Chef Gordon Ramsay is super humble, says Chef Vikas Khanna

A man of many talents - restaurateur, author, filmmaker, food writer, TV food show host and yes an award-winning chef too - that's Vikas Khanna for you! Mohini Mehrotra caught up with him to find out what's cooking in his life.

'He's 43-years-old', says his manager. 'What!' I am blown away...'He can't be... He doesn't look a day older than 30!' I can't help thinking aloud - his physique could give male models a run for their money. And then I muse some more: 'He's a chef, so doesn't that mean he has to taste everything he cooks? How does he maintain his waistline?' I'm told that Vikas makes time to work out daily no matter how busy he is.

Appearance and Michelin star chef status aside, what really has you eating out of his hands (literally!) is his infectious smile, sense of humour, humility and a never-say-die attitude. During the shoot, he is amazingly patient and hands-on, helping us get the perfect frames and suggesting the best camera angles. While getting the salad ready for one of the shots, he tells me, 'If you love cooking, you must visit the best vegetable markets in your town... You can create great food only if you buy the produce yourself.' (He switches to his mother-tongue Punjabi with ease - despite staying for a decade in New York.)

PREPARATION TIME
Vikas was born and bred in Amritsar. His grandmother loved cooking, and the fresh seasonal produce - typical of Punjab - was the perfect muse. It was through her that Vikas began to pick up the intricacies of Indian cuisine. At 17, he started his own banquet and catering business in Lawrence Gardens, Amritsar. After that, there was no looking back - he knew that his love affair with food had begun. After graduating from The Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration, Manipal, he trained under chefs of the Taj, Oberoi and Leela Group of hotels. He then added more feathers to his culinary cap by opting for a variety of courses at the Culinary Institute of America, Cornell University, New York University and the esteemed Le Cordon Bleu, Paris. Over the years, he has won many international and Indian awards and has also received recognition from the James Beard Foundation - a New York-based professional non-profit organisation that promotes culinary arts by honouring chefs, wine professionals and cookbook authors. (The foundation also facilitates scholarships and educational opportunities to cooking enthusiasts).

Chef Vikas Khanna with his mother

FINDING HIS OWN WAY
Though based in New York, Vikas is a frequent visitor to India. He comes to meet his family and for professional reasons - shoots, book launches, TV shows and so on. He has authored several cookbooks including The Spice Story Of India, Flavors First, Savour Mumbai and Modern Indian Cooking. He is the owner of a restaurant called Junoon in New York and is also a consultant with several restaurants and food organisations, including The Cafe at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York. Good Housekeeping caught up with him on his recent visit to Mumbai. Excerpts from the interview..

Q. Tell us, did growing up in an extended family in Amritsar have a bearing on your career choice?
I think there was something about growing up in Amritsar and being involved in rituals such as sitting in a queue at the Golden Temple and trying to roll out perfect round rotis - it got me connected to food in a different way. It was my good fortune that I grew up around all these traditions. Cooking and eating was a celebration of sorts - the food at home was cooked with great love and care. The whole family gathered around the table during meal times and stayed on, long after the meal was over. This continues to be the most cherished memory from my childhood. Over the years, many people have inspired me and continue to do so, be it simple home cooks or street vendors; seasons or spices. But the one person who taught me how to bring it all together was Biji (as he calls her grandmother).

Q. Your culinary journey has been a series of "ups"- if you were to highlight a few, which ones would they be...
A great high was when I started my catering business at Lawrence Garden Banquets, Amritsar at the age of 17, and after my graduation in Hotel Management from Manipal and later, from my stint at the Leela Kempenski, Mumbai, I came back to the business - it was my first love, so to speak. Leaving for the US (2000) was a turning point too. In December that year, began a new phase in my life - I started working in the restaurant, Salaam Bombay in New York. Also, what can compare the high of opening my own restaurant, Junoon in 2010? For any chef, the Michelin Star award is a career landmark - I received my First Michelin Star award in 2011 - another "wow" moment for me. I hosted my first solo TV show, Twist Of Taste, on Fox Life in 2013 and continue to host it till date - something I love doing. And most recently, I opened Junoon in Dubai as well. All in all, it's been a very exciting and satisfying journey.

Q. Were you a fussy eater as a child? Your favourite dish...
My favourite dish is aloo-methi and any dal along with it. I was never a fussy eater and enjoyed everything - even the not-so-likeable veggies such as ghiya, karela, tinda and so on. I love vegetables - their texture, the taste and the aroma as they cook.

Chef Vikas Khanna shares a happy moment with his sister

Q. Were there times when lady luck failed you? Any moments of self-doubt?
I have failed badly on a few occasions but I now feel those moments helped me become who I am. Around 2005-06, many restaurants in New York were shutting down and nothing seemed to be working out for me. I would stand near Lexington Avenue and look up to the Chrysler Building (an Art Deco style sky scraper in New York)... It's grandeur gave me the strength to continue to believe in myself. Then some months on, I was called by Chef Gordon Ramsay to work with him on the famous show Kitchen Nightmares - that was truly life-changing. It was also the beginning of the "Junoon" (his chain of restaurants) era. I strongly feel that whenever life gets you on your knees, it also gives you a new perspective of the world - and mostly, it's a better one.

Q. Which chef would you put on top of your admiration list?
Chef Gordon Ramsay (the Scottishborn British chef and restaurateur, a TV star now). He's super-humble, supportive and a visionary. His signature restaurant is the " Restaurant Gordon Ramsay" in London. Then there is Chef Eric Ripert (a French chef, author and television show host specialising in modern French cuisine). I have worked with him several times and never have ceased to be amazed by his knowledge. And how can I not name Chef Alain Ducasse...He is the Michael Angelo of plating. Ducasse became the first chef to own restaurants carrying three Michelin Stars in three cities. And the list can go on and on...

Q. What advice would you dish out to aspiring chefs who idolise you and hope to follow in your footsteps?
Follow your heart and be like a sponge - absorb as much as you can. It takes many years to actually start running your own kitchen, so when your time comes - "own it" - since it takes a lot to earn it.

Q. What do you enjoy eating on a daily basis?
Since I am in the kitchen all day and taste a lot of dishes, I tend to balance it out with simple foods in my everyday meals. I snack on smoothies, fruits, nuts and granola bars. Steamed fish, plain dal, vegetables and egg whites are my staples.

Chef Vikas Khanna with the Obamas

Q. Our readers would like to know a bit about your family life and also why so eligible a man, who also cooks so amazingly, well is still single?
I have a loving family - a supportive elder brother Nishant; a dynamic younger sister Radhika, a mother-like sister-in-law Shelley and two gorgeous nieces - Ojasvi and Saumya. I feel like I am a lot like my mother - a person who is happy with friends and is just as comfortable in her own company. Being a workaholic, it's hard for me to keep up with the expectations in a relationship.

Q. A dream you are chasing..
Making Indian food accessible to Americans - that's on my list and also to make sure my book, Utsav - A Culinary Epic Of Indian Festivals, brings my motherland close to the people around the world.

Q. Your other passions in life..
I am a health freak. I don't do heavy weights, but I love running, jogging and a cardio workout. I also enjoy reading anything inspiring and watching films - my favourites being The Shawshanks Redemption, The Godfather, Before Midnight and Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. When I have free time, I spend it around the East River and Central Park in New York. Sometimes early morning, I sit at Strawberry Fields on 72nd Street and work on new recipes. I also love travelling around India and discovering new foods and rituals