What happens when an Indian woman wins what is called the 'Oscar of the culinary world'? It sure is an achievement on a world scale, but I see more to Mumbai-bred Garima Arora's restaurant, Gaa, winning a prestigious Michelin star this month than a new honour. I see her winning the accolade as a symbolic moment for the rise of a new India going beyond some conventional thinking rooted in its colonial past.

To understand that, we have to take a look first at what may be the high points in the renaissance of India through the 20th century and a little beyond. We had Sir CV Raman and Rabindranath Tagore winning the Nobel Prize for physics and literature before Independence in 1947. We had Neecha Nagar winning the Golden Palm (Palme D'Or) at the Cannes festival in France in 1947. India won the World Cup in cricket in 1983, a dozen years after beating England, the colonial masters, at their own game on their own soil. Bangalore-based Infosys listed on the Nasdaq in 1999, symbolising India as an economic and technological power. We had the Tata Group acquire Jaguar Land Rover in 2008, making a luxury British brand Indian in ownership. We had Bhanu Athaiya winning an Oscar for costume design in 1983 and AR Rahman winning one for music in 2009. Film-maker Satyajit Ray also won a lifetime achievement Oscar.

But look hard, and you will find that these accolades involved recognition in France, Sweden, the UK or the US in some way or the other, and to that extent, it was all about making a mark in the West. If you add spiritual gurus like Deepak Chopra, Paramahamsa Yogananda, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Osho Rajneesh, the list of Indian achievements in the West gets longer.

Even in culinary arts, Garima Arora is not the first Indian to get a big honour. We have had seven Indian chefs winning Michelin stars in the past including Vikas Khanna in New York and an array of Indians in London including Atul Kocchar and Vineet Bhatia. Manjunath Mural has won it in Singapore. But, like winning in cricket, it proves one point but misses a bigger one.

I find it refreshing that 32-year-old Garima Arora, apart from being the first woman to join the list, has her restaurant located in Bangkok, which is outside of former British colonies. In that sense, the journalist-turned-chef represents culturally the rise of India's 'Look East, Act East' foreign policy that the Narendra Modi government ushered in after coming to power in 2014.&nbsp;

Garima's achievement as a restauranteur is in the same league as India winning Olympic medals in sports. It is true India has a few Olympic medals in the bag, and it is particularly noteworthy that boxing, wrestling and weightlifting medals have joined relatively elite sports like shooting, badminton and tennis in the list of medal-winning sports. However, a nation of one billion people has a much long way to go.&nbsp;

Garima's success raises work in the kitchen to a higher social status in a nation notorious for a caste system in which some achievements are not considered achievement enough. It breaks an elitist mould, much like an Olympic medal in wrestling.

When we describe culinary art/science as "cooking" it reduces its true worth. There is more to sport than cricket and there is more to culinary work than pottering around in the kitchen. Garima's influences, like the music composed by AR Rahman, are eclectic, with an Indian sensibility matching global impact. Arora says she "learned that cooking itself was a cerebral and mentally stimulating experience rather than just a physical job."

For too long, India has been looking at the West, ignoring the fact that both within India and in continents including Latin America and Africa, there are footprints that need to be planted. Indian entrepreneurs in Africa have been a dubious lot as many of them have fallen foul of local people. In South America, there are Sikh farmers in Argentina and Ecuador and there are Indian executives working in multinationals, but we have barely scratched the surface.

A country cannot end colonialism in the psychological sense of the term until it sheds what I call the Colonialism Paradox: the business of winning approval within the same universe defined by erstwhile colonial masters or their extended fraternity.

If you look hard, Hotel Saravana Bhavan, the popular Chennai eatery, is now a multinational present in 21 countries, with Kuwait becoming the 21st last weekend. Haldirams also has a comparable global presence, but more in terms of snacks exported.&nbsp;

Yet, we do not discuss Saravana Bhavan or Haldirams in the same the way we discuss a Starbucks or a McDonald's. Maybe a day will come when private equity investors will take these companies public and make it truly global in a corporate sense. But it is equally true that it is important to psychologically realign India so that it turns truly global in outlook instead of West-centric. Picture a day when Garima's Gaa opens in Buenos Aires, or a day when Saravana Bhavan lists on a global stock exchange after opening branches in Brazil or Angola.

Garima Arora's honour would hopefully make young Indians sit up and notice that there is a big world out there to charm and conquer.&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on Zee News. Read the <a href="http://zeenews.india.com/blogs/why-garima-arora-as-a-michelin-star-chef-symbolises-the-rise-of-a-new-india-2157308.html">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

 
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What happens when an Indian woman wins what is called the 'Oscar of the culinary world'? It sure is an achievement on a world scale, but I see more to Mumbai-bred Garima Arora's restaurant, Gaa, winning a prestigious Michelin star this month than a new honour.

What happens when an Indian woman wins what is called the 'Oscar of the culinary world'? It sure is an achievement on a world scale, but I see more to Mumbai-bred Garima Arora's restaurant, Gaa, winning a prestigious Michelin star this month than a new honour. I see her winning the accolade as a symbolic moment for the rise of a new India going beyond some conventional thinking rooted in its colonial past. To understand that, we have to take a look first at what may be the high points in the renaissance of India through the 20th century and a little beyond. We had Sir CV Raman and Rabindranath Tagore winning the Nobel Prize for physics and literature before Independence in 1947. We had Neecha Nagar winning the Golden Palm (Palme D'Or) at the Cannes festival in France in 1947. India won the World Cup in cricket in 1983, a dozen years after beating England, the colonial masters, at their own game on their own soil. Bangalore-based Infosys listed on the Nasdaq in 1999, symbolising India as an economic and technological power. We had the Tata Group acquire Jaguar Land Rover in 2008, making a luxury British brand Indian in ownership. We had Bhanu Athaiya winning an Oscar for costume design in 1983 and AR Rahman winning one for music in 2009. Film-maker Satyajit Ray also won a lifetime achievement Oscar. But look hard, and you will find that these accolades involved recognition in France, Sweden, the UK or the US in some way or the other, and to that extent, it was all about making a mark in the West. If you add spiritual gurus like Deepak Chopra, Paramahamsa Yogananda, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Osho Rajneesh, the list of Indian achievements in the West gets longer. Even in culinary arts, Garima Arora is not the first Indian to get a big honour. We have had seven Indian chefs winning Michelin stars in the past including Vikas Khanna in New York and an array of Indians in London including Atul Kocchar and Vineet Bhatia. Manjunath Mural has won it in Singapore. But, like winning in cricket, it proves one point but misses a bigger one. I find it refreshing that 32-year-old Garima Arora, apart from being the first woman to join the list, has her restaurant located in Bangkok, which is outside of former British colonies. In that sense, the journalist-turned-chef represents culturally the rise of India's 'Look East, Act East' foreign policy that the Narendra Modi government ushered in after coming to power in 2014. Garima's achievement as a restauranteur is in the same league as India winning Olympic medals in sports. It is true India has a few Olympic medals in the bag, and it is particularly noteworthy that boxing, wrestling and weightlifting medals have joined relatively elite sports like shooting, badminton and tennis in the list of medal-winning sports. However, a nation of one billion people has a much long way to go. Garima's success raises work in the kitchen to a higher social status in a nation notorious for a caste system in which some achievements are not considered achievement enough. It breaks an elitist mould, much like an Olympic medal in wrestling. When we describe culinary art/science as "cooking" it reduces its true worth. There is more to sport than cricket and there is more to culinary work than pottering around in the kitchen. Garima's influences, like the music composed by AR Rahman, are eclectic, with an Indian sensibility matching global impact. Arora says she "learned that cooking itself was a cerebral and mentally stimulating experience rather than just a physical job." For too long, India has been looking at the West, ignoring the fact that both within India and in continents including Latin America and Africa, there are footprints that need to be planted. Indian entrepreneurs in Africa have been a dubious lot as many of them have fallen foul of local people. In South America, there are Sikh farmers in Argentina and Ecuador and there are Indian executives working in multinationals, but we have barely scratched the surface. A country cannot end colonialism in the psychological sense of the term until it sheds what I call the Colonialism Paradox: the business of winning approval within the same universe defined by erstwhile colonial masters or their extended fraternity. If you look hard, Hotel Saravana Bhavan, the popular Chennai eatery, is now a multinational present in 21 countries, with Kuwait becoming the 21st last weekend. Haldirams also has a comparable global presence, but more in terms of snacks exported. Yet, we do not discuss Saravana Bhavan or Haldirams in the same the way we discuss a Starbucks or a McDonald's. Maybe a day will come when private equity investors will take these companies public and make it truly global in a corporate sense. But it is equally true that it is important to psychologically realign India so that it turns truly global in outlook instead of West-centric. Picture a day when Garima's Gaa opens in Buenos Aires, or a day when Saravana Bhavan lists on a global stock exchange after opening branches in Brazil or Angola. Garima Arora's honour would hopefully make young Indians sit up and notice that there is a big world out there to charm and conquer. (This article was originally published on Zee News. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Why Garima Arora as a Michelin star chef symbolises the rise of a new India

Thirty-two-year-old Indian chef Garima Arora's culinary trajectory has been the thing that most chefs dream of. She quit her journalism career, went to Paris to study, opened Gaa&nbsp;in Bankok in April 2017 — and won her first Michelin star in only 15 months.&nbsp;

Garima is the only Indian woman to have won a Michelin star.

She spoke to WION about her extraordinary journey, saying she draws from India's rich culinary heritage for her work.&nbsp;

"I am an Indian, it comes to me naturally that I draw from my rich heritage. We use a lot of techniques and flavour combinations, but what is more important to me is that why and how are we using these ingredients than just simply putting them for the sake of it," Garima told WION.&nbsp;

"I am not sure if I'm different from any other chef but the reason for GAA's success is that we have always stood by what we believe good food should be and never compromised on that," Garima added.&nbsp;

Garima's early experiments with food started in her own kitchen. Till then, Garima Arora was a full-time journalist. Arora grew up in Mumbai and drew inspiration early on from her Punjabi family, particularly her father who loved cooking exotic foods. She says her dad was her inspiration.&nbsp;

"It was my dad. He spent a lot of time cooking in the kitchen all these exotic dishes and I spent a lot of time with him while he cooked. I think that had a lasting impact on me, that's where I learned how to eat well and cook," Garima said.&nbsp;

Before opening GAA, Garima studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and worked with several renowned chefs including the celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsay, Rene Redzepi and Gaggan Anand.

Arora's restaurant offers a wide range of dishes that are inspired by her Indian upbringing and her international perspective. The restaurant offers its guests different course meals using ingredients familiar to Indians, such as jackfruit, guavas, and pumpkins.&nbsp;

What is a Michelin star? &nbsp;

A Michelin Star is every chef's dream, it is one of the most important recognitions in the haute cuisine restaurant community. Michelin stars are awarded to restaurants to signify their excellence.&nbsp;

- It is a star-based review system started by the Michelin tyre company in 1926.&nbsp; 
- A Michelin star is a hallmark of fine dining quality. 
- Restaurants around the world aspire to Michelin star status.

How are Michelin stars earned?&nbsp;

- One star - a very good restaurant in its category 
- Two stars- excellent cooking, worth a detour&nbsp; 
- Three stars - exceptional cuisine worth a special journey

Garima's success mantra is very simple —&nbsp;make good food and make her customers feel like they have eaten something they have never tasted before.&nbsp;

While a Michelin star means she's got busier, Garima still hopes she can take her signature dishes to more people.

 
&nbsp;

Thirty-two-year-old Indian chef Garima Arora's culinary trajectory has been the thing that most chefs dream of. She quit her journalism career, went to Paris to study, opened Gaa in Bankok in April 2017 — and won her first Michelin star in only 15 months.

Thirty-two-year-old Indian chef Garima Arora's culinary trajectory has been the thing that most chefs dream of. She quit her journalism career, went to Paris to study, opened Gaa in Bankok in April 2017 — and won her first Michelin star in only 15 months. Garima is the only Indian woman to have won a Michelin star. She spoke to WION about her extraordinary journey, saying she draws from India's rich culinary heritage for her work. "I am an Indian, it comes to me naturally that I draw from my rich heritage. We use a lot of techniques and flavour combinations, but what is more important to me is that why and how are we using these ingredients than just simply putting them for the sake of it," Garima told WION. "I am not sure if I'm different from any other chef but the reason for GAA's success is that we have always stood by what we believe good food should be and never compromised on that," Garima added. Garima's early experiments with food started in her own kitchen. Till then, Garima Arora was a full-time journalist. Arora grew up in Mumbai and drew inspiration early on from her Punjabi family, particularly her father who loved cooking exotic foods. She says her dad was her inspiration. "It was my dad. He spent a lot of time cooking in the kitchen all these exotic dishes and I spent a lot of time with him while he cooked. I think that had a lasting impact on me, that's where I learned how to eat well and cook," Garima said. Before opening GAA, Garima studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and worked with several renowned chefs including the celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsay, Rene Redzepi and Gaggan Anand. Arora's restaurant offers a wide range of dishes that are inspired by her Indian upbringing and her international perspective. The restaurant offers its guests different course meals using ingredients familiar to Indians, such as jackfruit, guavas, and pumpkins. What is a Michelin star? A Michelin Star is every chef's dream, it is one of the most important recognitions in the haute cuisine restaurant community. Michelin stars are awarded to restaurants to signify their excellence. - It is a star-based review system started by the Michelin tyre company in 1926. - A Michelin star is a hallmark of fine dining quality. - Restaurants around the world aspire to Michelin star status. How are Michelin stars earned? - One star - a very good restaurant in its category - Two stars- excellent cooking, worth a detour - Three stars - exceptional cuisine worth a special journey Garima's success mantra is very simple — make good food and make her customers feel like they have eaten something they have never tasted before. While a Michelin star means she's got busier, Garima still hopes she can take her signature dishes to more people.

Never compromised on good food: India's first woman Michelin star chef tells WION

Chef Garima Arora, owner of Gaa restaurant in Bangkok, became the first Indian woman to be awarded the prestigious Michelin star as it released its closely watched guide to Bangkok, Phuket and Phang-nga for 2019 this week.

Before Garima Arora, the list of Indian chefs whose restaurants have received a Michelin star include&nbsp;Vineet Bhatia, Vikas Khanna, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/gagan-anand-becomes-first-indian-chef-to-win-two-michelin-star-award-26050">Gaggan Anand</a>.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/why-do-women-chefs-keep-missing-out-on-michelin-stars-32036">Why do women chefs keep missing out on Michelin stars?</a>

The former chef de partie&nbsp;at Copenhagen’s Noma, consistently ranked as one of the world’s best restaurants, Arora hails from Mumbai. She opened Gaa&nbsp;last year&nbsp;which is popular for its Indian-Thai menu.

Garima Arora is an alumni of Paris' popular culinary school, Le Cordon Bleu. During her career in culinary and cuisines, she has worked with many renowned international chefs namely&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-michelin-star-chef-gordon-ramsay-takes-a-u-turn-says-will-give-vegan-a-try-131135">Gordan Ramsay</a> and Rene Redzepi.

She has also briefly worked as a journalist in Mumbai before realising that being chef was her real call.

"Go Team Gaa!&nbsp;We couldn’t have done it without your hard work and commitment in the past one and a half year. Congratulations to our chef Garima, the first female Indian chef to ever get a star, you’re a force," the post on Gaa's official Facebook read.

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This was&nbsp;the second edition of the 'Michelin guide Bangkok, Phuket and Phang-Nga 2019 Selection'.&nbsp;It recognised 27 dining eateries with&nbsp;23&nbsp;restaurants being awarded one star each, four had the honour of gaining two Michelin stars.

Among the top four restaurants to get two Michelin stars were Gaa, Suhring, Le Normandie and Mezzaluna.&nbsp;

According to the guide, one star signifies "a very good restaurant", two stars are "excellent cooking that is worth a detour", and three stars mean "exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey".

Chef Garima Arora, owner of Gaa restaurant in Bangkok, became the first Indian woman to be awarded the prestigious Michelin star as it released its closely watched guide to Bangkok, Phuket and Phang-nga for 2019 this week.

Chef Garima Arora, owner of Gaa restaurant in Bangkok, became the first Indian woman to be awarded the prestigious Michelin star as it released its closely watched guide to Bangkok, Phuket and Phang-nga for 2019 this week. Before Garima Arora, the list of Indian chefs whose restaurants have received a Michelin star include Vineet Bhatia, Vikas Khanna, Gaggan Anand. Also read: Why do women chefs keep missing out on Michelin stars? The former chef de partie at Copenhagen’s Noma, consistently ranked as one of the world’s best restaurants, Arora hails from Mumbai. She opened Gaa last year which is popular for its Indian-Thai menu. Garima Arora is an alumni of Paris' popular culinary school, Le Cordon Bleu. During her career in culinary and cuisines, she has worked with many renowned international chefs namely Gordan Ramsay and Rene Redzepi. She has also briefly worked as a journalist in Mumbai before realising that being chef was her real call. "Go Team Gaa! We couldn’t have done it without your hard work and commitment in the past one and a half year. Congratulations to our chef Garima, the first female Indian chef to ever get a star, you’re a force," the post on Gaa's official Facebook read. × This was the second edition of the 'Michelin guide Bangkok, Phuket and Phang-Nga 2019 Selection'. It recognised 27 dining eateries with 23 restaurants being awarded one star each, four had the honour of gaining two Michelin stars. Among the top four restaurants to get two Michelin stars were Gaa, Suhring, Le Normandie and Mezzaluna. According to the guide, one star signifies "a very good restaurant", two stars are "excellent cooking that is worth a detour", and three stars mean "exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey".

Chef Garima Arora becomes first Indian woman to receive Michelin star

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Why Garima Arora as a Michelin star chef symbolises the rise of a new India

Never compromised on good food: India's first woman Michelin star chef tells WION

Chef Garima Arora becomes first Indian woman to receive Michelin star