VIKAS KHANNA A HERITAGE OF FANS
TEAM VIKAS
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Vikas Khanna A Heritage of Fans By Team Vikas
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This book is dedicated to the one, who inspired millions and touched their lives with his smile, Our Inspiration, Our Idol Chef Vikas Khanna.
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PREFACE Vikas Khanna-A Heritage of Fans is a book that will take you to the world of Chef Vikas Khanna. From his childhood to the entire journey of him becoming the MasterChef and his huge fan following today, this book will tell you everything about him. We, the members of Team Vikas, who have written this book have tried our level best to cover every information related to him. The names of the authors are: Rhea Binoy, Mehri Afroz Tonny, Ishani Shah, Manisha Jain, Tanya Shrivastav, Divya Katta, Rukhsar Shaikh, Isha Bansal, Zahra Rizvi, Shilpa (Admin) and Jyoti PM. Special thanks to Rhea Binoy & Sona Patel for designing our beautiful covers. ( The Images on the Covers have been made with the names of TeamVikas members). Being so many authors, we faced many confusions but as Shakespeare said, “All’s well that ends well”. With patience and belief that we can complete the book on time, we finally completed it. In this book, you will not only get to learn about Chef Vikas but you will also get to know his fans better. We will be presenting the book to Chef Vikas Khanna and to everyone on the Birthday of Chef Vikas Khanna (14th November) -Team Vikas
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CONTENTS S. No.
Topic
Page No.
1.
Roots of the MasterChef
5-14
2.
Start of a Culinary Dream
15- 30
3.
MasterChef in Every Home
31-48
4.
Culinary Journey in Scriptures
49-69
5.
Born Humanitarian
70-79
6.
Fun Facts about Chef
80-82
7.
Team Vikas
83-92
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1. ROOTS OF THE MASTERCHEF First, the City where the Master Chef was born. Amritsar- The Golden City where the Golden Temple Rests. The city of Colors and the City of Festivals.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amritsar is historically known as Ramdaspur and colloquially as Ambarsar. Its home to Harmandir Sahib. The Important shrine attracts more visitors than the Taj Mahal with more than 1 lakh visitors on week days alone. Amritsar is the Magical Place in India, which will blow you away with its immense beauty and mix of various colors. Amritsar is made up with two words- 'amrit'( nectar) and 'sar'(pool). The people greet you with Warmth and Love and where your worries will fade away like the rippling water. The city is blessed with immense natural beauty, rich tradition and culture. The vibrant tradition and extravagant culture of Amritsar is reflected through its festivals. The Festivals celebrated in Amritsar are Basant Panchami, Lohri etc. Amritsar is also a home to many historical places -:
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Gobindgarh Fort, Khalsa College, Ram Museum and Maharaja Ranjit Museum and Many other places. "A Place known as the Golden City, A boy with a Golden Heart was Born The Place where there are lush fields of wheat and Corn. Then land of lassi sweet and also the people very sweet With Love and Care, they all meet and Greet.".
Masterchef’s Childhood Once upon a time in a far off isolated town of Amritsar was born a boy. A boy who was different, he had a disability, misaligned legs, he could not run. Born in the midst of an intense tumult and tussle in Amritsar, things kept on becoming difficult for him. He and the city were both struggling and fighting to liberate themselves toward freedom. All of this was easier said than done, but that didn't stop them. In their battle they went on and on, defying destiny at every step. Finally on VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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29 March 1984 destiny lost the battle and smiled upon young Vikas on the grounds of Ram Bagh. He had overcome his disability. He ran. Ran with all his might. He ran as his mother cheered for him in happiness which had no bounds.
He ran round and round the statue of the Great Mahatma who had given India freedom. That day he won his freedom against his disability, which gave him wings and proved that nothing was impossible for him, the word itself said I m possible. He hid disability is not what made him different, rather it were his abilities that did. He could not run because he was born to fly. Today he is an inspiration to millions. He is none other than the one and only VIKAS KHANNA. The story of his life is so much like a fairy tale, the only difference being that every single part of it is real, and he MADE it real. At a tender age where your playmates run, hop, jump, young Vikas was left out. Anyone else might have plunged into a pool of sorrow, but he VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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didn't. Instead he created miracles with his real playmates. Spices, with the guidance of his Biji. When God threw tough situations on him he did not ask WHY ME? But instead pushed himself and said TRY ME. Where willingness is so great no problem can be greater. He started his own business when he was as young as 17! All this because he had a JUNOON that had the power to overcome any difficulty. He believed in that passion, that Junoon, so diligently that it became reality. He made his passion turn his disabilities to abilities, made his Junoon his soul mate and his identity. "A boy alone with Braces in his feet. He expected someone to meet."
Good things come to those who BELIEVE, better things come to those who have PATIENCE, while the best things come to those who NEVER GIVE UP, and our great chef had all 3. He VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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was destined to be better than the best. Everyone wants happiness no one wants pain, but there can’t be a rainbow without a little rain. All of us long for life without difficulties, but forget that DIAMOND is just a piece of CHARCOAL that handled pressure very well. One such diamond shines today so bright, so pure, that the entire world watches and is inspired...He is our idol VIKAS KHANNA. We learn from him everyday how to live life. He teaches us. "Your life is your story to the world..make sure you make it inspiring"
"Her Blessings Are Always With Him. Which Made him Accomplish his Dream. Biji Became his Best Friend" In the age of Playing and Running, the young Vikas Khanna, due to his Disability could not play and run with other kids. And as they if one door closes, another opens, He started learning the VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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Magic of Cooking food from his Biji. He says, "My Grandmother told me that Indian Cuisine is all about Stories, Memories and Experiments." He used to enjoy seeing Biji cook food and though it was on everyday basis, it was a sacred ritual. "Though he could not play with other kids He started playing with pans and lids. As they say, if one door closes many other open" &&&&& His Cooking experiences with Biji are Inspirational and Emotional. In one experience he said that he made Dal when his Biji was running down with fever, and was in a bad rush that he got all the spices wrong and the dal tasted very terrible. His Family Members were angry on him and that got him emotional, though he tried to control it. His Biji got up to find him surrounded by the family members and said, "I Added sugar instead of salt when I cooked for the first time." And now young Vikas knew that he had only begun and made up his mind to, never let Failure put him down. In 1984, when the state emergency was declared in Punjab, they were only left with a bag of potatoes and were able to do nothing but eat potatoes. On one occasion, young Vikas pushed away the plate and said out of frustration that he will not have the potatoes. Then his Biji told him, "Oh Viku, that is not Potato Curry, its Curry Potato". And the young one had it. From that day he knew that, Food is A Blessing and should never be wasted. He had failed in his fifth grade examinations, scared not knowing what to do and how to take the report card at home. He went to Harmandir Sahib and sat there in the temple all day. His mind started to work again. He writes the incident, "The sun will rise again tomorrow, people will come here to pray, your Biji will cook with all heart for her Viku.. And where would be her little dear boy be? Sitting her crying over a piece of paper?" Wiping his tears he went home and his Biji, sweet as VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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ever, explained him that it’s just a recipe gone wrong, just adding and reducing some ingredients and you will be there. And that sweet advice from her made him feel better. "There is Always a Shoulder to lean on And that Sacred Love will never be gone. Happiness always Finds a way. Those Sweet Memories will never Fade away."
Culinary Delights Cherished. They are many culinary delights Vikas Khanna enjoyed in his childhood such as Fritters to Sherbets. After a Hardworking day at school. When the kids used to return home, all the food was prepared and Biji would prepare warm rotis for them, off the 'tawa' and the kids enjoyed it throughout. VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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Vikas Khanna, when young used to sit on the kitchen counter and watch the Fritters fry and felt that they are flowers in a pool of gold. During Sunday's when there used to be non-vegetarian food cooked at their home, he was given the honor to taste the food, to check whether the spices are right or not, As Biji was a Vegetarian and could not taste. He still wonders how she got it right without even tasting it. In the Navratri Festival, Vikas's sister Radhika used to be invited to the puja of Goddess Shakti and for the rituals, Vikas and brother Nishant used to accompany her and while the rituals were being done, the both brothers used to enjoy the special potato curry especially made for the occasion. The red rose sherbet was one of the common things during summer, Vikas's mum used to give him rose sherbet in a thermos and the young one used to take it to school.
"Divine and Sacred is the Thread Message of Safety, Love and Togetherness it Spreads. Just to see you Smile They will go that Extra Mile." VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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In one incident, stated as a 'Guilty Pleasure'. Vikas was returning home from school, going past the sweet shop. As he was standing there, the shop owner mistook him for a beggar and gave him a bag of leftover & sweets. Vikas falling for the sweets, ate them without any thought that what would Biji think if she knows and promised himself that he will not do these things again. 'Old Is Gold' is one good old saying. The kids and their Biji made hand-churned mango-ice cream in their backyard. The technique of making the making, Vikas writes, “We used to have an Ice-Cream churning hand machine. It was Amazing. Used to crush ice, we had to add salt and it also churned the cream." The kids took turns to churn the ice-cream and found it fun. But one day Vikas's father bought a Electric Ice-cream machine and Biji was sad and when was asked why was she sad she said, "Its not about saving time, it’s about spending time together, which maybe will never happen again." "They all took turns, to churn the ice-cream, it was fun. They all played and laughed till the setting sun. Those fritters looked like flowers in a pool of Gold Those memories are never old."
&&&&&&&&&&& Childhood of the Masterchef was filled with fun, happiness, sadness and misfortune turned into fortune. The disability did not stop him from acquiring and reaching to his dreams. VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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"A boy alone used to cry and was shy But his mother said, He was born not to run but fly. Nature had played both parts, a fortune and a misfortune But he won against all odds and was over the moon.
Those hands which could not reach the kitchen top. He knew that it was not a tough job. The loving hands of his BIJI, which lifted him And knew that the lights of his progress were never dim.
He turned Food into Art. And that art became his part Though he went seven seas apart. But never forgot his Indian Part.
Biji Became his Best Friend Whom he can Never Ever Forget till the End. Her Blessings Are Always With Him. Which Made him Accomplish his Dream.�
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2. START OF A CULINARY DREAM Khanna’s interest in food soon turned into a passion and he tried his hand at all kinds of Indian cooking under the guidance of his Biji. “By the time I turned 17, my ultimate dream was to open a chole bhature ki dukaan,” says Khanna. To give shape to his dreams, Khanna started a banquet and catering business – Lawrence Garden Banquets – in Amritsar to cater to the kitty party crowd. For Financing This Business Vikas learnt Knitting and used knit sweaters for school children. During his Time in Lawrence Garden he experienced a very beautiful and the most memorable moment of his life. He used to run his banquet “Lawrence Gardens” in the back of his house in Amritsar. Once due to heavy rain the electricity went off. The kitchen was also not covered, so it was very hard to work in darkness and pouring rain and cook for the party. He had a LITTLE generator on the terrace that was turned on. The party in the banquet was using a video camera and every time they turned the video camera light on, the generator would trip and there would be darkness again. Suddenly the light came back and the moment the video light was on, it was dark again. This kept repeating time and again. The host came to the kitchen and shouted at him for this and he ran up to check the problem. He saw His Mom standing in the darkness in rain; she would turn the switch on as the generator tripped again and again. Making VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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sure that He doesn't Fail. He Felt the True Love Of his mother who had thought him the most beautiful Art , COOKING. Someone else had a more practical approach to Khanna’s dreams, however. His chacha (uncle) in Delhi asked if making chole bhature was his only passion, and took Khanna to Delhi with him to sample the midnight buffet at the ITC’s Maurya Sheraton. “I remember falling to my knees and crying – I had never before seen food that could be art,” says Khanna. “I kept repeating ‘main aina sona khana nahin dekhya (I have never seen such lovely food)’. And my chacha said, now this is your benchmark. Beat this.” So Khanna joined the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration, Manipal, where he worked with several wellknown chefs. College changed him. Shy and reticent before he joined, he finally made friends and enjoyed life the way most young people do. “College life was an eye opener for me,” says Khanna. “I realized that cooking meant everything to me and also that life is beautiful.” After college, he worked at the Leela Kempinski in Mumbai for three years and then returned to take charge of his catering business in Amritsar. And then his older brother told him about the American Dream. His brother always told him that people have to perform on the world stage. “A child may be a great dancer at home, but real VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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achievement comes only when he performs at the Oscars. Similarly, the real value of a national anthem is only revealed when some other country plays it for you”. His Grandfather used to say:"Go somewhere, learn something, be someone" Inspired, Khanna applied for an American visa. He went to the American embassy and told the people there that he is going to America because a life is waiting for him as his brother says so and he believes that America is going to brush him up in a way that he can represent his home. He even added that he is not going to return back. The officer got impressed by his honesty and said “Go and Live Your Life”. After knowing about his culinary skills from Vikas’s Mother the officer said “I want America To Taste Your Food”. At the end the officer gave Vikas a 10 year visa to USA. He arrived there in December 2000, armed with the ambition to prove himself at any cost. He believes that, America is the highest point of human creation and creativity. He started working from the very next day after arriving in New York. Khanna put that soul to work in America, doing everything in the restaurant industry from washing dishes to waiting tables, learning about the country along the way. “I used to work in a small restaurant as a kitchen helper-dishwasher’. But at one point, Khanna’s American Dream became an American Nightmare. One Christmas day, with only three dollars to his name, hungry and tramping three hours to work on foot because he couldn’t’t decide whether to spend the three dollars on a subway ticket or use it to eat Khanna decided enough was enough. “I said to myself, you know what? All these things VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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about Jonathan Livingston Seagull and rising high in life, that’s all good for books. I should just pack my bags and go back to Lawrence Garden. I think there is no space for 3me here. I will never be part of this culture,” says Vikas And then a Christmas miracle happened. Suddenly, he saw a line of men standing. He stood in the line. It was the New York rescue mission, it was a homeless shelter. The first thing he got was a blanket because he was freezing. Standing in that line gave him a signal that there is a warm place for him. He thought it was God’s way of telling him that he has to learn to accept life. “Even today I can’t hear Christmas carols because it reminds me of that moment when I had fallen so low in my life.” Says Khanna He stayed in the shelter for two weeks. With the savings he had Vikas studied in Culinary Institute Of America ,Cornell University ,New York University and Le Cordon Bleu, Paris.. He was just starting my NEW life in America in the beginning of the century. Invisibly giving out flyers on Central Park, dishwashing, line cooking at small restaurants, running people’s errands, serving at cafes, delivering food etc. But the most important ‘job’ used to be going to people’s homes - cooking and arranging small parties; his background of doing kitty parties at Lawrence Garden, Amritsar truly helped him. Learning about New York and trying every new thing. As Anthony Hopkins says in Meet Joe Black that “You never know, lightning could strike.”. One day he had to go and make food for 12 Indian students who lived in Queens as his weekly commitment. It paid him $35. As he was finishing making 3 vegetables and 100 Guajarati style phulkas, one student came to the kitchen and asked him “So, Vikram this is your future? Going home to home earning like this”. He was just cleaning the counters and thought at least he
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got first 3 alphabets of my name right and said “I’ve got to keep doing what I have Junoon for and this is the\ Only thing I was born for and love it unapologetically, how small and insignificant is not the question”, Said Vikas. In the end he realized that “we are all gifted filmmakers from birth. Our dreams are our short films. We begin to believe in what we dream and vice-versa, but we also need to continue to choose to work in what we love and then who knows when lightning will strike.” After the 9/11 incident Vikas drew a sketch of a Sikh who was feeding a child. He stood with that sketch in the site and he kept telling people these are Sikhs. They are the people Who Brought Him Up. There was a one professor from NYU and he asked Vikas “Why are you doing this?” Khanna replies “Everyone has the right to tell their own story and I want to tell the story of who we are”..The professor replied “Continue doing this. This is the conviction which will make you stand out in The United States Of America. You were invisible for people but as long as you believe in you will become visible. Don’t Forget the Sketch you are holding. It is something which is representing you and your culture ,your city and your people. That time Khanna learnt “If you need to be counted You need to Stand Up”. Vikas Khanna Thinks it is very important to share what he believes and he did follow the same thing. He believed in his rituals and culture and through food he shared what he believes. VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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Vikas used to live in Queens and at that time all the residents mostly took the train number 7.Once Vikas was travelling in train number 7.He was sitting next to a Sardarji who was nearly aged 70.Sardarji asked Khanna “Son what you do?” “I cook bread “replied Vikas. Sardarji replies “Oh .don’t worry one day you will get a good job”. Khanna says “Nooo..That’s what I know and that’s what I am living for”. Sardarji suggested many other jobs for Khanna but He was confident in his reply that He Has a Future In Cooking. Then Sardarji asks him “From where did u learn cooking”? Vikas replied “I learnt cooking from my grandmother and the Golden Temple”.By this reply Sardarji’s heart melted and he took Khanna’s Hand, Kissed Him and said “GO and Feed Prasad (God’s Food)”and said U continue to do that. Food connects people and Vikas learnt that. There was an opportunity which He calls the last chance. Somebody told him that a person needed a small tray of any appetizer in 300 portions, so he made dhokla. The dhokla shot Vikas Khanna to the position of executive chef at Salaam Bombay Restaurant. The doubts were over. The American Dream had begun. Happy and busy in his new life, in 2006, Khanna was invited to appear on Gordon Ramsay’s show Kitchen Nightmares. And that show changed his life. The moment Ramsay met me, he said, you should be doing two things – work in Hollywood movies and be on TV,” says Khanna. “But I only know how to cook and nothing else, I said. In fact, till 2004, the thought of doing TV had never even occurred to me. But when I made my appearance on Ramsay’s show, I was the first Indian to be on prime time (9-10 pm) on Fox. The whole of America was on fire.” A gentleman named Rajesh VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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Bharadwaj was also all fired up when he watched Vikas Khanna on Kitchen Nightmares. ‘Who is this guy?’ Bharadwaj asked his TVwatching companion, Vipul Malik. ‘He’s very quiet, but this is the first time we’re seeing an Indian at prime time on an international network.’ And Malik said, ‘Oh my god! That’s my buddy, Vikas Khanna!’ And Bharadwaj phoned Khanna and said, ‘Let’s meet.’ His Michelin star winning restaurant Junoon came together after three and a half years of working with Bharadwaj.
They used to meet and discuss Junoon for so many years – this is what the restaurant has to be, this is the passion, this is what we dream, this is what we inspire it opened in December 2010 almost decade after Vikas landed in America.” Junoon is Khanna’s third restaurant in America. His first, Tandoor Palace, was a hole in the wall, dishing up cheap and hearty food that his regular customers swore by. But in terms of finance, it was a struggle to maintain. Located near Wall Street and therefore subject to only a five-day work week, Tandoor Palace closed in the same week that Khanna appeared on Kitchen Nightmares. But he wasn’t upset because the show got him another restaurant – Purnima.. Khanna was invited to be a consultant to Dillions, a restaurant that was a mess. With his help, it was revamped and relaunched as Purnima, was mentioned in the New York Times and received three stars from New York magazine. But Purnima didn’t last long, not because the restaurant failed, but because its lease was up and the building was coming down. “It was a tough decision to make, but eventually, we gave up the place,” says Khanna.” VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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His mother said, He was born not to run but fly.” In any case, Khanna and Bharadwaj were working on Junoon by then, discussing its vision and making plans. “We wanted to showcase a restaurant that would be referred to as an Inclusive Fine Dining Temple,” says Khanna. “A place that everyone would be proud to name. So there was no better name than ‘Junoon’ to match its passion.” While Junoon was in the making, Khanna became a shooting star. He met single minded people like himself and started picking up the nuances of various kinds of cuisines, training under some well-known chefs too. He also decided to quit his job because, he says, if he only wanted to work in the kitchen, there was no point in coming to America. He realized that this is the land of the free and everybody has the power to express themselves, so why shouldn t’t I make the most of this opportunity.So He started cooking for the mayor and other important dignitaries and talking about culture and food. It was about taking the kitchen to a different level altogether and doing justice to it. Khanna’s biggest dream was to make the West realize that there is much more to India and its food than just snake charmers, sadhus and butter chicken. And he had been obsessed, since college, with getting a Michelin star – the biggest honor for any chef in the world. Within 10 months of Junoon’s opening, on October 22, 2011, he had one. A Michelin star. VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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“When I was in Manipal, I’d read an article which said that despite being the world’s largest country, we don’t have an Olympic gold medal and we don’t have a single Michelin star chef,” he says. “That got stuck in my head. I have a very bad habit of getting obsessed about things people tell me I won’t be able to achieve. So I thought, why not take up this challenge? Also, Americans were not so aware of our country and cuisine, so that moved me even more. And finally, since I wasn’t that well-known, I started playing with Indian food.” When asked whether it was tough or easy to establish yourself in foreign shores he says “Adaptability is an important part of our journey. For us, to grow in a foreign land is very hard. It requires a deep sense of roots, so that you live in the new world, but spiritually grow in your native land. “ For a restaurant to receive a Michelin star within 10 months of opening is quite a record, but Vikas is humble about his achievement. “This is what I call destiny,” he says. “I don’t think I had a major contribution here except just standing there and doing my work. I think that when someone from a small town makes a mark on the world map, it truly feels great. I’m really thankful to that person who wrote that we don’t have a Michelin star chef!” . Within days of receiving the Michelin star, Junoon was thronged with celebrities. “One night, I remember, Tom Cruise, Andre Agassi and Martha Stewart were all at different tables and Sarah Jessica Parker had just walked. The Junoon Team keeps on raising and rising and keeps touching new heights out,” says Khanna. Vikas’s pride in his roots and his determination to promote his Indianness comes out in almost every single anecdote he shares with you. “In 2008, VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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he received an award called ‘Just One Break, Inc. - Shining Star Award’. People like Diane Keaton and Donald Trump were a part of the crowd,” he says. When I was called to the stage, they started playing the Indian national anthem and asked everyone to stand up. When the national anthem is played in schools, you feel, when will it finish? But when it was played there, I cried like a child. I still get goose bumps when I think about that moment.” says Vikas. There was another moment of glory in 2012 when Khanna cooked Satvik food for President Barack Obama, whom he admires greatly. “I have been a very big fan of this dreamer,” says Khanna. .Vikas is such a fan of Obama that he supported him during his re-election campaign and did a fundraiser event for him at the White House where he served a vegetarian dinner inspired by the ISKON temple fare in Mumbai.
Vikas came up with the perfect gift to present to Michelle Obama; the first copy of his upcoming book, Khanna Sutra. Gifting the book was also a gesture to congratulate the couple on the beginning of Obama's new term as President. Moreover, Vikas wanted to gift them something that would leave lasting memories for the Valentine’s season. He opines that the couple is the most powerful and global symbol of love across the world. This is well illustrated by their special love story. Michelle was honored to receive a book and told him that she would definitely try out a few recipes for Valentine’s Day. VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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A Poem On Junoon “A
place where food is turned into art And magic is created every day.
A place where cooking is the chef's 'Junoon' And after tasting the food, the guests are over the Moon. There is 'Bliss Of Spices' in the Spice Room The essence of spices is in total zoom. With their cooking many did they inspire The place Junoon many admire A dream doesn t become magic, determination and hard work, the elders say By their hard work and determination, three Michelin stars came in Junoon's way. To see their guests smile With their cooking, they will go that extra mile With hardwork and with all the blessings and praise.
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"First copy of Khana Sutra to the first couple of the world, especially for Michelle! How awesome is that?” said an excited Vikas. "For me, getting involved with President Obama's interfaith cooperation and community service, through Indian cuisine, has been the best way to increase awareness about Indian culture in America," he says. Vikas is inspired by this prayer of H.H Dalai Lama "Every grain is a sacrifice of life. May I be worthy of this sacrifice. May my unwholesome qualities turn to wholesome because I'm consuming life”. He is also looking beyond his restaurant to extend his own brand. "I arrived in the US to study with very little money and on a student visa. In those days, I would yearn for simple Indian home-cooked food and a simple lesson from my grandmother, who taught me how to cook, always remained with me. She had told me that Indian cuisine was not just about recipes but also about stories, memories, experiments and explorations from our tradition and country," he recollects. Even after being many years VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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in NYC Khanna is very simple in his lifestyle. He calls his mom every day morning as soon as he wakes up. The main and the most common dish in his everyday dinner is always pure and the simple dal. Vikas is not specific about his looks. People compliment to him telling that he is sexy hot and good looking but the highest compliment came from Vir Sanghvi, who said that he had made Indian food sexy in the US. Vir Sanghvi said Vikas Khanna “ you’ve generated interest in something as plain as the phulka, and that’s what changed my perception about this constant media glare.” In 2011, Vikas was honored with the Rising Star Chef Award by Star Chefs for his role in shaping the future of American Cuisine. On March 29, 2011, Vikas received a raving review from Sam Sifton in The New York Times. Vikas was also voted "New York's Hottest Chef" in a poll conducted by Eater Hi-Blitz Magazine named Vikas in their 50 Most Beautiful List and People Magazine named him in the list of "Sexiest Man Alive"
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On July 29, 2011, Vikas hosted dinner for the Hindu American Seva Charities Conference held at the White House organized by Anju Bhargava, who is a member of President Barack Obama's Advisory Council on Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnership.
Vikas was featured in the Top Sexy and Successful list of Anokhi Magazine in their 5th Anniversary Issue. Metro New York featured Khanna as Hottest Chef Around. Khanna has received several awards, including the "Access to Freedom Award" in 2005 from SATH, previously awarded to George W. Bush and HRH Prince Charles, and The Shining Star Award from Just One Break, Inc. previously received by Christopher Reeve and Ray Charles. He has also received a proclamation from the Council of the City of New York for his outstanding contribution to the city, and was chosen New Yorker of the Week by NY1.He even has won The Best Chef Award and the Teacher’s Achievement Award. But, all this has not changed Khanna at all. He still believes in letting his work, his food do the talking for him. Ask him about settling down in life and he smiles back, saying, “I have always VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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left myself to the will and mercy of the Almighty and even today he is the best person to decide my future course of life.”
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FROM AMRITSAR TO AMERICA “When he went to a foreign land With little money in his hand The Christmas carols and Christmas light Still remind him of that wintery night He started working the next day If one door closes another opens, they say Did many jobs and he knew what was his aim And he never forgot, from where did he come Hard work pays off, god showed him the light And the signs of his success were bright. ‘Junoon’, where food is turned into art From the spicy tikkas to sweet tart Happiness and success always finds a way And the problems, they don’t stay A boy alone who was shy His Mother had said he was born not to run but fly” VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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3. MASTERCHEF IN EVERY HOME !
Chef Vikas Khanna is now a Household name in India as well as Overseas. He First Appeared in Kitchen Nightmares along with Chef Gordon Ramsay and soon became familiar with U.S audiences. But it was with MasterChef India 2 that Chef Vikas becomes a Household name in India. Soon he was seen judging several other shows like MasterChef India 3 & Junior MasterChef. Then Chef Vikas did his first Individual Food n Travel Show.. Twist Of Taste: The Coastal Curries which became a huge hit. Also Chef is seen giving Appearances in many Shows like MasterChef Australia and Comedy Nights with Kapil. Chef Vikas is famous for doing something different, like Fit Foodie which focuses on healthy eating and Yahoo brings Vikas@Home a 52 week video series on easy to make recipes. Recently Chef Vikas returned with Twist Of Taste Season 4 on a Culinary Adventure to taste some of India’s most classical sweets. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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1. KITCHEN NIGHTMARES
In September 2007, Vikas Khanna featured as the consultant chef on the Gordon Ramsay T.V show Kitchen Nightmares on Fox. Kitchen Nightmares is as America reality television series formerly broadcast on the Fox network, in which chef Gordon Ramsay is invited by the owners to spend a week with a failing restaurant in an attempt to revive the business.
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2. HELL’KITCHEN
On October 13, 2009, Vikas Khanna appeared as a judge and Indian-cuisine specialist on the two part season finale of Hell’s Kitchen. Each episode consists of a team challenge, in which the winning side gets a reward of some sort leisure activity, while the losing side has to clean up and prepare both kitchens. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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3. THROWNDOWN
On June 23, 2010, Vikas Khanna appeared on Throwndown! with Bobby Flay as a judge. Throwndown! With Bobby Flay is a Food Network television program in which celebrity chef Bobby Flay challenges cooks renowned for a specific dish or type of cooking to a cook-off of their signature dish. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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4. MARATHA STEWART SHOW
Vikas Khanna was guest chef in the episode” The India Show” on The Martha Stewart Show telecast on March 4, 2011 The Martha Stewart Show, is an American variety talk show that is hosted by Martha Stewart. Each episode includes several segments related to cooking crafts, gardening, interior design, and other topics related to arts and crafts.
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5. ANDAAZ
Andaaz is an inspirational talk show on Sony Entertainment Television which covers groundbreaking topics with real people, celebrities and high profile guests. Chef Vikas was the first guest on the show where Andaaz talks and cooks with Celebrity Master Chef, Vikas Khanna.
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6. MASTERCHEF INDIA 2
22nd October 2011 started a show that changed Chef Vikas Khanna’s life. He replaced Akshay Kumar in Masterchef India 2 & became a household name in India. Masterchef India is an Indian Cooking Show.
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7. ACHIEVER’S CLUB
Teacher’s Achievement Awards presents Achiever’s club is a se ries of 12 episodes that draws the viewer into the glossy, glitteri ng, glamorous and fabulous lives of self-made achievers. Chef Vikas is one of the 12 people on this Achiever’s club.
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8. MASTERCHEF INDIA 3
The third season of Master Chef India, known as: Master Chef India: Kitchen Ke Superstar premiered on 11 March 2013 on Star Plus. Chef Vikas Khanna judged it along with chef Kunal Kapur & Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. Ripudaman Handa was declared the winner of this season. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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9. JUNIOR MASTERCHEF INDIA
Junior Master Chef Swaad Ke Ustaad is the Indian version of Junior Master Chef. The first episode was aired on 17 August 2013. The judges for this season were Vikas Khanna, Kunal Kapur and Chef Jolly. Winner was Sarthak Bhardwaj. ! ! !
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10. TWIST OF TASTE: THE COASTAL CURRIES
Twist of taste coastal curries on 20th January 2014. Celebrity chef Vikas Khanna savours every bit of appetizing coastal curries cocktail in season three of Twist Of Taste on Fox Traveller. For the show, Vikas Khanna visits the many places along the coast – sandy beaches of Udavada, Ratnagiri, Goa, Mangalore, Udupi, Manipal, Kochi and Pondicherry. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
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11. YOUR WISH IS MY APP
Nokia YW MA was born as an idea to crowd source suggestions from people on the kind of apps they would like to have on their smart phones. App ideas were judged on the basis of relevance, originality, revenue model and practicality by a voting panel comprising Indian tech guru Rajiv Makhani, tech entrepreneurs Vishal Gondal and Saneev Bikhchandani, Celebrity Chef Vikas Khanna and Bollywood actor Kalki Koechin. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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12. FIT FOODIE WITH VIKAS KHANNA
A foodie is one who is excited by and loves delicious food, appreciates different tastes and flavours, and is not afraid to try new cuisines. Saffola Fit Foodie is a one-stop destination for healthy recipes that are unbelievably delicious as well Vikas Khanna is one of the fittest chefs around, epitomizes the ‘Fit Foodie’ and lives by this principle every single day.. You all can catch fit foodie on channel food food.
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13. MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA
MaterChef Australia is a Logie Award-winning Australian competitive cooking game sow based on the original British MasterChef. It is produced by Shine Australia and screens on Network Ten. Vikas Khanna appeared on sixth season of MasterChef Australia.. In episode 35 pressure test The four contestants had 75 minutes to re-create India MasterChef host Vikas Khanna’s rose tea smoked chicken tikka masala. ! ! ! ! ! ! VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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14. COMEDY NIGHTS WITH KAPIL
Chef Vikas Khanna’s recent television appearance was in Comedy Nights With Kapil. Chef Vikas and chef Sanjeev came on CNWK on 5th July 2014 and had a blast with Kapil Sharma and his family. Chef Vikas was there to promote Smile Foundation. where he is a Goodwill ambassador and has taken a pledge to benefit around 5,000 kids under this initiative.
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15. YAHOO BRINGS VIKAS@HOME
Yahoo brings Vikas@Home is a brand new 52 week video series from yahoo lifestyle cuisine. Every week Masterchef Vikas Khanna will bring you one dish that has made a difference in hislife. As he shares the recipe. He will also share his experience and stories behind the recipe. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
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16. TWIST OF TASTE : THE SWEET LIFE
Award winning Michelin Starred Chef Vikas Khanna returns to Twist Of Taste Season 4 on a culinary adventure to taste some of India’s most classical sweets and desserts, to give them his own signature twist. Chef Vikas travels to Mysore, Delhi, Kolkata, Amritsar and Jaipur
in
search
of
some
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POEM% % “With his cooking, many did he inspire
Vikas Khanna the name many admire.
With his wonderful Television and documentary shows
To his hardwork, many people bow.
With Master Chef Series he became a household name
From New York , with a bang he came!
With Twist of Taste Series, various dishes he twisted
The Episodes in our favourites they listed
He is a Fit Foodie, all fine and fit.
Encourages us to be all fit, bit by bit.”
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4. Culinary Journey In Scriptures Some journeys are quite amusing, some are experimental but here the culinary journey of chef VIKAS KHANNA is full of soul All his books reflect his attitude and attachment towards the culture and cuisine of INDIA. He has written 16 books up to now and still says “what I did till now is nothing”. So friends let’s have a small culinary trip around his books. Chef Vikas Khanna has covered all types of dishes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, also covered different types of starters & drinks. We can find regional cuisine, international cuisine along with the story behind the recipes. Also Chef Vikas is known for launching every of his Book in a grand style. He finds it a Beautiful way to interact with his fans.
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Let’s have the overview of all his 16 books now: 1. Ayurveda-The Science Of Food & Life:
Ayurveda is the first and foremost traditional medication used in India. In this book he has covered the influence of natural herbs on our life style and the way we adopt them in our daily life using the cuisine. Ayurveda offers one of the fastest paths to health. Instead of having to guess which foods, supplements, and behaviors are appropriate for you, there is a simple, direct perspective path that is developed for unique body type. The benefits that occur are not only felt in your body- they are also seen in your mental and emotional wellbeing.
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2. Mango Mia- Celebrating The Tropical World Of Mangoes:
Mango is also known as “King of Fruits”. Here in the book, flavors of mango are elevated for making several desserts, smoothie, drinks and dishes. This book was written by Chef Vikas Khanna along with Chef Hari Nayak. They have explored wide range of uses with mango and its flavor in various recipes.
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3. The Cuisine Of Gandhi-Based On The Beliefs Of The Legend:
This book is mainly focused on the belief of the legend Mahatma Gandhi on the simple cuisine and diet which relish our soul and body. It helps to lead us a healthier life. This consists of “Satvik” meal this provides calmness, purity and promotes longevity, intelligence, strength, health, happiness and delight. The examples of Satvik food items are fruits, vegetables, leaves, grains, cereals, milk, honey, etc. These items can be consumed as they are. Once can live on Satvik food for life.
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4. The Spice Story Of India:
The spice story of India is actually really very spicy because it includes many spices and their combinations giving a strong & scented flavor and also adds great taste to the Indian cuisine. In this book chef Vikas Khanna presented a menu that fuses Indian spices with extraordinary imagination and technique.
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5. New York Chefs Cooking for Life – Recipes from Some Of The Finest Restaurants In The World:
Chef Vikas Khanna says that “Every block of New York city is quite essential definition of highly diversified New York food culture”. Each area is divided as a small village of its own unique flavors and history. The variety of cuisines that the city provides is almost infinite. New York City will never fail to surprise us with its treasure of cuisines. This book has recipes from some of the finest restaurants in the world like “Acappella, A lain Ducasse, August, Asia de Cuba, Bouley, Brasserio, Caviar and Banana, Café Boulud, Café Gray, Capsouto Freres, City Hall Restaurant, Chanterelle, Cru, Devi, Dos Caminos, Jewel Of India, Montrachet, Nobu, Payard, Roc, Salaam Bombay, Tamarind, Tribeca Grill and Vong.
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6. Modern Indian Cooking:
This book has been written by Chef Vikas Khanna along with Chef Hari Nayak. In this book they have presented the modern Indian cuisine whether cooked for family or for guests, prepared using fresh ingredients and designed to accommodate the modern Indian lifestyle. Modern India cooking this is a blend of modern and ancient cuisines.
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7. Flavours First- An Indian Chef’s Culinary Journey:
Flavors First bring the richness and diversity of Indian cuisine to your home kitchen. From the lessons he learned from his grandmother’s traditional cooking in India to his time spent as a chef in New York, Flavors First draws from Khanna’s incredible culinary journey. With entire chapters devoted to every part of an Indian meal (even breads, chutneys, desserts and beverages) and an ingredient and spice glossary that includes tips on handling and storage, Flavors First will be an indispensable resource on Indian home cooking.
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8. My Great India Cookbook:
Chef Vikas Khanna tells that the reason to write this book was to share the joy he experienced in the Indian Kitchens. Sometimes it was difficult to trace the roots and realized that several dishes had their origin beyond borders. He says that India is a country with so many dialects, cultures and religions totally connected to food. In this book you will find the Indian kitchens with their warmth. In simple you will all have a small trip of the Indian cuisine and their kitchens.
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9. Khanna Sutra-Food Lessons In Love:
This book presents a rich collection of recipes guaranteed to make the experience of cooking for your loved ones an enjoyable one. Chef Vikas Khanna experiments with unusual combinations of flavors, creating in the process, bold and sensuous food experience for anyone trying recipes from Khanna Sutra.
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10.
Everyone Can Cook:
Everyone Can Cook is Chef Vikas Khanna’s ode to those visionaries who took the first step towards preserving the goodness of nature in a can so that it can reach kitchens and tables across the world, even during emergencies and nurture appetites and souls. Everyone Can Cook is an ideal guide not only for those who wish to quickly put together a sumptuous meal, but also for beginners who wish to experiment bravely in the kitchen.
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11. Savour Mumbai- A Culinary Journey Through India’s Melting Pot:
Vikas Khanna’s culinary journey started in Amritsar, but the city of Mumbai has also played an important role in his evolution as an arbiter of dining taste. This book is his tribute to Mumbai, which lies on the table a smorgasbord of delicious food options: Maharashtrian, Parsi, Gujarati, Konkan, street food and more. In Savour Mumbai, he visits some of his favorite restaurants and eateries, select their signature dishes, helpfully modifying and adapting their recipes into a form that will be a boon to the home cook. VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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Young Chefs:
Young Chefs is a wonderfully compiled book that makes a very sincere attempt at introducing dishes to kids. The book covers a wide variety of dishes right from breakfast to lunch and desserts. The photographs accompanying the recipes are really beautiful which can make kids to get around it and try for a dish. Young Chefs by Vikas Khanna can inspire many kids to put on their aprons and start cooking.
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13. Return To The Rivers- Recipes And Memories Of The Himalayan River Valley With HH The Dalai Lama:
Return To The Rivers: this book have special blessings, it was forwarded by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He was very much influenced by the concept of elevating the Himalayan culture and cuisine. Return To The Rivers is an incredible collection of recipes, photos, and memories as a means to preserve and share the sacred food ways, values, and simple gifts of friendship that the Himalayan people bestowed Khanna. This brought a life time memory to Chef Vikas Khanna, while he was returning from Tibet to Nepal he had forgotten his laptop in a tea stall and all the data related to Return To The Rivers was present in the laptop and went into the van which was leaving to Nepal then suddenly he checked his laptop and realized that he forgot this laptop, VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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at the same time an old lady who saw the laptop , ran from miles to catch the van and give that to Chef Vikas , he was extremely thankful to her. This was the best moment that chef was completely mesmerized by the old lady and even dedicated this book to her and says that with the help of this lady this book has its rebirth but regret that he didn’t even get a chance to know her name. His book has been nominated for the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award. This book was completed with the coordination of Andrew Blackmore Dobbyn.
14. Bliss Of Spices- The Essence Of Indian Kitchen
Bliss meaning happiness, joy, delightful, pleasure. Yes we have so many synonyms for this title and when coming to Bliss of Spices Chef Vikas Khanna has shown the bliss of all the Indian spices and their aroma in the Indian Kitchens. Here Chef Vikas Khanna brought the essence of the spices in all the recipes in the book. Bliss of Spices brings to you this veritable essence of Indian cuisine. VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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Drawing inspiration from his grandmother’s traditional cooking in India to his time spent as a top chef in New York, the book draws from Vikas Khanna’s distinct repertoire. Bliss of Spices proves to be a treasure on Indian cooking. This book serve as a subtle remainder on the timeless relationship between spices and food in India, the celebration of which is shaped into the Bliss of Spices whose fragrance and flavors can only be savoured upon. 15.
Hymns From The Soil- A Vegetarian Saga:
Hymns from the soil is an exquisite amalgamation of gentle, pure, heart-warming tales from a vegetarian kitchen that overflows with nature’s harvest. The recipes in the book highlight the purity and spirituality of vegetarian food while bringing in cultural and regional nuances.
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This food journey is also interlinked with Vikas’s own personal journey- whether it is going back to his kitchen garden in Amritsar and waiting for the cardamom to grow as a curious child or to exploring the cardamom spice farms as an adult, with the same level of excitement and enthusiasm. Hymns from the Soil offers heartening tribute as Chef Vikas Khanna bows to Mother Earth. Hymns From The Soil has simplicity and authenticity in the recipes and also has a soulful story of the Indian kitchens and the importance of the spices.
16.
Amritsar- Flavours Of The Golden City:
Amritsar is the birth place of Chef Vikas Khanna. In this book he had put his soul in elevating the pride of Amritsar “The Golden City”. You can find every hook and corner of Amritsar and its diverse culture and cuisines. This was a dream project which Chef Vikas Khanna has started with his grandmother, in this book he also shared the recipe of her hand churned ice cream. In his book, the sixteenth by him VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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so far, Chef shares the history and culture of his hometown-recipes of his grandmother, close relatives and food outlets that have been dishing out gastronomic delights since decades, becoming a quintessential part of his childhood. One among the reasons which inspired chef to write this book was to express about Langar which means free service of meals to large communities in a common kitchen, this is mainly practiced in Sikh religion at Gurudwar. These langars are among best attended community meals anywhere in the world. You can find the entire City of Amritsar in this book.
• Collage of the Books so far :
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Upcoming Projects: ! Utsav: This is the Dream Project of Chef Vikas Khanna. It is one of the most expensive books till now. In this book you will find all the festivals celebrated throughout India and the dishes prepared on these auspicious occasions. ! Magical Rolling Pin: This book is mainly written for Children of around 4 years of age. This book revolves around the story of a little boy named Jugnu who had a magical rolling pin which can make round rotis.
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POEM on his Books:
The ‘Ayurveda’ which was discovered thousands of years ago He captured it beautifully and about the history of Ayurveda we came to know. Mangoes and Mangoes everywhere, ‘Mango Mia’ where all the mango stories are in there. ‘Spice Story of India’, the book, where all the country’s spices are described best, With beautiful spices the country is blessed. A chef’s culinary journey is written down in “Flavours First’, His childhood stories in this book, he has beautifully versed. With ‘My Great India Cookbook’ rich and great Indian dishes we cook. ‘Everyone Can Cook’ with his book, We can take a look at dishes which are easy to cook. He made ‘Return To The Rivers’ and new things he learned, And James Beard Foundation award nomination he earned With ‘Hymns From The Soil’ he pays a tribute to mother Earth, Who nurtured us, and gave us birth.
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Chef Vikas Khanna always says that each book of mine is very close to my heart, they are just like my babies.
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5. BORN HUMANITARIAN Chef Vikas is a Born Humanitarian. He is always ready to help everyone in any possible ways. He has always said, believed & followed “ To Cook is Great, but to Feed is Divine “ Chef Vikas always value sharing of food, and that is what he explains in his documentary film series called Holy Kitchens. Also Vikas Khanna has started an organization called SAKIV, which focus on worldwide issues related to children education and healthcare. Chef Vikas is also the Goodwill Ambassador for Smile Foundation and has been part of many of their events. He was a part of Fund raiser event organized by U.S President Barack Obama and has even cooked for him. He has been associated with many charity related events & also organized many. It is difficult to mention all the work done by Chef Vikas in a single book, but we have tried to cover some of them.
HOLY KITCHENS The Holy Kitchens film series is an attempt to toe together the meaning of food in religion with the real world experience of sharing food in a spiritual Context. The main aim is to make people aware of this commonality of the world’s religious traditions and to illustrate the differences in a way that will engender mutual tolerance and respect. VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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The Series is -
Till now 3 films have been released – • TRUE BUSSINESS The first film in the series True Business is based on the Sikh community kitchens, known as Langars, with an introduction by Deepak Chopra. The film premiered at the Sikh International Film Festival in October 2010. VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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In this film Dr. Deepak Chopra explains the Sikh concepts of seva, simran and satsang as they apply to langar & Chef Vikas explores places significant to the history of Sikhism. The Highlight of the film is the visit of Chef Vikas to the Langar of Harmandir Sahib, The Golden Temple in Amritsar, India.
• KARMA TO NIRWANA Karma to Nirvana, the second installment in the Holy Kitchens documentary series premiered at the New York Indian Film Festival in the US, on May 7, 2011.
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Hinduism is incredibly diverse and impossible to generalize over easily. This Film uses Lord Krishna, recognized as the eighth avatar of lord Vishnu, as the starting point for another exploration of the ties between sharing food & spiritual bonds. In the act of sharing. Both the server and the served are elevated and set on the path of Nirvana.
• THE MOON OF EID In March 2012, "The Moon of Eid” the third film in the Holy Kitchens Series was released at Harvard University. The fasting month of Ramadan takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and it sets lofty spiritual; goals for its adherents. The Moon of Eid explores these traditions along with the five pillars of Islam and talk with Muslims about the spiritual sharing of food in Islam.
• Rest of the films are yet to be released SAKIV : South Asian Kid's Infinite Vision Sakiv was founded by Vikas Khanna in 2001 to focus on worldwide issues that demand urgent action, solutions, and attention – world hunger, HIV/AIDS in the developing world, education for children and relief efforts. For a fact, SAKIV is also VIKAS spelt backwards. Through its 2 chapters "Cooking for Life" and "Vision of Palate" several charities have benefitted around the world.
! COOKING FOR LIFE Cooking for Life” is a Multi-Award Winning Organization, founded by Vikas Khanna in 2001 in New York with the World’s Top Chefs. VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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In years the foundations has supported relief efforts around the world including 9/11, Tsunami Relief, Hurricanes of the Gulf Coast, South Asian Earth Quakes, Darfur, and many more.
Its first Event “The Living Pyramids” was hosted at the great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt on July 20th, 2006 to raise money and awareness for travelers with disabilities. Followed by India, Brazil, and Greece. ! VISION OF PALATE Vision of Palate is his award winning workshop developed to educate people with visual disabilities about the sense of taste, flavour and aromas. World renowned chef, author, caterer and cooking instructor Vikas Khanna developed a ground breaking workshop series for the visually disabled. The work-shops are based upon his research on The Power of Palate, the benefit of taste on people with visual disabilities.
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SMILE FOUNDATION Chef Vikas Khanna is the Goodwill Ambassador – Nutrition for Better Literacy of Smile Foundation Chef Vikas along with smile Foundation has started an initiative called “ COOK FOR SMILE “ He has pledged to benefit through this initiative.
around
5000
kids
Chef Vikas says “Lack of proper nutrition is a fundamental issue and one of the biggest roadblocks in the growth and development of children in our country. I am proud to be associated with Smile Foundation as their Goodwill Ambassador for Nutrition for Better Literacy “
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! COOK FOR SMILE
Smile Foundation presented the 2nd edition of its sensitization cum fund raising initiative “Cook for a Smile”, which was co-presented by Cleo County and endorsed and supported by Chef Vikas Khanna. The event was hosted by Hyatt Regency. 11 top boardroom leaders joined this initiative to battle it out over a cook-off to ensure that cause wins. Funds raised through the campaign will be utilized VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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in providing education and nutrition for 1000 children of Smile Foundation with the mission 'Nutrition for Better Literacy'.
FUNDRAISER WITH U.S PRESIDENT Chef Vikas Khanna was part of the campaign fundraiser for President Barack Obama at the Rubin Museum of Art, New York. The Event was hosted by Singer Ricky Martin, where Chef Vikas prepared a multi course meal that includes rosebudinfused rice. He also prepared the national dish of Bhutan, which is called ema datshi, which means chillies and cheese. "I think President Obama is the president of the world. One thing which is great about him is that he loves food. I think it's a great opportunity for any chef to be serving a man who loves food and who loves people," he said in the Event.
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LANGAR AT TIMES SQUARE Chef Vikas organized a langar at Times Square, New York on 8th October 2012. He served hundreds of Americans and showed "Love and Brotherhood through food tradition of Sikh heritage, a spiritual statement".
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6. SOME FUN FACTS ABOUT CHEF VIKAS KHANNA 1. Chef
Vikas has a unique habit of playing with his hair, while talking.. Weird but cute.
2. Chef
Vikas is not intersted in jalebis.. Shocked..???
3. He
finds the fritters in oil as flowers in pool of gold.. Wow…
4. Chef
Vikas is very confused about the word “Awww..” Whether it’s a good reaction or bad. lol
5. Chef
is a singer, he learnt karnatic music. He is also a Sculpturist and a Painter. Quite Multitalented…
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6.
He used to go with Radhika Di to eat chicken tikka without telling at home. Naughty huh…
7. He
used to go to his dad’s shop just to eat Kulche there, whereas Nishant sir used to work with full concentration
8.Chef Vikas is a big fan of DDLJ and would love to play raj if its made again.
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9. Chef Vikas was very embarrassed while shooting for this cover pic but carried on due to his professional commitments.
10. Finally... Chef Vikas has a huge craze of collecting different spoons and cutlery. He has a collection of over 10,000 spoons at Junoon. His craze is such that when he goes to a restaurant his first n last focus is on the cutlery only.
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7. TEAM VIKAS Introduction Team Vikas, not just a combination of two words or few people but a beautiful virtual family whose members follow one and only Chef Vikas Khanna. In this chapter, we will tell you all about Team Vikas. How it was formed and what this Team does. Let's start by the formation of Team Vikas, how and when it was formed.
Formation of Team Vikas On March 12th 2013, a Fan Club of Chef Vikas Khanna was formed on Twitter with the user-name @vikas_fc and Twitter handle Vikas Khanna Fan Club. This was when all the fans of Chef Vikas Khanna gradually came in contact in with each other. The fans started interacting with each other through tweets and our only topic of discussion was Chef Vikas Khanna. As at that time Master Chef India season 3 was on air and Chef Vikas was one of the three judges on the show, fans had a great time and fun discussing the show, its contestants, their dishes and most importantly the presence of Chef Vikas on the show. The fans remained not just fans of Chef Vikas but eventually we became good friends with each other. This became a beautiful online Vikas Khanna world to all of us. One day, we started naming the group. Someone named it VikasKaJahaan (Vikas' World), another named it Viku's World and many more names came up. Then suddenly someone wrote #TeamVikas and this is what we named our group as... Team Vikas. Today, with God's grace and everyone's love and support, this group is now very dear to Chef Vikas Khanna.
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Chef Vikas Khanna's First Response to the Team After the formation of TeamVikas, what everyone was waiting for is an indication that yes! Chef Vikas has accepted us. We all waited so much for the moment. It was on April 16, 2013 at 12:42 AM when he tweeted that most awaited moment for TeamVikas. He mentioned the fan club, which obviously means the tweet is for TeamVikas. His tweet was: "@vikas_fc YOU GUYS ARE ROCKING. THANKS A TON..... LOVE V". Another memorable moment was on July 29, 2013 when he first time wrote #TeamVikas while mentioning us. The tweet was: "@vikas_fc You all rock, inspire and spread joy. Love you all V #TeamVikas".
The Happy Moments Above mentioned tweets is just a sample. Chef Vikas mentioned and retweeted us uncountable times and he still does it. He even gave us a Shout Out through Video message/chat organized by Lake Isle Press at the time of the launch of his book "Return To The Rivers". Indeed a very happy moment for all. Any response from Chef Vikas to TeamVikas is a celebration time for all. Be it the reply to all or a specific #TeamVikas member, it’s always celebration time for the whole team. This does not end here. Many Team Vikas members have met Chef Vikas in person at his book launch events. He meets and greets them very warmly and joyfully. Once a team member met him and he introduced her to his colleagues saying she is a part of a team, which is his lifeline. Absolutely a very happy and proud moment for Team Vikas. Chef Vikas rarely fails to wish Team Vikas members on their birthdays. Does not matter how busy he is, he surely comes online to wish and bless them on the day. Chef Vikas also gives his best wishes and blessings to the members for their exams. He congratulates the members when someone excels. We feel blessed to have an idol, an inspiration like Chef Vikas Khanna. We, Team Vikas members, find happiness in little things. Being happy and making others happy is like hobby of Team Vikas. If one member is sad, the whole team unites to console him/her and makes the person VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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happy and feels wonderful. This is the beauty of Team Vikas and thus we call it a virtual family not just a Team. In the next section we will be introducing you to our unique way of celebrating those happy moments.
Journey To Junoon You must be well informed about "Junoon" by now. So we will tell here in brief. Junoon is Chef Vikas Khanna's Michelin Starred Restaurant in New York City which is not just a restaurant but Temple for Chef Vikas. Now, let's read about what actually is Journey to Junoon. Whenever we get a mention by Chef Vikas, it is always a celebration time for all the Team Vikas members. The very next tweet after thanking Chef Vikas, for the mention, reads, "Chalo Junoon" (meaning Let's go to Junoon). No! We don't go there literally but we go there virtually. A super fun twitter journey to Junoon. We have a personal TeamVikas Airline (of course not professional), a Pilot, a flight map and the Team members as the passengers. This journey is more fun when experienced than just read. If you want to know why find it so much fun, you should join us someday. This may seem insane to some people but that is absolutely fun and amazing time for us. After all there is no happiness in sanity. Being insane and childish at times makes life worth living. It is truly a dream of every member to have a real get together of the team at Junoon someday.
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The Talented Side Of Team Vikas Team Vikas don't just do fun and masti all the time but the members are very talented. We have excellent Poets, sketchers, picture editors et al. Chef Vikas never left a chance to praise and appreciate their efforts. Every time a poem is written about him, a picture collage is made or any Team member creates a sketch of him, Chef Vikas re-tweets, replies and appreciated the efforts that we put in. This book contains poems and photo collages, yes! They are all written and created by Team Vikas members. Besides these talents, Team Vikas is outstanding in winning all the contests organized on Facebook and Twitter about Chef Vikas. They have won many autographed books by Chef Vikas and met him many times as contest winners. Team Vikas also has members who are doctors, engineers, budding chefs and many others. Team Vikas members love to prepare dishes that Chef Vikas Khanna demonstrates on Yahoo's Vikas@Home series, his show Twist of Taste and also from his books. When anyone prepares a dish, they tweet a picture of it and they are never disappointed by Chef Vikas. He surely retweets the tweet indicating he too liked the dish and is made perfect. Many times he replies too and appreciated the efforts that Team Vikas members put in while making the dish. For us everyday however VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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becomes a celebration day and the reason behind it is always Chef Vikas Khanna. We have already written many things about Team Vikas but this Team cannot be described completely. One must join the Team to understand it entirely.
Team Vikas Logo
In January 2014, we planned to have a logo for Team Vikas. It was VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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announced that everyone would tweet their designs for Team Vikas logo and the best one would be chosen by voting among Team Vikas members. Many amazing entries came up. It was hard to choose one among those entries and so was the voting process. But finally it all happened flawlessly. On January 16th, 2014 we had our Team Vikas Logo and it was presented to everyone on twitter and on the Team Vikas blog. Chef Vikas re-tweeted the tweet that gave us a confirmation that he had seen the logo. Moreover, co-incidentally he had a book launch the very next day so a team member gave him a card with Team Vikas logo printed on it. When he was asked by the member whether he liked the logo or not, his answer was that he Loved It. We hope you too like our logo.
Team Vikas Blog
In December 2013, we started the Team Vikas blog and the blog address is www.teamvikas.blogspot.com. It was started by a Team Vikas member and soon other members joined it. Now it is updated and managed by some of the Team members. We share our happy and special moments there, we post Chef's inspiring and motivating interviews and also the video presentations that Team Vikas makes for Chef Vikas and then we share the blog links on Twitter and Facebook pages.
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Team Vikas Facebook Page
We also have a Team Vikas page on Facebook that is managed by Team Vikas members. The page was started on November 11th, 2013. This page unites the fans of Chef Vikas who are active on Facebook. To keep yourself updated and to enjoy conversations about Chef Vikas follow the Team Vikas page on Facebook and receive updates about Chef Vikas right on your Facebook home page. In the next section, we will tell you about the most memorable day of Team Vikas.
Team Vikas First Anniversary March 12th, 2014 marked the First Anniversary of TeamVikas. Actually it is the anniversary of Vikas Khanna Fan club (@vikas_fc) which is now Vikas Khanna Fan Page with user-name @Team_Vikas. The anniversary of fan page obviously means the anniversary of Team Vikas too. The day was really memorable and special for each and every one of us. When the preparations to celebrate the day were on, Chef Vikas suddenly gave us a huge surprise on March 6th, 2014 by adding to his twitter bio, "@Team_Vikas first anniversary is on march 12th. Thx for love n support...." This was Amazing. We made a place in his bio that
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day. Our enthusiasm to celebrate the anniversary increased even more. Finally the day came. We celebrated it the whole day. It was also the birthday of one of our Team member so truly it was double celebration day for Team Vikas. Chef Vikas wished us at 3:19 AM. We all were so very excited. Our friendship, our fan ship, our unity, above all our Team completed one year of being together. Chef Vikas again gave us another surprise in the evening. Our most important part of celebration that is Journey To Junoon was scheduled for 5 PM. We were all ready to catch the flight. This was the day when we introduced our Team Vikas airlines to everyone. Around 5:15 PM Chef Vikas came online and started re-tweeting our Journey to Junoon tweets and also the tweet that introduced the Team Vikas plane. That was really a wonderful moment for every one of us. The unforgettable day in Team Vikas history. That is it friends. We hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it.
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Team Vikas With The Name 'Team Vikas' Opened a Book About a Team, Who Admired a Person who could Perfectly Cook. Discussion about him, they cannot end in days; The Person who has inspired them in many ways. They all go to his temple 'Junoon' virtually But it seems they go there in reality. Only fun, celebration and Talks about their inspiration is the motto of this clan. To go to Junoon and meet the Master-Chef is their plan. With various talents, they are the masters. The Bond every-time grows stronger and faster To everyone they show a light And the relation is always bright. They are True Friends They will never leave your hand. Never will say no and never will Hesitate. But only have fun and celebrate.
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Team Vikas Family Tree VIKAS&KHANNA&–&A&Heritage&of&Fans& !
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“Chef all this Hardwork is not to Impress you but to show our Dedication towards you and how much we are Inspired by you “ We are Always with You Yours Loving #TeamVikas
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Š TEAM VIKAS www.teamvikas.blogspot.com facebook.com/TeamVikas twitter.com/Team_Vikas