Contemporary Indian chefs have elevated Indian and regional cooking to a global prominence! Chef Vijay Kumar wins the James Beard Award for 2025, and Indian cuisine's finesse and complexity shine with this esteemed honour! Kumar didn't just make it in the room; he dominated it!
The James Beard Awards, widely regarded as the pinnacle of American cuisine, have awarded Chef Vijay Kumar of Semma the title of Best Chef in New York State. The James Beard Award recognises outstanding skills and accomplishments in the food industry, hospitality, journalism, and related fields; this was the chef's first nomination and win in this category.
"When I started cooking, I never thought a dark-skinned boy from Tamil Nadu would make it to a room like this," Kumar told the crowd during his winning speech. “But now all eyes are on the home-cooked meals that I grew up with—the ones that were cooked with love, passion, and soul. Nothing can be considered 'poor man's food' or 'rich man's food,” he went on to say. “It's a diet. Being able to interact with each other over a shared meal is a true luxury, and it's powerful. Tonight, my ancestry and cuisine shine strong, as do Tamil and Indian cuisines. It all counts. I am here for all the people who never imagined their tale would be shown on this grand platform,” said the gushing winner!
What are the James Beard Awards?
The James Beard Awards aim to honour outstanding work in the fields of food and hospitality, journalism, and the media, as well as those who have shown a dedication to creating a more just and sustainable world where everyone can prosper. The foundation's chef awards were broadened and united with French's Food and Beverage Book Awards and Cook's Magazine's Who's Who of American Cooking in 1990, establishing the honours. The foundation introduced the journalism awards in 1993 and expanded them to include broadcast media in 1994. The foundation introduced restaurant design honours in 1995, integrating them with the chef, restaurant, and book categories.
James Beard, widely regarded as the Oscars of the culinary industry, bestowed several prizes, five of which went to New York City. Chef Vijay Kumar of Semma, known for his South Indian food, was one of the 2025 winners. 'Best Chef: New York State' was an offer extended to Kumar. After defeating other chefs from New York City, the chef, originally from Tamil Nadu, took home the trophy. Nominees were Sofreh's Nasim Alikhani and Buffalo's Ryan Fernandez of Southern Junction Barbecue. A few others include Atsushi Kono of Kono and Eiji Ichimura of Sushi Ichimura.
Chef Vijay Kumar’s incredible streak
Vijay Kumar has been experiencing significant success, as evidenced by his recent James Beard award. In June, Kumar's Greenwich Avenue restaurant was named New York's best by the New York Times. Kumar took to Instagram to share his happiness. He expressed his gratitude to Semma's members and claimed to be a "Tamil Nadu kid" whose eatery had risen to the top of New York City. Along with Semma's faithful patrons, Kumar expressed gratitude to his fellow cooks. Semma in New York City promotes "the fire and soul of Southern Indian cooking," according to the Best Chef winner. Semma has maintained a Michelin star from 2022 to 2024.
Who is Chef Vijay Kumar?
The Semma chef studied the fundamentals of making South Indian specialities in his home state of Tamil Nadu. He attended the culinary school in Tiruchirappalli, driven by his love of cuisine. His passion for food prompted him to go to the United States, where he spent a decade at the Michelin-starred Rasa in Burlingame. After that, Kumar joined Semma's kitchen staff with Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya. Since 2021, under the Unapologetic Foods banner, Semma in New York City has served South Indian specialities. The increasing demand for South Indian food in New York City and throughout the globe was shown by Vijay Kumar's 2025 James Beard Award victory. The chef rose from modest origins to become a household name in the United States of America's restaurant industry.
Past Indian winners who made history
A multi-hyphenate, Madhur Jaffrey has won multiple accolades for her work in the food writing, television cooking, acting, and cookbook writing industries. On March 29, 2023, Madhur Jaffrey achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Indian and South Asian to receive the prestigious James Beard Foundation award. Famous chefs and authors, like Wolfgang Puck and MFK Fischer, have been honoured in the past. Shakespeare Wallah, in which Jaffrey made her acting debut in 1965, was the picture that brought her the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin International Film Festival. The James Beard Foundation's Cookbook Hall of Fame honoured her in 2006, after her 1973 debut cookbook, An Invitation to Indian Cooking, was released. According to the statement, she has solidified her position as the "Godmother of Indian Cooking" after releasing over 30 publications that have won industry awards. To commemorate the book's half-century milestone, Alfred A. Knopf reprinted An Invitation to Indian Cooking earlier this year.
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The informal Indian street food joint Chai Pani is another celebrated eatery owned by Indian-origin chef Meherwan Irani. Although the café has been serving customers since 2009, it gained widespread attention in 2022 when it was named America's Most Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation. Before its recognition, Chai Pani played a significant role in the little community to which it belonged—a cherished hangout for Asheville residents and visitors alike. This success inspired the Chai Pani restaurant group to expand its business throughout the US, building seven locations and a spice firm.