUGGLES
Now, Khanna’s journey has been captured in a documentary called Buried Seeds, which was screened at the Cannes film festival in France on May 18. Interestingly, this is his third time at the festival. In 2015, his book, Utsav: A Culinary Epic Of Indian Festivals, was launched there, and last year, Kitchens Of Gratitude, a short documentary that showcased the power of food, premiered red at Cannes. He says, “I am humbled yet proud to repre-represent the culinary worldld at a platform that is synonymous with creativity and art.”
Buried Seeds is the brainchild of RussianAmerican director Andrei Severny. Khanna says, “I met him at a fundraiser in 2006. He has been following my journey and struggles. One day, he came up to me and said, ‘Chef, can you help me make this film?’”
Apparently, Severny was impressed by the strong family roots and traditions prevalent in India. “Our families sacrifice a lot for us. He wanted to make a powerful film that captures pain, loss, defeat and the practical side. He promised me this film would be different,” the chef says. And Khanna is indeed happy with the way the documentary has taken shape. “Severny has turned his idea into an eclectic and engaging audio-visual.”
AGAINST ALL ODDS
The documentary showcases Khanna’s more than 15-year struggle in the industry. “It tells today’s generation how difficult it is to fulfil your dreams when so many odds are stackedsta against you. BuriedB Seeds was created with the aim to not only show the hhighs, but also the painpa and turbulence thathat I endured while tryitrying to educate myself and make a career out of cookcooking. It is not like when you laland in America the locals roll out a red carpet befobefore you. They behave nornormally. However, whwhen you start competingco with them, everythingev changes.” Khanna has been on a ssuccess streak in New York,Yoor but his unfathomableablee love for Indian food remainremainsn unchanged. “Indian food is the richest cuisine that the world is just beginningnin to learn about. We arare a very rich society, culturally.cu I love exploringi the various aspects of Indian food because there is always so much to learn. I am like a kid every time I learn about a new spice and ingredient,”en says the chef. But ask him if he is ready to open a restaurant in India, and he says, “Not as of now.”
I am humbled yet proud to represent the culinary world at a platform that is synonymous with creativity and art. VIKAS KHANNA, CHEF