The interviews and reporting for this story were conducted in October 2024.

It is the last day of Navratri, the Hindu festival celebrated with great pomp and splendour over nine nights. The fireworks outside my window oblige with drumrolls for what promises to be an evening I will remember for years to come.

In the next few seconds, as Vikas Khanna — the internet’s beloved chef — takes a few seconds to unmute his mic and adjust his camera, giving me a clear view of him in his elegant New York City home, I can’t help but smile at this ‘pinch-me’ moment.

Right from the outset, Khanna is chipper; no one (except probably the general manager at ‘Bungalow’, Sameer Bhatt) would guess he has pulled an all-nighter. Well into the wee hours of the morning, Khanna was attempting to replicate the intricate wings of a peacock’s feathers onto the surface of a piece of coconut barfi (Indian sweet).

Four decades of culinary experience ensured he aced the task. And now for replicating the same onto a hundred-odd pieces! Known to push the envelope, Khanna does justice to this reputation when he says, “I wanted each feather to be exactly alike.”

Sharing how the plumage was meant to be reminiscent of the mandirs (temples) in Indian homes, Khanna was keen that every guest at ‘Bungalow’ — his dream restaurant project launched in New York in March this year — return home that day with a box of coconut barfi, spot the delicate mor pankh (peacock feather), and smile.

He is positively brimming with joy to announce the barfis had the desired effect; as many Indian immigrants found themselves transported by the mini square-shaped time capsules from America to the epicentre of the festive madness in India.

Revered on the culinary circuit, Vikas Khanna’s prowess transcends the kitchen.

The multi-hyphenate has authored over 37 books — with his most recent ‘Imaginary Rain’ (2023) being turned into a Shabana Azmi starrer — has directed three films and two documentaries; been one of the judges at MasterChef India; and helmed several restaurants including New York’s iconic ‘Junoon’ — one of the first Indian restaurants to receive the coveted Michelin star.

But despite this compelling bio, Khanna’s primary identifier is that of a proud Indian. And this is reflected in everything — from the tadka (spices heated in hot oil) that makes its way into his curries to the sparkle in his eyes when he speaks about life back in his beloved hometown, Amritsar.

For Vikas Khanna, all roads lead home

Khanna’s culinary mind has a lot to occupy it. Memories of serving the who’s who of the world — he has been the chef du jour multiple times for the Obama family, while also working closely with food mogul Gordon Ramsay — find space right next to nostalgic memories of binge sessions involving rounds of tikkis (potato patties) from ‘Mathura ki Tikki’ in Amritsar.

“I distinctly remember how this [tikki] was the favourite snack of my cousins who would visit us from Kolkata and Mumbai. Nothing was done to make the potatoes crisp. Instead, they were fried to a great degree and then pressed on a hot tava (pan) laden with........

© The Better India