Vikas Khanna on 'Shekhar Tonite': From Amritsar kitty catering to global culinary icon
Synopsis
Vikas Khanna, born during the 1971 India-Pakistan war and told he might never walk, revealed on 'Shekhar Tonite' that a family-run kitty party catering business in Amritsar was where it all began. His mother's belief — 'My son wasn't born to walk, he was born to fly' — turned a childhood of physical hardship into the origin story of one of India's most celebrated culinary careers.
Key Takeaways
Vikas Khanna appeared on 'Shekhar Tonite' , hosted by Shekhar Suman , streaming on YouTube .
Khanna was born during the 1971 India-Pakistan war and faced childhood mobility challenges, with doctors uncertain he would walk normally.
His mother and sister supported his passion for food, and together they ran a small kitty party catering business from their home in Amritsar .
Exposure to cuisines beyond Punjabi food was the turning point that inspired Khanna to dedicate himself fully to cooking.
Khanna credits his mother's belief — 'My son wasn't born to walk, he was born to fly' — as a defining force in his journey.
Celebrity chef Vikas Khanna opened up about his remarkable journey from a difficult childhood in Amritsar to becoming one of the world's most celebrated culinary figures, in a candid appearance on the chat show 'Shekhar Tonite'. In the episode, Khanna traced his earliest steps in the kitchen — including co-running a small kitty party catering business from his family home — as the foundation of a career that would eventually span continents.
A Childhood Defined by Adversity
Khanna revealed that he was born during the 1971 India-Pakistan war, and that doctors had warned his parents he might never walk like other children. He spent years undergoing treatment, with his mother's unwavering belief serving as his anchor. 'My mother always believed in me. She would say, ‘My son wasn't born to walk, he was born to fly’,' Khanna recalled on the show.
Unable to participate in sports like his peers, Khanna found solace and purpose in the kitchen — a redirection that, by his own account, proved transformative. 'Looking back, I truly believe that when one door closed for me, another, much bigger one opened, and that has been the story of my life,' he said.
The Amritsar Kitchen That Started It All
Khanna credited his mother and sister with nurturing his early passion for food. Together, the family launched a small kitty party catering business from their home in Amritsar — Khanna's first real taste of the hospitality trade. 'Their faith gave me the confidence to dream bigger,' he said, describing the venture as the seedbed of his professional ambitions.
It was also in this period that Khanna's culinary horizons began to expand beyond Punjabi cuisine. An introduction to other regional and international food traditions, he said, was the inflection point that set him on a path of complete dedication to cooking.
Host Shekhar Suman's Tribute
Host Shekhar Suman welcomed Khanna with warm praise, acknowledging that the chef had brought pride not just to India but to the global culinary stage. The conversation, which moved between personal reflection and professional milestones, offered viewers a rare look at the formative years behind one of India's most recognised culinary exports.
About 'Shekhar Tonite'
'Shekhar Tonite' is a celebrity chat show hosted by veteran actor and television personality Shekhar Suman, available for streaming on YouTube. The show features in-depth conversations with prominent figures from entertainment, sports, and public life. Khanna's episode is the latest in a series of high-profile appearances on the platform.
Vikas Khanna's story — from a child told he might never walk to a Michelin-starred chef with a global footprint — continues to resonate as one of Indian cuisine's most compelling personal narratives.
Point of View
Geography, and sheer biographical accident. What is striking is how little institutional support featured in his account: it was a home kitchen, a mother's conviction, and a neighbourhood catering side-business that launched a Michelin-starred career. That origin story sits in sharp contrast to the polished, academy-trained narratives that dominate global fine dining. Indian celebrity food culture tends to spotlight the destination; Khanna's interview usefully forces attention back to the journey.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Vikas Khanna reveal on 'Shekhar Tonite'?
Vikas Khanna spoke about his difficult childhood, including being born during the 1971 India-Pakistan war and facing mobility challenges, and how he co-ran a small kitty party catering business from his home in Amritsar with his mother and sister. He described these early experiences as the foundation of his global culinary career.
What was Vikas Khanna's first business venture?
His first venture was a small kitty party catering business operated from his family home in Amritsar, started with the support of his mother and sister. Khanna has credited this experience with teaching him the fundamentals of the food business.
How did Vikas Khanna's childhood disability shape his career?
Doctors told Khanna's parents at birth that he might never walk like other children, which meant he could not play sports. He turned to the kitchen instead, and later described this as a pivotal redirection — 'when one door closed for me, another, much bigger one opened.'
Where can viewers watch Vikas Khanna's 'Shekhar Tonite' episode?
'Shekhar Tonite', hosted by Shekhar Suman, streams on YouTube. Vikas Khanna's appearance is part of the show's ongoing series of celebrity conversations.
What moment did Vikas Khanna describe as changing his life?
Khanna said that being introduced to cuisines beyond Punjabi food was the turning point that inspired him to dedicate himself completely to cooking — a journey he described as taking him 'from the streets of Amritsar to kitchens across the world.'
