Atul Kochhar is an Indian-born British chef who is also a cookbook author and television personality. He has become known for his unique style of modern Indian cuisine, and he is well-known and respected in culinary circles. However, there are many things that people who love cooking series do not know about this chef. So, what facts about Atul Kochhar might you not know? Here are some Atul Kochhar facts you might find interesting.
Atul Kochhar Facts: His Early and Personal Life
Where Was Atul Kochhar Born?
Atul Kochhar was born in Jamshedpur, India, on the 31st of August 1969. He moved to the UK in 1994.
Is Atul Kochhar Married?
One of the Atul Kochhar facts that many fans want to know is “who is Atul Kochhar’s wife?” Famous Chefs says that Kochhar is married to Deepti, and the couple has a son, Arjun, and a daughter, Amisha, together. The family lives in London.
Facts About Atul Kochhar: His Culinary Career
Where Did Atul Kochhar Train as a Chef?
Kochhar began his career working at The Oberoi Group of hotels in India in 1989 and continued to work for them until 1994, when he moved to the UK. The celebrity chef gained his diploma in hotel management from The Institute of Hotel Management Chennai. After moving to the UK, Kochhar worked at Bernard Kunig’s restaurant.
How Many Restaurants Does Atul Kochhar Own?
Currently, Atul Kochhar owns eight restaurants, including Indian Essence in Kent and Hawkyns and Sindhu in Buckinghamshire. His other restaurants are Kanishka, Mathura, Riwaz, Vaasu, and Masalchi.
Does Atul Kochhar Have a Michelin Star?
Although Atul Kochhar does not currently have a Michelin star, he has previously held the honour at two of his restaurants. In 2001, he became one of the first two Indian chefs to have a Michelin star when he worked at Tamarind. He then opened his own restaurant, Benares, which was awarded a Michelin star in 2007.
How Many Cookbooks Has Atul Kochhar Written?
Kocchar has written six cookbooks. His first was Fish, Indian Style, which was published in 2008. Most recently, he published Curry Everyday in 2022.
His Media Career
Atul Kochhar Made His Television Debut in Asia
Kocchar was seen on Asian TV screens long before he was known to UK viewers. He presented the series Curry on with Atul Kochhar on the B4U network. The celebrity chef also presented Kochhar’s Spice Kitchen, which aired in Malaysia.
He First Appeared on UK TV Screens on Saturday Kitchen
Atul Kochhar first became known to UK viewers when he appeared on Saturday Kitchen, a weekend cookery series that Ainsley Harriott piloted in 2002. Gregg Wallace then presented the series, followed by Anthony Worrall Thompson, James Martin, and Matt Tebbutt. Others who have temporarily presented the series include John Torode, Angela Hartnett, and Anna Haugh. Atul Kochhar appeared multiple times between seasons one and three, and he is among the many celebrity chefs who have been featured in the series. Others include Yotam Ottolenghi, Marcus Wareing, Glynn Purnell, and Paul Ainsworth.
Kochhar Was an Investor in Million Pound Menu
Million Pound Menu was a series that ran for two seasons between 2018 and 2019 on BBC2 that Fred Sirieix presented. Budding restaurateurs would present a concept to investors in the hope of winning an investment into their restaurant, and Atul Kochhar was one of the potential investors in the series.
In What Else Has Atul Kochhar Appeared?
Other series in which Atul Kochhar has appeared include MasterChef Goes Large and Great British Menu. He competed in the latter in season two of the series, which was presented by Jennie Bond, with judges Prue Leith, Matthew Fort, and Oliver Peyton choosing the winning dishes.
Other Facts
He Caused Controversy with Racist Comments
Atul Kochhar’s career took a downturn when he posted anti-Islamic comments on Twitter to actress Priyanka Chopra.
We hope you have enjoyed reading our Atul Kochhar facts.