Chef Vikas Khanna Honors Late Sister's Dream with Diwali Feast at James Beard House

In October 2025, renowned Indian chef Vikas Khanna was invited to cook a special Diwali celebration at the prestigious James Beard House in New York. This was a significant milestone for Khanna, who had first cooked at the iconic venue 21 years ago in 2004.

Reflecting on that pivotal moment, Khanna shared that it was his late sister Radha who had first recognized his potential to represent India on a global platform. "21 years ago, on August 23rd, 2004, I cooked here for the very first time - with my sister Radha wearing my chef coat as my sous chef. That evening, she was the first person to tell me - 'One day you will represent the nation. Prepare yourself,'" Khanna wrote in an emotional Instagram post.

Tragically, Radha passed away earlier in 2022, but Khanna felt her presence with him during the Diwali celebration at the James Beard House. He expressed gratitude to his team for making the event so special and praised the James Beard Foundation for providing a platform to showcase Indian cuisine in the Western world. "The James Beard Foundation has been central to the success of Indian cuisine and so many ethnic cuisines in the Western world. They give a platform and a voice to millions of dreamers like myself to be heard and seen. Truly a team of visionaries," Khanna said.