We all know about the versatility of Indian food. No matter where you go, you will find at least one Indian restaurant serving classic food like dal makhani, butter chicken, paneer, and more. While we certainly can’t get enough of this taste, Indian cuisine has made a name for itself across the globe. Recently, an Indian restaurant in the US has won the Top Cooking Award. A renowned Indian-origin chef and an Indian restaurant serving “innovative and affordable” street food in North Carolina has won top honors at America’s most prestigious culinary awards that recognize exceptional talent in the food industry.
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The James Beard Award for “Best Chef: New York State” went to Chintan Pandya of New York City’s renowned restaurant Dhamaka. For the Unversed, the James Beard Awards honor great talent in the culinary and food media industries, as well as a marked dedication to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive.
Claire Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation, said the awards “recognize outstanding food and beverage professionals” and “honor our entire industry—and the incredible resilience, luck, talent and leadership so many have shown over the past two years.” “Amidst the COVID19 pandemic.
When Pandya won the award, he said it was “really unbelievable and I never thought I would be standing here any longer.” Referring to Majumdar, Pandya, along with his business partner Ronnie Majumdar on stage, said: “The reason he came here is because I always came up with ideas that were very silly and stupid. And for 22 years I’ve been cooking. Yes, no one believed it.
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“I met this guy five years ago. And after a few years, I realized that he was a bigger idiot and a nerd than me because he believed in my thoughts. And because he believed in my stupidity and stupidity that I I’m standing here, so a big thank you for that.”
The blast’s website states that “the blast is explosive. This is the other side of India, the forgotten side of India.” Describing himself as an “unapologetic Indian”, Dhamaka, chef and partner Pandya and restaurateur Majumdar, “serve up provincial Indian cuisine in the new Essex Market.” The restaurant opened in February last year and was ranked number one in The New York Times’ list of New York’s Top 10 New York Restaurants for 2021.
While this award was given for Best Chef, another James Beard Award for “Outstanding Restaurant” was given to an Indian restaurant named Chai-Pani. Snack Corner in New Orleans defeated Brennan to claim the top title. You can read more about it here.