Tamil Roots, NYC Win: Chef Vijay Kumar Honored At James Beard Awards

India-West News Desk

NEW YORK, NY – Chef Vijay Kumar, originally from Tamil Nadu and currently helming the kitchen at Semma, has won the James Beard Award for Best Chef in New York State.

In his acceptance speech, now widely shared on social media, Kumar reflected on his personal and professional journey. “When I started cooking, I never thought a dark-skinned boy from Tamil Nadu would make it to a room like this,” he said. “But the food I grew up on—food made with care, with fire, with soul—is now taking the main stage.” He further highlighted the cultural power of cuisine, adding, “There’s no such thing as a poor person’s food or 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. Tonight, Indian cuisine stands tall, Tamil food stands tall, my own food and heritage stand tall, and it all matters.”

Kumar dedicated his award to chefs whose stories are often overlooked, stating, “I stand here for everyone who thought their story never belonged on a stage like this.” The 41-year-old chef believes that hard work and staying true to one’s roots truly pay off. “This is such a huge, huge honor,” Kumar said, “The fact that, you know, there’s so many chefs in New York City, and the fact that I got nominated, it’s such a blessing.”

Semma, a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York City’s West Village, is a buzzing hot spot where Chef Vijay Kumar brings forth classic home-cooked dishes from his childhood that are rarely seen outside home kitchens in Tamil Nadu. Kumar’s recognition is being hailed as a breakthrough moment for Tamil Nadu’s culinary traditions.

The 2025 James Beard Awards also honored Bucheron, a French-American restaurant in Minneapolis, with the Best New Restaurant award, and Jungsik Yim of New York’s acclaimed Korean restaurant Jungsik with the Outstanding Chef award.