New Delhi: Vikas Khanna has come a long way from Amritsar, where he was born with misaligned legs and was warned by doctors that he would not be able to walk correctly without special shoes. He has learned to walk on his own, won people over with the enchantment of his cuisine, passion for India, and charming personality, and now lives in India!
You’ll get chills listening to Khanna’s inspiring tale of overcoming disabilities, homelessness, and global success while being a modest, kind, and compassionate person. (Also Read: Super Duper Hit Business Idea: ONLY Work For 3 Months, Earn Rs 2 Lakh Per Year – Here’s The Complete Guide)
Vikas Khanna’s culinary skill is certainly a work of art, serving as an inspiration to all. From his modest origins in Amritsar to his fame as a chef who introduced Indian cuisine to the USA and prepared meals for people like Barack Obama, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the Dalai Lama, Khanna has inspired many. (Also Read: 9 Plants That Glow At Night And Give You Light)
Here, we share the inspirational account of Vikas Khanna, a young man from Amritsar who won over the globe with his passion for cooking, natural talent, and friendly demeanour.
Davinder Khanna and Bhindu Khanna welcomed Vikas Khanna into the world in 1971 in Amritsar, Punjab. The Khanna had to wear wooden shoes as a child since they were born with clubfoot, an uncommon birth defect that results in mismatched feet.
Vikas often sought safety in the kitchen with his biji (grandmother), who not only taught him how to cook but also encouraged him to learn the skill. Because of this deformity, he had to endure mockery and barbs from his peers.
Vikas’s love of cooking did not fade even after his wooden shoes were removed; he even sold hand-knit sweaters and chole bhature to local schools with his mother to launch his catering business at the age of 17!
Vikas was able to indulge in his lifelong passion for cooking through his catering business, but his life changed when his uncle took him to Delhi for dinner at the renowned Maurya Sheraton.
This experience opened up his narrow world and gave him a taste of life outside of his catering business. Because of his weak English language abilities, he almost didn’t get accepted to the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration in Manipal, Karnataka, where his uncle pushed him to pursue hospitality administration.
He experimented with his renowned Indian fusion style of food while studying hotel management!
After graduating from college, he returned back to Amritsar and worked with Leela in Mumbai. He started his own catering company, and one day the police tore off its roof.
Khanna still recalls how heartbroken he was by the incident. He went to the visa office to apply for his immigration visa after realising his dream of the USA beckoning to him.
In order to get a job at the renowned Salaam Bombay as the executive chef, Vikas had to overcome several obstacles during his culinary trip in the USA. He performed numerous odd jobs and even spent time at a homeless shelter in New York City.
He finally realised his lifelong dream of opening his own restaurant in 2010 with the opening of Junoon.
