The Master Chef Vikas Khanna‘s Junoon of cooking has stemmed up from his humble beginnings. His love for food and presenting it on the world’s culinar

Food preparation is a technique but cooking with love is an art mastered only by a few. There is one chef who has explored different facets of cooking; from the eyes of tradition to contemporary fusion and more. I had the pleasure of dining with Vikas Khanna, one of my favourite Chefs, last month at his own restaurant– Junoon.

As I entered Junoon situated in Shangri-La Dubai, and took my seat, I was told Vikas would be there in sometime. I thought I would have to wait for another hour or so considering all celebrities took that much time. Soon after I heard a voice echoing in the restaurant, “Thali taiyaar ho gayi hai aur dal bhi maine dekh li hai. Tum Bhindi sambhal lo”. It meant the thali is ready and I have tasted the lentils too, please take care of the okra. With his sleeves tucked up, wearing a white shirt covered with a white apron, the true chef was busy perfecting the skill that brought him the renown, the dinner for the evening. His staff brought him to my table and after a brief introduction we began talking.

The lad from Amritsar

Vikas was born with misalligned legs in Amritsar, Punjab. At that time, due to the lack of awareness and education, disabled children were often ridiculed. To avoid this he spent most time at home. Since he would spend most of his time at home, he developed a fondness for cooking with his grandmom. The hobby later became his passion which inspired him to open a small restaurant in the backyard of his house. There his grandmother would cook and he would serve. However, the efforts did not reap any fruits and the business had to shut down.

Interestingly, Vikas recalls to have not learnt Hindi or English in school. Because of the 1984 political riots, Hindi was removed from schools in Punjab and the only language taught was Punjabi. Even during our conversation, he would often laughingly cut me off and say, “Hindi mein baat kar, mujhe angreji nahi aati” meaning speak in Hindi, I don’t know English. It may sound normal but this line introduced me to a new Vikas, one that was attached to his roots, took pride in it and didn’t care where he was sitting. He just knew himself and his comfort. I guess that’s what makes him different from the rest.

From Manipal to New York – journey of Junoon

Due to the lack of English education, he wasn’t allowed to enter the hotel management school in Manipal. However, one director saw the light in his eyes and allowed him to receive training in the school. “My Museum of Kitchen Arts is a Gurudakshina to him for trusting in me. Had he not taken a chance on me, I wouldn’t have been here.” Many a time, when people grow they tend to forget these small contributions which actually made them what they are today. It requires much more than courage and gratitude to pay such honourable tributes to those who were a part of our journey.

A lot of people know about his career and how he established Junoon, but few know about his philanthropic activities. Holy Kitchens is one such initiative that impressed me the most. A series of different documentaries made on the culture of preparing sanctified food or Prasad and distributing it amongst millions each day. It is a ritual which continues to be practised till date, was covered in his initiative. “Have you ever had a meal at the Golden Temple?”, he questioned me. I nodded and he continued explaining, “…when I visited the Golden Temple, I realized the importance of every grain I consumed. It could be the last meal for someone or the first meal for someone. What amount of selflessness does it take to cook for millions each day, I can’t even imagine.”

Utsav – a celebration of Indian cuisine

He has also compiled a book called Utsav wherein he presents details on all the ingredients that are used in cooking. Not a tradition, a festival or an edible item that is known to India is left out from the pages of that book. Currently being attested by the Pope, the book will be the pinnacle of culinary expertise in the entire world.

Having cooked for President Obama, PM Narendra Modi and many others, Vikas is down to earth. Also he graciously welcomes everyone into his comfort zone. A man who laughs on random jokes while constantly shuttling between the kitchen and the dining area. He makes sure that everything from the presentation to the taste is well taken care of. Humility, expression of gratitude, connection to roots and the passion to explore your talents, my learning that evening went beyond all these words. Above all, I learnt how to be human. And that with great power comes great responsibility. Money can be earned by anyone but respect is only bestowed to the ones who deserve it.