From Madurai to New York: Meet Semma's chef Vijay Kumar, whose authentic Tamil cuisine is turning heads worldwide
In a world where Indian cuisine is finally receiving its long-overdue global recognition, Semma's rise feels personal and symbolic. 'It's an incredible honour, especially for a restaurant honouring food from the villages of South India,' said Vijay, 44, in an exclusive interview with indianexpress.com. 'But it's also validation that our cuisine, in its truest form, belongs on the world stage.'
Growing up on a farm near Madurai, Vijay learned to cook by watching and helping his mother and grandmother in the kitchen. After culinary school and stints at Indian hotels and cruise ships, he moved to the United States, where he led kitchens at Dosa and Rasa in California. In 2021, he relocated to New York to open Semma. His mission was clear: to serve regional, heritage dishes rarely seen on restaurant menus. Some of these are eral thokku, nathai pirattal, and thinai khichdi. 'The nathai pirattal is something you won't find anywhere else. It's a true village dish, one I grew up eating,' he said.
His New York move came with a partnership with restaurateur Roni Mazumdar and chef Chintan Pandya of Unapologetic Foods. 'They asked me one simple thing: to cook the food that lives in your bones. That became Semma, a place to celebrate the bold, soulful dishes I grew up eating, without watering anything down,' said Vijay.
That philosophy paid off. In addition to Semma's recent top ranking, he won the prestigious 2025 James Beard Award for Best Chef: New York State, often dubbed the 'Oscars of the food world'.
A champion of hyper-local and seasonal ingredients, Vijay said he is driven by what's deeply tied to the land and the people. 'I want to explore more native ingredients that haven't had their moment yet, and find ways to bring them to the global table,' he said.
What's making Indian chefs and restaurateurs succeed and take risks on the world stage? According to Chef Vijay, it's the refusal to dilute or compromise: 'Nothing is adjusted to 'play it safe'. It's bold, rooted, and deeply personal.'
'For a long time, Indian chefs felt pressure to soften or simplify our food to fit expectations,' he said. 'Now, we're cooking loudly and with pride. The innovation comes from looking inward, at our own traditions, and presenting them unapologetically.'
What's next for Semma? Vijay is clear: 'To keep digging deeper into regional recipes, forgotten techniques, and the stories behind them. And to keep evolving without losing what makes Semma special—honest South Indian food, cooked with heart.'
Jayashree Narayanan writes on fitness, health, aviation safety, food, culture and everything lifestyle. She is an alumnus of AJKMCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia and Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi ... Read More
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