He is the first Indian chef to win a PhD in hotel management and catering technology. He holds three Guinness records. Damu the “Dr Chef” has become a household name in the Malayali community with his latest avatar as a judge in ‘Dhe Chef’, the cooking reality show on Mazhavil Manorama.
Life so far
I did my PhD in hotel management and catering technology. I was a college principal for the initial 23 years of my career. But I yearned for a larger role. I set up the world’s largest cooking marathon. That gave me my first world record. My cooking career started with the Taj in Mumbai.
What cuisine do you focus on?
I have made south Indian cuisine the focus of my research because this tradition is highly medicinal. I have been researching on south Indian cuisine for 30 years. I want to tell the society about the medicinal value of the ingredients that are indigenous to south Indian dishes.
Who is your role model?
I do not have a role model. I believe in hard work. Only hard work can yield results.
On “healthy food”
Human body needs healthy food. Healthy cooking is also important. We should cook with cleanliness and hygiene. Or it will harm the body.
