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In Thailand, many Indian chefs such as Deepanker Khosla, Garima Arora and Gaggan Anand are bringing their A-game forward. Their culinary practices, beliefs and style represent the many colours of Indian culture and community. Building upon their foundation, these Indian chefs are rewriting the narrative about what Indian cuisine means. One of these chefs have won an award for an initiative to feed the hungry in the midst of the unpredictable events of Covid-19, which also shut down most restaurants in Bangkok.
In Bangkok, Chef Deepanker Khosla is revered for bringing more awareness about sustainability among the masses. He even created his own kitchen garden and brought a farm-to-table concept at his restaurant ‘Haoma Bangkok’. Eating one’s own produce was always a norm back in his home in Allahabad and he has been inspired by it ever since. His skills in the kitchen are also just as worthy of praise as his conscientious mindset.
Recently, the chef has been extolled for extending support to feed the residents who were out of jobs in Bangkok. He turned his restaurant into a soup kitchen, and launched a campaign called ‘No One Hungry’. It served those who were in need of being fed, such as migrant workers from Myanmar who were sacked from the hospitality industry. The salary which they receive is not sufficient, as it is difficult to send money back home at the same time as keeping one’s own stomach full. The 'No One Hungry' campaign received a lot of support for spreading compassion. That is why the chef is now serving anyone and everyone who needs help in these trying times. He is also ensuring that his own team members stay employed. Keeping oneself healthy and fed is one of the ways to keep the virus away. The chef makes sure food is delivered to around 15 communities around Bangkok, who are in need of support. 300 meals are prepared a day and he has raised funds by partnering with other high-end dining restaurants to support the cause. But he expects to see more people joining the cause.
Due to all the effort during the pandemic, the 50 Best Academy has announced Chef Deepanker Khosla one of the winners of the ‘Champions Of Change’ Award, acknowledging the work of people in the F&B industry who made unprecedented effort to help people. The other winners are chefs Kurt Evans from the US, and Viviana Varese from Italy.
The award ceremony will be held on 5 October, and the winners shall receive money from the ‘50 Best for Recovery’ fund which was launched in affiliation with S. Pellegrino & Acqua Panna last year. Chef Deepanker Khosla has said that he will use the money from the award received to advance his stupendous project.
