Vikas Khanna
🇮🇳 India · Indian cuisine · b. 1971
Michelin-starred Indian chef and humanitarian behind Junoon in New York.
Biography
Vikas Khanna is an Indian-born chef, restaurateur, filmmaker and humanitarian based in New York. Born in Amritsar, Punjab, he grew up cooking with his grandmother and trained in hotel management before moving to the United States in 2000.
His New York restaurant Junoon held one Michelin star from 2011 to 2020 — the first Indian restaurant in New York to earn the distinction. He has cooked for the Dalai Lama, Barack Obama and the Saudi royal family, and presented the Indian edition of MasterChef.
During the COVID-19 pandemic he organised Feed India, a relief operation that distributed an estimated 80 million meals to vulnerable people across India, working with the Indian Army and local NGOs. His cookbooks — including 'Utsav: A Culinary Epic of Indian Festivals' and the encyclopaedic 'Indian Harvest' — are widely regarded as among the most beautifully produced volumes on Indian cuisine.
Cooking Philosophy
Modern Indian cuisine, true to tradition. Khanna rejects the heavy, dumbed-down 'curry house' style of Indian food common in the West, instead presenting refined regional Indian dishes — biryanis, kebabs, regional vegetarian dishes — at fine-dining standards while staying faithful to the original techniques.
Restaurants
- JunoonNew York (closed 2020)
One Michelin star 2011–2020 — the first Indian restaurant in NYC to earn the distinction.
- BungalowNew York
Khanna's current NYC project — modern Indian, opened 2024.
Awards & Recognition
- Padma Shri (2024)
- Michelin star (Junoon)
- American Culinary Federation Best Chef Award
Iconic Dishes
Cookbooks
- Utsav: A Culinary Epic of Indian Festivals
- Indian Harvest
- Return to the Rivers
- Khanna Sutra
Signature Recipes Inspired by Vikas
Original recipes we created as homages to Vikas's cooking style and signature dishes. Not direct reproductions of any copyrighted material — these are our interpretations of the traditions Vikas has worked with throughout their career.
Recipes in Vikas's Style
These recipes from our database reflect the indian cooking tradition that Vikas works in. They are not direct reproductions of Vikas's copyrighted recipes, but traditional dishes inspired by the same culinary heritage.
Career Timeline
Opens his first catering business 'Lawrence Gardens' in Amritsar at age 17.
Moves to the United States; works through hotel and restaurant kitchens in New York.
Opens Junoon in the Flatiron District of New York with restaurateur Rajesh Bhardwaj.
Junoon earns its first Michelin star — first Indian restaurant in New York to do so.
Publishes 'Utsav: A Culinary Epic of Indian Festivals,' a multi-volume work on Indian festival cuisine.
Organises the Feed India programme during COVID-19 — an estimated 80 million meals distributed across India.
Awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India; opens Bungalow in New York's East Village.
Frequently Asked Questions about Vikas Khanna
What was Junoon?
Junoon was Vikas Khanna's flagship New York restaurant in the Flatiron district, opened in 2010. It held one Michelin star from 2011 to 2020 — the first Indian restaurant in NYC to earn the distinction — and closed in 2020 during the pandemic.
What was the Feed India programme?
During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns Khanna organised Feed India, a relief operation that distributed an estimated 80 million meals to vulnerable people across India, coordinating with the Indian Army, the National Disaster Response Force and dozens of NGOs from his apartment in New York.
What is Bungalow?
Bungalow is Khanna's New York restaurant that opened in 2024 in the East Village. It is his return to a full-service Indian restaurant after Junoon's closure and showcases regional Indian dishes including coastal fish preparations, slow-cooked North Indian gravies and modern interpretations of street food.
Has Vikas Khanna directed films?
Yes — Khanna has directed and produced several films, including the documentary 'Holy Kitchens' (a series exploring religion and food across faiths) and the 2022 feature film 'The Last Color,' which premiered at Cannes and was India's official entry to several festivals. He is one of very few professional chefs to also direct narrative cinema.
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