Mumbai, March 8: Celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, who recently concluded the 9th season of the cooking-based reality show ‘MasterChef India’, has spoken about the evolution of cuisines and how it leaves a lasting impact on cultures around the world.
Vikas spoke with IANS on the set of ‘MasterChef India’ while filming the finale with Ranveer Brar and Kunal Kapur. He shared that culinary art is constantly evolving, unlike a static painting.
He told IANS, “I believe cuisines are always evolving; they will never be stagnant like the Mona Lisa. Cuisines are alive, they are constantly changing, and I always see cuisines, especially Indian cuisine, evolving in the West.”
He further added, “It's in a state of continuous transformation, where they will keep changing their colors, forms, shapes, flavors, service, and presentation, but the core remains rooted in comfort. As we often say in ‘MasterChef India’, ‘You didn’t cook for me, you cooked for my childhood’. The origin and development of every cuisine will stem from these moments.”
“It’s based on how we are evolving as humans, and of course, the trades and everything in society are reflected in our cuisine,” he added.
Vikas Khanna trained in culinary arts and later built an international career in the United States. He served as the executive chef and co-owner of the Michelin-starred restaurant Junoon in New York City, which received a Michelin star for several consecutive years. He is widely known in India as a judge on the television cooking competition ‘MasterChef India’, where he has appeared across multiple seasons alongside other professional chefs and culinary experts.
In addition to television, he has authored several cookbooks focused on Indian cuisine and regional culinary traditions. He has also been involved in food diplomacy and charitable initiatives related to hunger relief. His work often highlights traditional Indian cooking techniques and ingredients while presenting them to an international audience through restaurants, books, and television.