A superchef who loves to write

VikasKh anna is one of the best-known Indian chefs on the international circuit. Having cooked satvik food for former US President Ba rack O ba ma, and a fan list that includes Tom Cruise and Andre Agassi, Khanna has got many people interested in authentic Indian food. But success came hard to the 46- year-old Michel in star chef, restaurateur, and former judge of the popular show, Masterchef India.

Khanna was born withaclub foot.Doctors told hismotherthat hewould neverbe ableto walk properly. An introvert, Khan na ended up spending time in the kitchen with his grandmother, and fell in love with cooking.

At 13, Khan na started to walk normally. By 17, he was running a catering business in Amritsar, when his uncle took him to ITC Maury a, New Delhi. After studying at the We lcom group Graduate School of Hotel Administration, Mani pal, he did a three-year stint at the Leela Kempinski, Mumbai.

In2000,Khanna landedin America. Working as a kitchen helper-dishwasher in a restaurant, he stayed in a shelter for homeless in New York. The dhokla he made during the time made him executive chef at a restaurant.

In 2006, Khan na appeared on Gordon Ramsay’ s show, Kitchen Nightmares. Three-and-ahalf years later, he started a restaurant, Juno on, that won a Michelin star in 10 months. Khanna’s other love is writing. He has been writing books on subjects ranging from Himalayan cuisine to his hometown, Amritsar.