Garima Arora

Early Life and the Spark for Cooking

Growing up in Mumbai and family influence

Born on November 9, 1986, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Garima Arora grew up in a home where food was the heart of family life. She came from a Punjabi Arora family, and her earliest memories center around their dinner table. “somebody is always cooking or eating—it’s just how we grew up”. Her parents, Anil and Neetu Arora, gave her a culturally rich upbringing that shaped her unique culinary viewpoint.

Her father’s adventurous spirit sparked her love for cooking. He often traveled abroad and brought back exotic ingredients and cookbooks they would try together. “My dad used to travel a lot when I was a kid and return with ingredients and recipes that we would try together,” Garima recalls warmly. A special memory stands out in her culinary trip – she watched her father make an upside-down cake using bananas instead of traditional apples. She asked him how he did it, and he simply said, “it was magic”. This enchantment with cooking stayed with her through her early years.

Beyond home cooking, her school years opened new culinary doors. She tasted different foods from her classmates’ tiffin boxes during lunch breaks, each representing India’s regional cuisines. “The first time I ate poha (flattened rice), it was from a friend’s tiffin box,” she has mentioned. Her college days in Mumbai led her to South Indian eateries along Matunga Road, where dishes like neer dosa with golden coconut chutney left their mark.

Original career in journalism

Despite her love for food, Garima chose a traditional path first. She earned a Bachelor of Mass Media in Journalism from Mumbai University. This choice matched society’s expectations but later helped her culinary career in surprising ways.

After graduation, she worked as a journalist for about six months. Notwithstanding that, she realized this career didn’t spark the same passion as cooking. Her journalism background proved valuable in her approach to food later. “I have to know the ‘five Ws’ and ‘1 H’ of food—the who, what, when, where, why, and how. Whenever I cook a dish, my goal is to make sure the ingredients answer these questions,” she explains.

Turning point: choosing culinary arts

A life-changing trip to Singapore shifted her professional path. She realized cooking was her true calling, not journalism. She made a bold choice to leave her six-month-old career path at age 21 and start fresh in a different field.

Her father’s support proved crucial in this key decision. He responded with enthusiasm when she told him about her dream to become a chef. “When I told my dad that I was leaving everything behind and starting over as a cook, he was happy for me and encouraged me. I think he didn’t think I would take it seriously but at least he would get some good food out of it!” she shares with humor.

The decision made, Garima aimed for formal culinary education. She headed to France in 2008 and joined the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, earning her Grand Diplôme® in 2010. This began her remarkable culinary trip that led her to create modern cuisine inspired by traditional Indian techniques on the global stage.

Training and Global Culinary Exposure

Studying at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris

In 2008, Chef Garima Arora began her formal culinary experience in France. She chose the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and ended up graduating with the Grand Diplôme® in 2010. This credential opened doors to the elite culinary world and gave her the essential French techniques that shaped her distinctive cooking style.

Her experience at the renowned institution changed her life completely. She describes it: “It was a great exposure to French cuisine and techniques. We would spend our day learning and practicing the fundamentals of French cooking and cuisine and in the evenings have the chance to see Parisian chefs take what we study to a whole new level in some of the best brasseries and restaurants in the city”. This hands-on education gave her technical skills and a deep appreciation for culinary traditions and innovations.

After graduation, Arora worked at a patisserie to become skilled at the delicate art of French pastry making. This experience added new dimensions to her growing culinary skills and built a foundation for the creative fusion approach that became her signature.

Working with Gordon Ramsay and René Redzepi

Hard work and perseverance brought Chef Garima to prestigious kitchens worldwide. She earned a position in Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen in Dubai, where she learned the exacting standards of a multi-Michelin starred chef. This experience without doubt shaped her approach to kitchen management and culinary excellence.

In 2013, a turning point came when she applied for an internship at Noma in Copenhagen under celebrated chef René Redzepi. A three-month internship grew into a two-and-a-half-year position, showing her exceptional talent and dedication. Arora calls this period “the most formative years of my career”.

Her time at Noma reshaped her culinary philosophy completely. “It changed me, not just as a cook but also as a person. I learnt how to think about food more intelligently,” she reflects. Noma’s groundbreaking approach to Nordic cuisine, emphasizing foraging, fermentation, and hyper-local ingredients, influenced the innovative style she later developed at her own restaurant.

Learning from global kitchens

At Noma, Chef Garima embraced the restaurant’s philosophy of using locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients. This approach became central to her culinary vision as she celebrated each ingredient’s essence through thoughtful preparation and presentation.

The collaborative environment at Noma gave Arora great chances to work among chefs from diverse culinary backgrounds. This cross-cultural exchange expanded her skills and introduced her to new techniques and flavors that shaped her unique Indian-Thai fusion approach.

Before opening Gaa, Arora made another major career move in 2016 by joining Chef Gaggan Anand’s restaurant in Bangkok as sous chef. Working under Anand, who reshaped Indian cuisine globally, prepared her to become a culinary innovator herself.

This period of exploration through global kitchens built the foundation for Arora’s future success. Learning techniques and philosophies from world-acclaimed chefs and restaurants helped her develop the distinctive culinary voice that earned her international recognition and prestigious Michelin stars.

The Rise of Gaa and Michelin Stardom

Opening Gaa in Bangkok

After honing her skills under culinary giants, Chef Garima Arora took the bold step to open her own restaurant, Gaa, in Bangkok in April 2017. She thought over opening her restaurant in Thailand instead of her native India. “I think Bangkok chose me. It was a perfect backdrop for me to explore Indian cuisine. There’s so much connection between the two countries: the language, the mythology, the way we cook, the ingredients, the building of flavours”.

Gaa launched as a progressive Indian fine-dining restaurant with a 12-course tasting menu. Chef Garima found intricate connections between Thai and Indian cuisines that few chefs had noticed before. These cross-cultural elements became the foundations for Gaa’s unique culinary identity.

First Michelin star in 2018

Historic achievement came quickly for Chef Garima. Gaa received its first Michelin star in November 2018. This achievement made her the first female Indian chef to earn this prestigious recognition. She accomplished this just one year after opening, at age 32.

The success continued into 2019. Restaurant Gaa debuted impressively on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list at No. 16 with the Highest New Entry Award. The restaurant soon claimed its spot at No. 95 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Chef Garima’s peers voted her Asia’s Best Female Chef 2019, establishing her place among the world’s top culinary talents.

Second Michelin star in 2023

Culinary history repeated itself on December 13, 2023. The Michelin Guide’s Thailand selection for 2024 awarded Gaa its second Michelin star. This remarkable achievement made Gaa the second Indian restaurant worldwide to hold two Michelin stars. Chef Garima became the first and only female Indian chef to run a two-Michelin star restaurant.

Looking back at her trip, Chef Garima says, “We’re calmer, more focused and more sure of ourselves. And that shows in the food as well. At the time we started, we almost had this rebellious attitude where we cooked any way we wanted. But as you grow up and mature, everything around you also does”. She credits consistency as the key factor that helped the restaurant earn its second star.

Gaa’s unique Indian-Thai fusion approach

The restaurant sits in an 80-year-old traditional Thai house that has been renovated. Gaa’s setting mirrors Chef Garima’s culinary style that blends tradition with modern techniques. The restaurant’s atmosphere captures this philosophy – “The home’s exteriors are traditional, but as soon as you step in, you’ll see modern finishes. Even so, there is a minimalist approach to everything, just like in the food we serve”.

Gaa’s menu features creative takes on Indian street food. The dishes showcase balanced spicing, remarkable flavor combinations, and delightful texture and temperature contrasts. Her innovative gobi parantha has become a fan favorite. Other standout creations include Blue Swimmer Crab with coconut milk spiked with grilled banana leaves, fried fish with kasundi (a pungent Bengali sauce made of mustard), and a dish called ‘corn’ that reimagines the classic bhutta, served with corn milk dip.

Chef Garima breaks down Indian cuisine methodically. “We don’t just deconstruct known flavours and dishes. We ask why… why a certain vegetable is put in the tandoor or why we marinate the way we do,” she explains. Her time at Noma taught her that “cooking is not just physical but needs to be a cerebral process”. Through Gaa, she continues to “rediscover and reform the narrative on Indian food”, proudly describing her current culinary identity as “unabashedly Indian”.

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