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Buried Seeds: A Chef's Journey: The Story of Vikas Khanna
A young boy in Amritsar learns to cook in his grandmother's kitchen while doing sewa at the legendary kitchens of the Golden Temple. He works as a delivery boy for his father's video cassette library, makes blankets, cooks at weddings and opens a catering business in the back of his house at the age of seventeen.
The boy, now a young chef, makes a journey of a lifetime to New York, only to face stiffer challenges―that of being homeless and facing discrimination almost every single day.
Buried he may have been, under failure and hopelessness, but nothing could keep him down, for he had the power of passion and perseverance, and the strength of skill and self-belief.
He rose and how!
This inspirational and page-turning account of the transformational journey of India's most celebrated chef, Vikas Khanna, is a priceless gift―a gift of hope and fulfilling one's dreams―for you and for everyone you love.
The boy, now a young chef, makes a journey of a lifetime to New York, only to face stiffer challenges―that of being homeless and facing discrimination almost every single day.
Buried he may have been, under failure and hopelessness, but nothing could keep him down, for he had the power of passion and perseverance, and the strength of skill and self-belief.
He rose and how!
This inspirational and page-turning account of the transformational journey of India's most celebrated chef, Vikas Khanna, is a priceless gift―a gift of hope and fulfilling one's dreams―for you and for everyone you love.
- GenresCooking
188 pages, Hardcover
Published September 15, 2018
16 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 8, 2025
I usually don't pick up biographies. I had to know Vikas Khanna's story because of 2 reasons -
1) My dad wouldn't stop praising this man.
2) Vikas Khanna's book "The Last Colour" is one of my favourite novels.
Now, coming back to the book - It's inspiring to read about his journey. Coming from Amritsar, his love for cooking started at an early age. He took risks and had the courage to face all kinds of challenges that were thrown at him.
Easiest 5 stars.
1) My dad wouldn't stop praising this man.
2) Vikas Khanna's book "The Last Colour" is one of my favourite novels.
Now, coming back to the book - It's inspiring to read about his journey. Coming from Amritsar, his love for cooking started at an early age. He took risks and had the courage to face all kinds of challenges that were thrown at him.
Easiest 5 stars.
December 13, 2017
This is the story of how a boy from a small town in India became American of the Year; of how a young boy in Amritsar with a slight handicap overcame all odds and became a Michelin-starred chef. The book is a tribute to the charming and talented Chef Vikas Khanna.
April 6, 2022
Having had a lovely meal at Junoon in New York, I was quite interested to learn more about their chef, Vikas Khanna. Reading about him, I was surprised to find out that he’s a really versatile personality, having shown greatness across various arts and not just excelling in the culinary industry. This book is more about his early years. It’s short and a pleasant read. I haven’t seen the documentary based on the book but would like to in the future.
August 13, 2018
Buried Seeds has a lot of potential. Vikas Khanna's story needs to be told and it's the kind of tale that is both inspirational and uplifting. But, here, it seems the book walks the thin line between a "chef's journey" and a biography. There are so many aspects of Khanna's life I would have liked to know about - his relationships for example - but can also understand why they might have been excluded.
I struggled between giving the book 2 or 3 stars. This was mainly because the book is repetitive in terms of the events from his life that are highlighted. It seems the same events pop up in every other chapter and even though it's a short read, we are given information once again as if we can't remember the facts from a few pages behind. Maybe a bit more editing would have helped, although that would have led to the book being even shorter.
The book also jumps around his life a lot and while that is fine, there is no order to it, which can get a little frustrating.
Other than that, it is a well-written book in terms of language and the story of course. The best parts are the ones where Vikas is quoted speaking about his beliefs, philosophy, and life's moments and that makes me feel that maybe it would have served well if he himself wrote the book.
Nevertheless, the story of a true Indian champion and more so for me as someone who enjoys food quite a bit, it's worth picking up the book to learn about the humility and charming character of this master chef.
I struggled between giving the book 2 or 3 stars. This was mainly because the book is repetitive in terms of the events from his life that are highlighted. It seems the same events pop up in every other chapter and even though it's a short read, we are given information once again as if we can't remember the facts from a few pages behind. Maybe a bit more editing would have helped, although that would have led to the book being even shorter.
The book also jumps around his life a lot and while that is fine, there is no order to it, which can get a little frustrating.
Other than that, it is a well-written book in terms of language and the story of course. The best parts are the ones where Vikas is quoted speaking about his beliefs, philosophy, and life's moments and that makes me feel that maybe it would have served well if he himself wrote the book.
Nevertheless, the story of a true Indian champion and more so for me as someone who enjoys food quite a bit, it's worth picking up the book to learn about the humility and charming character of this master chef.
January 10, 2018
Chef Vikas was born with clubfeet (as per Wikipedia, Clubfoot is a birth defect where one or both feet are rotated inwards or downwards). Doctors said that he would not be able to run, but his mother was firm that he wasn't born to run, he was born to fly.
He walked,
he ran,
he flew.
He had the wings
which his family
nurtured and grew.
To my fellow fans of Chef Vikas, you must be thinking you know everything about him as you have seen, heard and read countless interviews of him, but NO! There's so much in the book Buried Seeds that I had never heard before. Every time I flipped a page, I learned something new about him and his life. Be they his stories of fun times with his friends at WGSHA, or his near death experience while he worked in a small deli during his initial days in the US, or his days of street plays in childhood with his sister, or how this shy lad from Amritsar became New York's Hottest Chef. The book kept me hooked (which is a difficult task as I easily lose focus).
The chapters in the book are as beautifully titled as the book itself. My favourite chapter title is 'Broken Pearls'. The first chapter of the book is titled, 'Failure'. Yes, the story of tremendous success begins with failure. Quoting Chef Vikas here: "I've failed many times. Life has hit me in the gut over and over. And that is why I succeed. These failures have acted like milestones."
His words have been quoted throughout the book and that's what makes it more inspiring. It is as if Chef, himself and the author are telling the story together. From his broken pearls (milk teeth) to the person he is today with numerous feathers in his cap, the journey of his life which is no less than a roller-coaster ride has been beautifully described by Karan Bellani. The language is simple and easily understood, you won't have to keep running for the dictionary! Still, there's wonderful word-play by the author at some points. There are also few lines from the Chef's favourite poems which makes Buried Seeds even more interesting.
Buried seeds ends with a poem by Chef Vikas Khanna, titled 'A Humble Seed' and there could never be a better and more poetic end to the book.
If you feel stuck in life and need the inspiration to keep going, read this gem.
He walked,
he ran,
he flew.
He had the wings
which his family
nurtured and grew.
To my fellow fans of Chef Vikas, you must be thinking you know everything about him as you have seen, heard and read countless interviews of him, but NO! There's so much in the book Buried Seeds that I had never heard before. Every time I flipped a page, I learned something new about him and his life. Be they his stories of fun times with his friends at WGSHA, or his near death experience while he worked in a small deli during his initial days in the US, or his days of street plays in childhood with his sister, or how this shy lad from Amritsar became New York's Hottest Chef. The book kept me hooked (which is a difficult task as I easily lose focus).
The chapters in the book are as beautifully titled as the book itself. My favourite chapter title is 'Broken Pearls'. The first chapter of the book is titled, 'Failure'. Yes, the story of tremendous success begins with failure. Quoting Chef Vikas here: "I've failed many times. Life has hit me in the gut over and over. And that is why I succeed. These failures have acted like milestones."
His words have been quoted throughout the book and that's what makes it more inspiring. It is as if Chef, himself and the author are telling the story together. From his broken pearls (milk teeth) to the person he is today with numerous feathers in his cap, the journey of his life which is no less than a roller-coaster ride has been beautifully described by Karan Bellani. The language is simple and easily understood, you won't have to keep running for the dictionary! Still, there's wonderful word-play by the author at some points. There are also few lines from the Chef's favourite poems which makes Buried Seeds even more interesting.
Buried seeds ends with a poem by Chef Vikas Khanna, titled 'A Humble Seed' and there could never be a better and more poetic end to the book.
If you feel stuck in life and need the inspiration to keep going, read this gem.
January 21, 2020
Book Title – Buried Seeds: A Chef’s Journey : The Story of Vikas Khanna
Author – Karan Bellani
Genre – Biography / Autobiography
I picked up this book for three reasons 1)Being Foodie 2)love for Punjabi Munda 3) solely for Vikas Khanna (Doesn’t he resemble Richard Gere? What say?)
“They came to bury us, but they forgot that we were seeds”.
“Buried Seeds – A Chef’s Journey” by Karan Bellani s a biography of the popular Chef Vikas Khanna. Buried Seed shells the journey of Michelin star from the small-town boy of Amritsar to Newyork hottest chef.
When other children of his age were playing various sports in the playground, Chef found solace in the kitchen, as it was his haven away from the jibes of the world about his misaligned feet. His toys were the pots and pans.
Chef Vikas Khanna is firmly rooted in his family, especially to his Bijji, who helped him in starting his journey from the kitchen. He used to spend time learning cooking with love, serving with passion, and tips to keep the kitchen clean. The book has equally reflected his love for his mother, his sister Radhika, his elder brother, his dad, friends, his favorite professor from Manipal University - Mr. YG Tharakan, and other people belonging to his home town. There are several fragments from renowned poets like Mirza Ghalib, Rumi, and Faiz highlighting the poet in chef.
The chef was born with misaligned legs and feet (where the leg bones are not aligned properly at the joint and can look as if they are turned sideways). He was taunted and bullied during his school days. When the doctors announced he would not be able to run, his mother proudly answered that her son was not born to run, he was born to fly.
The book is filled with inspirational quotes. Every time I flipped a page, I had to note it down for the intensity of those words and the message it holds. The best of all is the poem by Maya Angelou.
Still I Rise
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt,
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
Buried he may have been, under failure and hopelessness, but nothing could keep him down, for he had the power of passion and perseverance, and the strength of skill and self-belief.
The book speaks of his struggle in achieving his pinnacle. The journey of his life was not less than a roller coaster ride and is strikingly described by Karan Bellani. The incidents that have been “occurring “ in the chef’s life right from his boyhood have been laying the foundation for the “buildings” that he has built in his life.
An inspirational story of a young chef facing stiffer challenges from being homeless, racial discrimination, being shy, mocked for his dressing sense, and a huge transformation on being the biggest Indian chef in NewYork. As he strongly believed that, “The biggest disability is the inability to see the ability”.
I loved the book though there were a few repetitive instances. It took me 2 weeks to complete the book - not that the book is fat or heavy in vocabulary but for the love and inspirational struggle that did not allow me to depart from it early, it goes straight in my re-read list for this year. The book ends with a heart-warming poem by Chef Vikas Khanna.
If you are feeling down and looking for inspiration, it is a wonderful read. A great book to start with the year 2020!
Author – Karan Bellani
Genre – Biography / Autobiography
I picked up this book for three reasons 1)Being Foodie 2)love for Punjabi Munda 3) solely for Vikas Khanna (Doesn’t he resemble Richard Gere? What say?)
“They came to bury us, but they forgot that we were seeds”.
“Buried Seeds – A Chef’s Journey” by Karan Bellani s a biography of the popular Chef Vikas Khanna. Buried Seed shells the journey of Michelin star from the small-town boy of Amritsar to Newyork hottest chef.
When other children of his age were playing various sports in the playground, Chef found solace in the kitchen, as it was his haven away from the jibes of the world about his misaligned feet. His toys were the pots and pans.
Chef Vikas Khanna is firmly rooted in his family, especially to his Bijji, who helped him in starting his journey from the kitchen. He used to spend time learning cooking with love, serving with passion, and tips to keep the kitchen clean. The book has equally reflected his love for his mother, his sister Radhika, his elder brother, his dad, friends, his favorite professor from Manipal University - Mr. YG Tharakan, and other people belonging to his home town. There are several fragments from renowned poets like Mirza Ghalib, Rumi, and Faiz highlighting the poet in chef.
The chef was born with misaligned legs and feet (where the leg bones are not aligned properly at the joint and can look as if they are turned sideways). He was taunted and bullied during his school days. When the doctors announced he would not be able to run, his mother proudly answered that her son was not born to run, he was born to fly.
The book is filled with inspirational quotes. Every time I flipped a page, I had to note it down for the intensity of those words and the message it holds. The best of all is the poem by Maya Angelou.
Still I Rise
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt,
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
Buried he may have been, under failure and hopelessness, but nothing could keep him down, for he had the power of passion and perseverance, and the strength of skill and self-belief.
The book speaks of his struggle in achieving his pinnacle. The journey of his life was not less than a roller coaster ride and is strikingly described by Karan Bellani. The incidents that have been “occurring “ in the chef’s life right from his boyhood have been laying the foundation for the “buildings” that he has built in his life.
An inspirational story of a young chef facing stiffer challenges from being homeless, racial discrimination, being shy, mocked for his dressing sense, and a huge transformation on being the biggest Indian chef in NewYork. As he strongly believed that, “The biggest disability is the inability to see the ability”.
I loved the book though there were a few repetitive instances. It took me 2 weeks to complete the book - not that the book is fat or heavy in vocabulary but for the love and inspirational struggle that did not allow me to depart from it early, it goes straight in my re-read list for this year. The book ends with a heart-warming poem by Chef Vikas Khanna.
If you are feeling down and looking for inspiration, it is a wonderful read. A great book to start with the year 2020!
June 2, 2020
Some people never go crazy,
What truely horrible life they must lead.
~Charles Bukowski~
Written by Karan Bellani, Chef Vikas Khanna 's acquaintance and later friend. The book is divided into the chapters focussing Chef's life so far. What is beautiful about it, that each chapter starts with a quote from the famous personalities. The books focuses on the journey of the Micheline star Chef from the narrow alleys of Amritsar to the melting pot of the world New York. The difficulties, successes , harx times , good times and his capacity to bounce back. I genuinely feel that the biographies are way better than the self help books , because there lies the essence of a life lived, a life won, the scars that tell the story. Any part of the story can work as inspiration to the other reading it
The book is a good attempt but I prefer autobiography to biographies for a simple reason that its a first hand account. It offers more , it offers in depth. Also , there are various aspects of Chefs life which remained uncovered. His relationship with the siblings needed more space, his friends talking about him or vise versa . His other other passions needed some more insight. His personal life is not touched upon that much at all, his romantic interests/ setbacks. And i also feel that the book doesn't talk about the flaws of Chefs at all. I totally agree that he is a humble, hardworking genuine soul, but no person in this world is born without a flaw, skipping that area makes other believe that he is too good to be true. Also some of the chapters were repetitive.
Overall I liked the book but felt that the kind of life and personality he has the book just covers the tip of the iceberg.
#karanbellani #vikaskhanna
What truely horrible life they must lead.
~Charles Bukowski~
Written by Karan Bellani, Chef Vikas Khanna 's acquaintance and later friend. The book is divided into the chapters focussing Chef's life so far. What is beautiful about it, that each chapter starts with a quote from the famous personalities. The books focuses on the journey of the Micheline star Chef from the narrow alleys of Amritsar to the melting pot of the world New York. The difficulties, successes , harx times , good times and his capacity to bounce back. I genuinely feel that the biographies are way better than the self help books , because there lies the essence of a life lived, a life won, the scars that tell the story. Any part of the story can work as inspiration to the other reading it
The book is a good attempt but I prefer autobiography to biographies for a simple reason that its a first hand account. It offers more , it offers in depth. Also , there are various aspects of Chefs life which remained uncovered. His relationship with the siblings needed more space, his friends talking about him or vise versa . His other other passions needed some more insight. His personal life is not touched upon that much at all, his romantic interests/ setbacks. And i also feel that the book doesn't talk about the flaws of Chefs at all. I totally agree that he is a humble, hardworking genuine soul, but no person in this world is born without a flaw, skipping that area makes other believe that he is too good to be true. Also some of the chapters were repetitive.
Overall I liked the book but felt that the kind of life and personality he has the book just covers the tip of the iceberg.
#karanbellani #vikaskhanna
July 12, 2021
Let me start by saying very usual. I am a big fan of Chef Vikas Khanna. Totally awed when he comes on screen even for a fraction of seconds in an advertisement. I am following him on all possible social media platforms. I am a horrible cook yet I watch Master Chef India, wait for next season only and only for him.
I want (read order) all my loved ones who make yummy scrumptious dishes to appear for auditions and when happen to meet him make up some excuses to bring me in so that I can meet him.
In the middle of all these personal making-me crazy fantasies, didi happens to be a good cook. By now you would have known that I did eat her head with all sorts of HILTER ORDERS. So as a respite she ordered this book to keep my mouth shut! 🙂
That said, finally the thing about the book. I didn't like it much. It is a chronicle series of events. Nothing that I don't know. So I may not recommend it for reading. If you are a fan, you know him better than this book. It wont offer something new.
Every chapter starts with a good quote. These can be a good peanuts to eat and retrospect on your life so far. Say,
"There is No Why"
"Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway"
"Don't underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you cant hear and not bothering"
Nevertheless, I love to keep in my collection because of The Chef!
I want (read order) all my loved ones who make yummy scrumptious dishes to appear for auditions and when happen to meet him make up some excuses to bring me in so that I can meet him.
In the middle of all these personal making-me crazy fantasies, didi happens to be a good cook. By now you would have known that I did eat her head with all sorts of HILTER ORDERS. So as a respite she ordered this book to keep my mouth shut! 🙂
That said, finally the thing about the book. I didn't like it much. It is a chronicle series of events. Nothing that I don't know. So I may not recommend it for reading. If you are a fan, you know him better than this book. It wont offer something new.
Every chapter starts with a good quote. These can be a good peanuts to eat and retrospect on your life so far. Say,
"There is No Why"
"Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway"
"Don't underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you cant hear and not bothering"
Nevertheless, I love to keep in my collection because of The Chef!
October 18, 2020
After a long time, I did decide to read a biography. And this was Vikas Khanna's. The last time I read a biography I was disappointed. This time, yes I am yet again disappointed.
The book is moderately put together. The author talks about in first tense in few places, second tense in many places. It is plain annoying, irritating and rather very confusing. At few points, I was wondering, is it Vikas speaking or is it the author.
The book oscillates between Amritsar, New York and Manipal. So do the people of these places. For someone who has had plentiful of struggle this book does zero justice in bringing out life's lessons. (because of how its placed and the quality of writing)
I am thoroughly disappointed, but its a quick read. I wonder, how did Vikas approve of this writing. I guess, and I realize, Vikas Khanna seems to be a character similar to Akshaye Khanna of Dil Chahta Hain - He does not want or approve of his true self to be known to the masses.
The author tries his best to bring out multiple facets of Khanna's personality, but it just feels lacklustre. I bet Vikas Khanna could himself have written a better book.
2.75/5
Cheers,
The book is moderately put together. The author talks about in first tense in few places, second tense in many places. It is plain annoying, irritating and rather very confusing. At few points, I was wondering, is it Vikas speaking or is it the author.
The book oscillates between Amritsar, New York and Manipal. So do the people of these places. For someone who has had plentiful of struggle this book does zero justice in bringing out life's lessons. (because of how its placed and the quality of writing)
I am thoroughly disappointed, but its a quick read. I wonder, how did Vikas approve of this writing. I guess, and I realize, Vikas Khanna seems to be a character similar to Akshaye Khanna of Dil Chahta Hain - He does not want or approve of his true self to be known to the masses.
The author tries his best to bring out multiple facets of Khanna's personality, but it just feels lacklustre. I bet Vikas Khanna could himself have written a better book.
2.75/5
Cheers,
January 19, 2018
An inspiring read which talks about the life, struggles and adventures of Chef Vikas Khanna. While I felt that the language and the descriptions were slightly mundane and repetitive at certain instances, the bulk of the material was quite good. I also felt that, the book tended to veer more toward a sort of hero worship of the Chef than come across as the biography of a well-known Chef.
Overall, it's a good read, quite light on the mind and inspiring. Give it a shot :)
Overall, it's a good read, quite light on the mind and inspiring. Give it a shot :)
February 28, 2018
Lovely book written by a renowned chef where we all see in master chef programme in india. He has clearly written about the struggle of his life after coming to new York. Het told about his childhood memories and how we started showing passion on cooking when he was a child and he also told about his educational Saga when he was in Manipal college. Finally a good read about a famous chef and his struggles to success
May 16, 2018
I have been a fan of Vikas Khanna since my teens. Such a kind, humble soul he is and what an inspirational story his life is. What I didn't like about the book is its writing style. It was confusing & arrhythmic. There wasn't even enough written about the struggles he faced in America, about his fears which one can know just by watching few of his interviews on youtube. For me, the writer could not do justice in penning the extraordinary life of Chef Vikas Khanna.
May 31, 2023
Biographies always draw me emotionally and this one is favourite as it is the story of my favourite chef...
Biographies always draw me emotionally and this one is favourite as it is the story of my favourite chef...and karan bellani really wrote it awesome and the pictures are an added advantage...
Biographies always draw me emotionally and this one is favourite as it is the story of my favourite chef...and karan bellani really wrote it awesome and the pictures are an added advantage...
March 1, 2018
My first book of the year 2018.....loved it. Griping and inspiring.
This book will give a glimpse of Chef’s life. If you are foodie... it will surely make you crave for his cooking. :)
This book will give a glimpse of Chef’s life. If you are foodie... it will surely make you crave for his cooking. :)
January 22, 2021
Great book
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews