3 Indian restaurants in the US honoured with Michelin stars right before Diwali

The recognised Michelin star restaurants blend traditional Indian flavours with innovative concepts, offering unique dishes

michelin star indian restaurant, vikas khanna

Renowned chef Vikas Khanna, whose own restaurant Junoon in NYC received a Michelin star in 2011, expressed his excitement on social media. (Source: Vikas Khanna/ X)

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This Diwali is special for three Indian restaurants in the US as they have been honoured with the coveted Michelin star for their outstanding culinary offerings. Rania in Washington DC led by Chef Chetan Shetty, Semma in New York City by Chef Vijay Kumar and Indienne in Chicago by Chef Sujan Sarkar were recognised for their brilliance by the French guidebook.

For the unversed, Michelin stars are like the Oscars of the food industry.

In a joint ceremony held on November 7, the Michelin Guide revealed its city guides for New York, Washington DC and Chicago, with these three Indian restaurants standing out among the recipients of the prestigious Michelin star.

Renowned celebrity chef, cookbook author and TV personality Vikas Khanna, whose own restaurant Junoon in NYC received a Michelin star in 2011 and retained it for the next six years, expressed his excitement on social media. He emphasised that these awards are a significant recognition of Indian food and hospitality.

Diwali has arrived a little early in US.
BIG BIG NEWS. ❤️

What a milestone.
Salute to all the 3 Indian Chefs who got Michelin Stars yesterday in New York.
Michelin Guide announced NY, Chicago & DC winners & I salute all the chefs who received the stars.

What an honor. What… pic.twitter.com/dGMpTHf9YT

— Vikas Khanna (@TheVikasKhanna) November 9, 2023

The recognised restaurants blend traditional Indian flavours with innovative concepts, offering unique dishes such as chaat with shiso leaves and beef ribs with a saffron sauce at Rania, lobster dishes at Semma inspired by Chef Kumar’s childhood in Tamil Nadu, and modern twists on classic dishes like passion fruit-infused pani puri at Indienne.

Semma, in particular, has secured a Michelin star for the second consecutive year, marking its presence as the sole Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in the US last year. The increase from one to three Michelin-starred Indian restaurants this year reflects a growing acknowledgment of the exceptional contributions of Indian restaurants outside India, underscoring the rising admiration and love for Indian cuisine in the US and the global recognition of Indian chefs making their mark in the culinary world.

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