Vikas Khanna reflects on his journey from Amritsar to New York, where his restaurant Bungalow honours his Indian roots. Now on Time’s 100 Most Influential People list, he links influence to responsibility, success to nourishment, and luxury to time. Guided by seva, he still craves humble dishes like dal-chawal and khichdi, and carries his grandmother’s legacy into global culinary innovation.
Celebrity chef, restaurateur, author, filmmaker, and philanthropist Vikas Khanna recently added another feather to his cap: a spot on Time’s List of the 100 Most Influential People of 2026. Khanna’s name was listed under the Innovators’ category that recognises individuals reshaping industries and fuelling new ideas. From Amritsar to New York City, Khanna has come a long way. He’s had world leaders and celebrities seated at his table, as well as his share of Michelin glory, but has never forgotten his humble beginnings. He also never forgets that global acclaim comes with responsibility. Khanna’s culinary legacy is rooted in the flavours and sensibilities of what he’s known as home, and his restaurant Bungalow on New York’s uber-chic East Side is a celebration of those roots. Humility continues to shape the work he does even beyond the four walls of his restaurant kitchen. Not surprising, given that Khanna’s life philosophy is founded on seva or the practice of selfless service.
VK: Silence... and something warm. Often, it’s the simplest dal with rice, a touch of ghee, and achaar. After all the complexity I live with in the kitchen, I crave honesty on a plate. Food that doesn’t perform, but comforts.
VK: Rajma chawal. It carries the rhythm of Amritsar, the patience of slow cooking, and the warmth of family sitting together without the need for an occasion.
VK: Haldi. It’s not just an ingredient—it’s memory, medicine, and identity. It has never failed me.
VK: Sitting beside my grandmother, watching her hands move faster than I could imagine, rolling rotis, stirring pots, feeding everyone before she herself had eaten. I didn’t know then that I was witnessing greatness.
VK: I would make her a simple phulka with dal; not to impress her, but to ask, “Did I carry your legacy well?”
VK: Like freshly baked bread in a kitchen that feeds strangers, with love. Success is not perfume—it’s nourishment.
VK: Kokum. It’s delicate, complex, and deeply rooted in coastal India. The world is only just beginning to understand its elegance.
VK: They often chase complexity instead of understanding emotion. Indian food is not about layering spices—it’s about layering memory, geography, and time.
VK: Time. The ability to sit with someone you love and not rush a meal. That is the highest form of luxury.
VK: The same humble chole bhature I once sold. But this time, I’d sit beside my younger self and say, “Don’t worry, it will all make sense one day.”
VK: New York tested me, broke me, and rebuilt me. Today, it feels like a city that has finally allowed me to belong.
VK: Influence is responsibility. It means your voice can uplift others, not just yourself. It’s not about being seen—it’s about what you help others see.
VK: That I still doubt myself before every service. The fear never leaves. It just becomes quieter.
VK: Khichdi. It is sacred in its simplicity. It doesn’t need interpretation. It needs respect.
VK: To be able to play an instrument. Music, like food, speaks where words fail.
VK: Worry less and trust the journey sooner.