From $3 NYC to Millionaire Chef - How did Vikas Khanna change his Fortune

**Thinkschool** (0:02)
You were born with a disability, and here you are as a Michelin star chef, and you came to New York, and you had three dollars. So your story on paper does not make any sense to me.

**Vikas Khanna** (0:14)
I moved to New York in 2000, did more than 30 jobs here, cleaning homes, toilets, what is this, what is this, what are you doing, cooking. It doesn't make sense just not on paper, it doesn't make sense anywhere. Nothing connects dots in my life.
Sometimes I feel my sister was completely delusional. One day People magazine, and People magazine happened. One day, Michelin star. Same week, I got the Michelin, same week, I'm hosting MasterChef, and you go and tell your grandmom that I did it. Once my mother didn't enjoy my meal, and it crushed my world. Because I was only cooking to impress a few inspectors.
That hurt me most. My sister, on her deathbed at Columbia Hospital, she said, this time we will show you Indian hospitality. And then my mother said that this is your last promise. Do this.

**Thinkschool** (1:16)
So if there is a 22 year old chef who is watching this right now, what do you think he can do or she can do to become Vikas Khanna by 2044?

**Vikas Khanna** (1:25)
I love what I do.
At 4:30 pm, I have Ganga Aarti. At 4 pm, I put flowers. The kitchen briefing ends. If there is a line outside, I will say Namaste to everyone. I will distribute some sweets. I will talk to everyone.

**Thinkschool** (1:37)
You talk to everyone?

**Vikas Khanna** (1:39)
And almost 500 people come to meet me. At the last project of my career, I feel it was all about happiness.
I constantly hear now people investing, oh we are going to take over Bangalore. Fantastic.

**Thinkschool** (1:54)
What do you mean, take over Bangalore? Hi sir, welcome to The Indian Business Podcast.

**Vikas Khanna** (2:12)
Absolute pleasure to you.

**Thinkschool** (2:13)
Sir, I'm so excited to see you today, because you are one of the biggest inspirations in India, and you are an icon, because everybody looks at you, and they know that the American dream is still alive, and they can pursue that American dream. And more importantly, sir, I feel so proud that an Indian restaurant is doing so well. Everybody's talking about Bangalore in India, and when I told them that I'm about to do a podcast, and I'm going to New York, they're like, are you meeting Vikas Khanna by any chance? I was like, yeah, I am meeting Vikas Khanna. Oh my God! That was the reaction, standard.
And that is such an amazing thing, sir.

**Vikas Khanna** (2:51)
Humbling, absolutely humbling. I think, it's a very unique journey. It also feels like that success belongs to the country.
I feel that that is something very unique which happened to the last inning of my career.

**Thinkschool** (3:03)
Sir, your story on paper does not make any sense to me. You were born with a disability, and here you are as a Michelin star chef, a celebrity chef, you're also a filmmaker and an author. And you came to New York and you had three dollars.
How do you piece it all together, sir? Walk me through your journey and take me back to 1970s India when you were born and your family.

**Vikas Khanna** (3:28)
Wow. So, it doesn't make sense just not on paper. It doesn't make sense anywhere.
Nothing connects dots in my life. So, I feel that anything which was something, a roadblock was my biggest turning point. And not able to run was my turning point towards the kitchen. If I was running like everyone else, I would become just like everyone else. And my mom used to tell me that you were never born to walk. You're always born to fly. She was trying to cover up that he can't even run properly like other kids.
So, nobody can take part in a competition. It used to seem strange at that time, but now when you turn back, you feel, oh my God, that's why you fell in love with something which was so internal, like cooking. After that, you jump into this space where you're going to have your own business. You're 15 and how do you raise the capital? You start knitting because I was raised by my grandmom and mom. So, I could knit so fast. So, we made sweaters and we made the first capital to run Lorna's Garden, to start it. And that's a very hard-earned... Right now, in today's currencies, about $100.
But it was a big moment for me to have that.