‘Vikas was always passionate about cooking’

MANGALURU: The ‘guru’ is proud of his disciple who is making the world fall in love with food. “Vikas Khanna could not even prepare a bread roll when he came to college. And now, he is a Michelin-starred Indian chef and a writer. I’m proud of him. He is a quick learner,’’ said Prof Y G Tharakan, head of department of Masters Programme and Allied Hospitality Studies at Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration in Manipal.
The celebrity chef, owner and consultant in several restaurants and food organizations, including The Café at the Rubin Museum of Art, is a renowned name in the food and hospitality industry globally. Vikas will be in Bengaluru on Saturday to launch his book, The Magic Rolling Pin, at the Landmark Store. “One thing that I have noticed from the beginning about Vikas, is his passion for cooking. This has helped him observe and learn,’’ Tharakan told TOI. The professor, who began his career as a chef with Taj Mahal Hotel resorts and palaces in Mumbai, said that Vikas was more into cooking non-vegetarian Indian food.
“He kept trying his hand at Indian-Continental fusion in college,’’ he said, adding that now his passion is to prepare food from locally-grown produce.
Khanna, who has won numerous national and international awards, is also the honorary member of many foundations, including the World Peace Society. He recently authored The Magic Rolling Pin with an autobiographical and illustrative nature.
Khanna had authored 16 books on varied subjects earlier.