Vikas Khanna
Chef, restaurateur, author, filmmaker and MasterChef India judge
- Age
- 54 yrs
- Birthday in 18 days
- Works listed
- 2
- Book, Film (director)
- Honours
- 0
- Awards & distinctions
- Profile views
- 3
- 0 followers
Vikas Khanna is a chef from Amritsar who built his career in New York, where his restaurant Junoon held a Michelin star. He has been a judge on MasterChef India since it began, writes cookbooks and has directed a feature film.
Biography
Early life
Vikas Khanna was born in Amritsar with misaligned legs and wore corrective shoes as a child; unable to run and play like other children, he spent hours cooking with his grandmother, which sparked his love of food. As a teenager he started a small catering business, Lawrence Garden, from his family home, and later trained in hotel administration at Manipal.
New York
Khanna moved to New York in 2000 and worked his way up through restaurant kitchens. Junoon, the Indian restaurant he led as executive chef, earned a Michelin star in 2011 and kept it for several years. He has cooked for US presidents and hosted food shows including Twist of Taste. In 2024 he opened his own restaurant, Bungalow, in Manhattan.
MasterChef India
Khanna has been a judge on MasterChef India from its early seasons, becoming one of the most familiar faces of Indian food television.
Author and filmmaker
He has written more than 30 books, including Utsav: A Culinary Epic of Indian Festivals, a 1,000-page book on festival food. He directed the feature film The Last Color (2019), about the friendship between a widow and a young girl in Varanasi, which premiered internationally and was among the films eligible for Academy Award consideration.
Feed India
During the Covid-19 pandemic his Feed India initiative coordinated the distribution of millions of meals and ration kits to people across India, working with the National Disaster Response Force and local partners.
Feed India and filmmaking
During the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, Khanna coordinated #FeedIndia from New York, working with the National Disaster Response Force and volunteers to distribute millions of meals and ration kits across India. He also made his directorial debut with The Last Color (2019), starring Neena Gupta, about a widow in Varanasi.
Timeline
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1971
Born in Amritsar, Punjab
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2000
Moves to New York
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2011
Junoon earns a Michelin star
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2011
MasterChef India judge
From the show’s early seasons.
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2019
Directs The Last Color
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2020
Feed India initiative
Covid-19 relief.
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2024
Opens Bungalow in New York
Notable works
-
2014
Utsav: A Culinary Epic of Indian Festivals Book
-
2019
The Last Color Film (director)
Did you know?
-
1
He was born with misaligned legs and wore corrective shoes as a child.
-
2
He began a catering business from his family home in Amritsar as a teenager.
-
3
His Feed India drive distributed millions of meals during the pandemic.
Gallery
Connections
Related people
Also born on 14 November
Frequently asked
Who is Vikas Khanna?
Vikas Khanna is a chef from Amritsar who built his career in New York, where his restaurant Junoon held a Michelin star. He has been a judge on MasterChef India since it began, writes cookbooks and has directed a feature film.
How old is Vikas Khanna?
Vikas Khanna is 54 years old, born on 14 November 1971 in Amritsar, Punjab.
Where is Vikas Khanna from?
Vikas Khanna was born in Amritsar, Punjab.
What is Vikas Khanna known for?
Vikas Khanna is best known for Michelin-starred Junoon in New York; judging MasterChef India; Feed India relief drive.
References
- Vikas Khanna — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Vikas Khanna — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Vikas Khanna — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Official website. www.vkhanna.com. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Vikas Khanna (Q7929395) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Vikas Khanna.” TrackFame, last updated 27 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/vikas-khanna
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