Chef

Garima Arora – the New ‘Garima’ – Pride of Culinary Achievements of India

It’s official! Chef Garima Arora became the first Indian chef and restaurant owner to be awarded the prestigious Michelin star. Garima Arora, a chef and owner of GAA restaurant in Bangkok, was an ordinary Mumbai girl just like the many of us before she discovered her passion for cooking and was set to chase her dreams.

Arora grew up in Mumbai ona healthy dose of Bollywood with her obsession over KabirBedi and the exotic foods her father used to bring back from his travels. She worked briefly as a journalist before deciding to chase her dreams of becoming a chef. Throughout her journey, sharing the kitchen space with the celebrated names such as René Redzepi, Gordon Ramsay, and GagganAnand, helped her while setting up her own restaurant in 2017.

Creating a multi-sensory experience through her cuisines, Arora literally talked to her guests through the medium of food. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we decided to feature Garima Arora’s story from an ordinary Mumbai girl to a Michelin Star chef.

Journey of a Mumbai Girl to Michelin Star Chef

Garima’sGAA in Bangkok

Garima Arora started her own restaurant in Bangkok in 2017. Though people have always been curious about the meaning and inspiration behind GAA, Arora kept it simple by combining her initials. As for the inspiration behind the restaurant, the Michelin Star chef wanted it to represent her personality. As the Michelin Star Chef has shared with us before, GAA, as the owner and chef believes, is her journey of self-discovery, which is ever-evolving with her connecting the rich Indian and Thai food cultures.

The inspiration behind her culinary dreams

Interestingly, Garima Arora’s inspiration and the reason for her passion for cooking were watching her father cook all through her childhood. Her art and style of connecting different food cultures stemmed from her father recreating the dishes he had tasted during travel. No wonder, her father has been the biggest influence in Arora’s culinary journey.

Experiences along the way

Starting from home with a strong passion and base for cooking, sharing a kitchen with the celebrated names has helped Arora to come this long way. According to her, working alongside René Redzepi, taught her how to think of food intellectually. With Gordon Ramsay as your senior and mentor, you are bound to let go of your ego and work your way through as a sportive team member. At GagganAnand’s eponymous restaurant, Arora learned the beauty of Asian hospitality, as you could expect nothing less from the best service in the world.

Now, with a Michelin Star award on her sleeve, Garima Arora is still as down-to-earth as before. She aims to take on new challenges and together, with her team, learn what’s best for her restaurant.

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