Vikas Khanna: It was a very big deal to light up the Empire State Building
He’s cooked for the Obamas and other top politicos, written over 40 culinary books and now, Vikas Khanna has another accolade to add to his list — the Indian Michelin-star chef became the first Indian chef to light up the Empire State Building on May 7.
In an exclusive chat, Vikas, who’s thrilled at this, says, “When I got the news of the honour, it felt like a very big deal, like being part of history. In that one moment, you feel that your whole journey, your beliefs and trust, comes to life. I’m still fumbling as it is a highly emotional time for me and I’m so glad that so many of my friends and families came to witness the lighting. As somebody who grew up in Amritsar and as an immigrant, the reference of the Empire State always used to be the symbol of America, it’s iconic and this means a lot.”
The Michelin-star chef who felt proud to be selected for this achivement, also recalls how special his mother’s words were to him
‘I have been scarred 1,000 times’
The prestigious achievement is also a perfect gift before Mother’s Day as Vikas recalls his mother’s words before the ceremony. He reveals, “My mom told me that this is happening to you because there are too many blessings on your side. She also said, ‘because you endured so much of darkness, this moment has come to you’. I agree. Over the years, I’ve found that there still are so many people who want to want to stop you, bury you, and kill your projects. But I keep telling them one thing, ‘You cannot dim anybody’s light. All you can do is shine your light more.”
He also gets emotional as he also remembers his sister Radhika who passed away in 2022. He admits, “Not everyone is supportive of having such a big dream and I’ve been scarred 1,000 times. My mother gets the credit for me to be standing here after going through such a hard time in this country. When I had lost my biggest inspiration, supporter and best friend — my sister, it was my mom who held me tight and helped me through that.”
‘People will find ways to stop you, just keep going’
The 52-year-old who has been in the US for the last 30 years, is not just a successful chef and restaurateur, but he has another important role – to fight hunger in his work with City Harvest. “I’m extremely proud of that. For any chef, one of the biggest driving forces has to be malnutrition, so this has been very important to me,” he says.
For the moment, Vikas is hoping his achievement will inspire others. “I feel that a moment like this helps people to dream. One such moment for me was also October 5, 2011, when I received the Michelin star for the first time.”
He adds, “Lot of kids and artists are watching, plus many people who may be feeling that the innings is over. This tells anyone who feels less, that you can achieve something of this magnitude. There is only one condition – just keep going, don’t give up. Find new ways and methods to do things. Of course, there will be people who will use all their energies to stop you, but just keep going.”
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