Kunal Kapur
| Kunal Kapur | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 18, 1979 |
| Education | Institute of Hotel Management, Chandigarh |
| Style | Indian cuisine |
Kunal Kapur (born in New Delhi), is an Indian celebrity chef and restaurateur, best known as the host and judge of the TV series MasterChef India Season 1, 2 and 3 on Star Plus. Having Indian cuisine as his cooking style, he is the executive sous chef at Leela Kempinski, Gurgaon.
Beginnings
Born in New Delhi in a Punjabi family, he began cooking at home as a young boy. Growing up in an environment of bankers, and while getting ready to become a banker, he joined Institute of Hotel Management, Chandigarh to pursue his dreams.
Professional life
Having the early lessons about cooking from his father and grandfather, he began his career around 2000, from the Taj group of hotels and worked with many of its hotels in various cities across India. After a long career at the Taj group of hotels, he is now the Executive Sous Chef at the Leela Kempinski in Gurgaon. Kunal also opened a restaurant which has achieved the Best Restaurant Award. In January 2008, he was rated as one of the Best Indian chefs in Delhi by India Today and was also titled as "the next big guy in kebabs and curries in India".[1]
Television appearances
Kunal has made television appearances both in India and abroad. He hosted and judged the popular Star Plus television show MasterChef India in season 1, season 2,[2] and season 3.
He was invited as a guest judge on an episode of Season 2 of MasterChef USA and made a guest appearance in an episode of Chef Pankaj Ka Zayka,[3] on Star Plus, India.
Awards and achievements
- Kunal's name was cited by Limca Book of Records for creating India’s largest "Chocolate Tower".[4]
- He won the Gourmet Guru award by Food and Nightlife magazine.
- He is one of the main chefs in charge at "Diya" restaurant[5] at Leela Kempinski, which has won the Best Indian Restaurant Award three times in a row, in Gurgaon for the years 2009–2012, by the Times Food Guide.
- Kunal won silver medal at Aahar and a bronze medal in HORECA,[6] Kuwait.
- He was awarded the prestigious Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship, in the field of Food & Beverage, by the Government of New Zealand.[7]
References
- ↑ http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/photos/know-your-masterchef-judges-better-slideshow/masterchef-india-photo-983052260.html
- ↑ MasterChef India 2 will be more food focused: Kunal Kapoor
- ↑ PankajBhadouria - MasterChef Pankaj with Chef Kunal Kapoor
- ↑ The Times of India: Tower of choco eclairs by MasterChef India
- ↑ The Leela official website: "Diya" Restaurant page
- ↑ HORECA Kuwait official website (Arabic)
- ↑ Neeti Sarkar article in The Hindu: Food Court