Latest news with #VijayKumar
The Hindu
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Watch: In conversation with award-winning chef Vijay Kumar, of ‘Semma', New York
Vijay Kumar is arguably one of the world's most celebrated chefs. His restaurant Semma, set in the heart of Manhattan has won a Michelin, and become the first Indian restaurant to top the New York Times' 100 best restaurants list. Most recently, he won the prestigious James Beard award. Backed by Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya, who run the popular restaurants Dhamaka and Adda in New York, Vijay was given the freedom to not just cook the food he grew up eating, but also to celebrate it. Vijay has come a long way from his home town of Natham in Tamil Nadu to New York City, where Semma stands out from other Indian restaurants for its 'unapologetically South Indian menu'. Read more: James Beard winning Chef Vijay Kumar of Semma in New York dreams of sambar, rice and paddy fields Editing: Thamodharan B Production: Shikha Kumari
BBC News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Vijay Kumar: The Indian chef who took Tamil fare global and won a 'food Oscar'
In Manhattan's West Village, where culinary trends can change with the seasons, Chef Vijay Kumar is shaping a quiet revolution. His 2025 James Beard Award win for Best Chef: New York State this month is more than just personal recognition - it marks a cultural inflection point. Chennai-based culinary historian Rakesh Raghunathan says: "Following in the footsteps of fellow Tamil-origin recipients like Raghavan Iyer and Padma Lakshmi, Vijay Kumar's recognition reflects a growing momentum for south Indian voices on the global culinary stage". "Tamil cuisine - along with Sri Lankan Tamil and other south Indian regional traditions - is increasingly being embraced by global diners as something refined, rich, and deeply rooted in culture."Born in the small farming village of Arasampatti, Madurai in southern Tamil Nadu, the 44-year-old Kumar has always cooked from memory - of forests and foraging, firewood stoves and his mother and grandmother serving meals made from scratch for the he took the stage at the JB awards ceremony, he said "the food I grew up on, the food made with care, with fire, with soul is now taking the main stage". It was a moment of deep emotion and cultural pride for Kumar. "There is no such thing as a poor person's food, or a rich person's food. It's food. It's powerful. And the real luxury is to be able to connect with each other around the dinner table." For Kumar, the win is a personal milestone but also a powerful act of visibility. "When I started cooking, I never thought a dark-skinned boy from Tamil Nadu could make it to a room like this," he said in his acceptance speech. It was therefore important for him to wear veshti, the traditional Tamil attire for men, for the black-tie James Beard ceremony as a nod to his Kumar was trolled by a pair of influencers in New York. Quick to rise to his defence was Padma Lakshmi, cookbook author and culinary ambassador, who called the influencers out for their cultural to the BBC, Lakshmi said "Vijay's story is important not just for south Indian food but also as a story of someone who grew up with humble means and cooked with limited resources." "This resourcefulness has not only propelled his work ethic but enhanced his sense of flavour, ingredients and sense of the world. He is a beacon of hope to young people all over the world that if you trust and develop your senses and skills, you can go far in a creative career."Kumar's journey wasn't smooth to start with. Unable to afford engineering school in the big city, he chose culinary school instead - beginning his journey at Taj Connemara hotel in Chennai, cooking his way through cruise ships and kitchens, and eventually finding his promised land in America, working at Dosa in San Francisco. His real breakthrough came when he partnered with Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya of Unapologetic Foods, a New York restaurant group, to open Semma - a Tamil slang word for "fantastic" in 2021. The trio found a "shared sense of wanting to honour our heritage, to tell the world who we really are through our cuisine". "At that moment, it wasn't just about food, it was about identity," Mazumdar told the BBC. "For too long, Indian food in the US has lived under the veil of a manufactured, watered-down north-western lens. With Semma, we set out to pull back that curtain and share something more honest."Kumar jumped at the opportunity to share his cuisine with the world. "His eyes lit up when we started talking about the food we grew up eating, and that kind of food rarely makes it to restaurant menus," recalls strength lies in serving authentic village food that is seasonal, hyper-local, and built entirely from scratch. His farm-to-table approach, he says, was to cook the way "my mother and grandmother did". Semma, he adds, is a celebration of that simplicity resonates. Semma's menu defies the clichés that often define Indian food abroad. There's no butter chicken or naan here and Kumar's epiphany came with an unlikely encounter: French escargot. As a child, on days when rice was scarce, he would forage with his family for snails in the paddy fields, which would be cooked in a savoury tamarind sauce. Kumar admitted that he was ashamed of it as a boy as it "felt like food born of poverty - until I saw the pride with which the French serve escargot". Today, the dish, nathai pirattal, sits proudly on Semma's menu, reimagined not as a memory of scarcity, but as a symbol of resilience and cultural pride. Semma's menu - pepper rasam, tamarind crab, banana flower vadai, the ubiquitous dosa - offer an emotional connection for many diaspora diners, and a revelation for first-timers. Kumar's intention to bring village-style Tamil food and showcase it in upscale spots and in the cut-throat New York restaurant space has won a long line of admirers. There's depth, regionality and a powerful emotional connection in this food. The cocktails are a nod to Tamil film stars like Rajnikanth and Silk Smitha, and the décor channels Chennai's warmth. Even the kitchen is a space of intention - cooks are asked to prepare food with "gratitude and mindfulness"."I invited him to curate a black-tie gala dinner for 650 guests at the Gold Gala in Los Angeles, and he made us all proud. A year later, people still talk about how incredible the food was," says Lakshmi, applauding Kumar's gift for bringing regional Indian cuisine to the most glamorous awards and accolades feel like a natural progression of his journey. Semma is the first New York restaurant serving only south Indian cuisine to win a Michelin star and topped The New York Times's list for top 100 restaurants. And now the JBA for many ways, Kumar is not just serving food - he is serving memory, pride and a quiet revolution. His James Beard win is a recognition of his talent, but also an affirmation that regional Indian cuisine, with its bold spices and soulful simplicity, belongs at the centre of the global win has piqued the "curiosity of young people from all over the Indian diaspora and instilled a greater pride in our food ways", says Lakshmi. "This will be his greatest legacy."Adds Mazumdar, "This win is a signal that regionality matters, and that our stories and our roots have value on the world stage."
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Delhi set to become a bigger link in India's supply chain: State Industry Minister
New Delhi: The three planned industrial hubs in the national capital will integrate logistics distribution centres , warehousing parks and multimodal facilities, enhancing the city's role in the national supply chain, Delhi minister for industry and food & supplies Manjinder Singh Sirsa said. Speaking at the ET Edge Supply Chain Management Fest 2025 here, the minister described supply chain as a core economic pillar that is emerging as "a national growth engine". Delhi, with more than 8,000 operational factories and nearly 400,000 workers, plays a key role in strengthening the regional and national supply chains. The city accounts for about 16% of India's warehousing market, he added. Referring to the recent establishment of the Delhi Trader Welfare Board , the minister said it ensures that the voices of traders and logistics players are integrated into policymaking. Speaking at the event, Inland Waterways Authority of India chairman Vijay Kumar made a case for transporting cargo via waterways, saying that it "cuts emissions and reduces logistics costs by up to 60% compared to road transport". Live Events In a fireside chat, Balfour Manuel, managing director of express package distribution company Blue Dart , detailed the demands of serving India's fast-paced ecommerce market. He emphasised that speed and reliability are non-negotiable for the operations. Amid discussions on growth, a critical warning emerged from Sungita Sharma, a former special secretary at the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs. She highlighted the threat of illicit trade, calling it a global issue costing India over Rs1.17 lakh crore annually in sectors like tobacco, FMCG, and pharmaceuticals. Sharma called for "stronger enforcement, tech-enabled tracking, and industry collaboration" to protect supply chain integrity and consumer safety. State government leaders, including representatives from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh also shared their industrial development strategies at the event. The summit concluded with an awards ceremony recognising leaders who are redefining the supply chain landscape.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Indian entrepreneurs look to Middle East for further boost amid small business boom
NEW DELHI: Indian entrepreneurs are increasingly looking to expand into the Middle East as small businesses in India seek to make the most of their strong growth trajectory. The country boasts around 63 million micro, small and medium enterprises, up from 47.7 million in July 2024, latest government data shows. The sector contributes to some 30 percent of India's GDP and 45 percent of its exports. Amid the boom, Indian entrepreneurs seeking to scale up their businesses are now eyeing collaborations across various sectors with their counterparts in the Middle East. 'We are working with, at present, with … Bahrain, you know, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, by attending various exhibitions, fairs organized by these countries. We are taking world-class Indian MSME delegations to these countries, hundreds of MSMEs, for (business) matchmaking,' Vijay Kumar, director general of the World Association for Small and Medium Enterprises, told Arab News at the 2025 MSME Day in New Delhi. He added he was particularly optimistic about the potential for growth for Indian businesses and their counterparts in Saudi Arabia, saying that they were already collaborating. "(The) future is very good for Saudi MSMEs and Indian MSMEs,' he said. 'I'm sure in the coming years not only things will be multiplied … (but) thousands of Saudi MSMEs and Indian MSMEs (will) start (feeling the) benefits and become the global partner(s) for export and providing employment to their own countries.' The rising interest toward the Middle East is due to the region's business landscape and its wealth of opportunities, according to Naveen Sharma, chairman of Athena Ventures. 'The reason for Indian MSMEs' expansion is that nowadays Indian MSMEs are doing very well. They are now flushed with funds, they have the right technology, they have good processes. So they are very keen to expand, and (the) Middle East is a very fertile business environment in which Indian MSMEs can really flourish,' he told Arab News. 'Already many of them have invested there, and as you may be knowing because of the free trade agreements, because of the liberal trade policies, liberal tax policies, many Indian MSMEs are also making Gulf countries their hubs for billing and logistics, all those things.' The government has described small and medium businesses as the 'backbone' of the Indian economy and a key pillar of growth as the sector has emerged as the second-largest employer in the country after agriculture, generating more than 281 million jobs. Rimjhim Saikia, an entrepreneur and WASME's joint director, said small and medium enterprises were contributing to transform India into a developed nation. 'We are progressing towards that and a big role is being played by the MSMEs,' Saikia told Arab News. She said she had witnessed more engagements between India and the Middle East in her sector, adding that there was 'a lot of scope for Indian MSMEs to join hands' with their counterparts from the region. 'This is the right time, I would say, for Indian SMEs to actually look towards the Middle East,' she said. Many small and medium businesses are collaborating with Middle Eastern countries in prominent sectors, including hospitality, pharmaceuticals and textiles. Having brought over two dozen Indian entrepreneurs to Saudi Arabia herself last September, she said the Kingdom's Vision 2030 transformation project in particular held massive potential. '(The) 2030 vision is very important for Saudi, but that also holds a lot of importance for Indian MSMEs because, with the Vision 2030 opens up a plethora of opportunities … both in the manufacturing and the trading sector,' she added. 'I think for everyone, every MSME, there is a lot of hope for a very good … future in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi (Arabia) for expanding their business.'
Hans India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Youth take pledge to make Prakasam drug-free dist
Ongole: Prakasam district collector A Thameem Ansariya, SP AR Damodar, MLAs Damacharla Janardhana Rao, BN Vijay Kumar, and other dignitaries advised students and youth against becoming slaves to narcotics and ruining their future, calling upon everyone to take a pledge to make Prakasam district drug-free. They participated in the awareness programme with the theme 'Drugs Vaddu Bro' (No Drugs Bro) conducted by the Prakasam district police department as part of Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, in Ongole on Thursday. Speaking at the event, collector Ansariya explained that June 26 is observed annually as International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. She highlighted that through the 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan,' large-scale rallies and awareness sessions are being conducted in colleges and schools to prevent the impact of narcotics on youth. She said that Prakasam district launched the Navodayam 2.0 programme in February this year, and within just four months, the district was declared free from illicit liquor. She said that the government is taking all necessary measures to control and eliminate drug usage in the district, and appealed to all sections of society and voluntary organisations to participate as stakeholders in transforming Prakasam district into a drug-free zone. Addressing the gathering, SP Damodar said with a stern warning about the dangers of drug experimentation. He explained that youth often get attracted to novelty and think of trying drugs 'just once,' which leads them down a dangerous path. The SP emphasised that once caught in drug cases, individuals get their names registered in police records, making it impossible to secure jobs in the future, cannot obtain passports or visas, and lose respect in society. SP Damodar revealed strict enforcement measures against anyone involved in transporting, selling, or consuming illegal drugs. He announced a toll-free number, 1972, Dial 112, or a WhatsApp number, 9121102266, for reporting drug-related information, and assured that informants' details would be kept confidential. Ongole MLA Damacharla Janardhana Rao emphasised that the state government is conducting large-scale awareness programmes about the adverse effects of drug usage to make the state drug-free. Santhanuthalapadu MLA BN Vijay Kumar highlighted that the state government has set up a special Eagle division to control drug trafficking and usage. He warned that addiction to narcotics affects not only individuals' future and health but also impacts their families. Following the speeches, about 8,000 students, police staff, and youth took a pledge to stay away from narcotics. The programme concluded with a massive rally from the Police Parade Ground to Addanki Bus Stand Centre, in which the collector, SP, MLAs, corporation chairmen, other police officers, and personnel demonstrated collective commitment to creating a drug-free district.
