Vamshi Krishna Adi: At 30, one of the youngest Indian chef-owners with four culinary ventures in the US

(Oct 4, 2026) From Hyderabad to New York, Indian chef Vamshi Krishna Adi has built a culinary career around regional Indian flavours and contemporary techniques. At 30, he is among the youngest Indian immigrant chef-owners in the US, with four ventures: Gazab, Ishq, Kebabishq and Zamindar’s Clubhouse. Ishq earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2024, marking a big milestone in his journey.

Born and raised in Hyderabad in a middle-class family where food was always a big part of their lives, chef Vamshi Krishna Adi grew up understanding early how much food could connect people to their memories, family and culture.

He studied at the Culinary Academy of India in Hyderabad, where he trained in culinary arts and specialised in pastry and bakery. His early culinary education also gave him an opportunity to compete at the national level. “I represented the Culinary Academy of India in a national pastry and confectionery competition and was fortunate to win a gold medal. That experience gave me a strong foundation in discipline, technique and attention to detail,” he shares with The Global Indian.

Coming from Hyderabad gave me a deep connection to Indian food, especially the richness and diversity of regional cooking. That connection has stayed with me throughout my journey.

Chef Vamshi Krishna Adi

After his culinary education in Hyderabad, he continued building his foundation through professional training and hospitality experience, including training with the Oberoi Group and an internship at The Dewberry in Charleston, South Carolina. He moved to the United States in 2017 with the goal of gaining experience, building his career and eventually returning to India.

Once in the US, his professional journey took him through different kitchens and cities, including South Carolina, New York and California. He worked at kitchens of Junoon, Baar Baar, Rooh and The Dewberry, gaining exposure to different styles of cooking, hospitality and restaurant culture.

Eventually, the chef realised that Indian food was the path he wanted to build his career around. “When I looked at Indian restaurants as a customer, I felt there was an opportunity to present authentic Indian flavours in a more elevated and contemporary way,” he says.

Building Indian restaurants in New York

That realisation led to his first restaurant, Gazab, a small casual restaurant in New York. From there he opened Ishq, where he developed a more refined dining experience. Ishq earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2024, bringing recognition to Adi’s approach to contemporary Indian dining in New York.

Then came Kebabishq, a quick-service concept focused on kebabs and comfort food. At just 30, Adi is one of the youngest Indian chefs to own and operate three restaurants in the city of New York. His restaurant journey has since expanded beyond New York.

In June 2026, he expanded to Charlotte, North Carolina, with Zamindar’s Clubhouse in the South End neighbourhood, alongside founder David Pandora. The restaurant brings together what Adi has learned across his culinary journey in a larger, more elevated experience while staying connected to Indian food and its traditions.

His culinary style reinterprets traditional Indian roots using global ingredients and high-end techniques. Signature creations include baked Lahsooni Oysters, bamboo-cooked paneer and tableside flambéed plates.

 

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How Hyderabad, New York and California shaped his cooking

Adi has trained and worked across Hyderabad, South Carolina, New York and California, and each of these different kitchens has shaped his culinary identity. “Hyderabad gave me my roots and my understanding of what Indian food means emotionally. It taught me that food is not just about technique. It is about memory, family, hospitality and the flavours you grow up with.”

South Carolina gave him an early understanding of professional hospitality and discipline, while New York taught him resilience and showed him what it means to work in one of the most demanding and competitive restaurant environments in the world. “California gave me another perspective and made me more curious about creativity, ingredients and how different cultures approach food,” he says.

I want Indian food to taste authentic and familiar at its heart, but I also want to have the freedom to present it in a way that feels current and exciting. My experiences outside India did not make me want to move away from Indian food. They made me understand it better and gave me more tools to express it.

Chef Vamshi Krishna Adi

Modern Indian cuisine with traditional flavours

His cooking brings contemporary techniques and presentation together with traditional Indian flavours. He admits that for him it always starts with respect for the food and where it comes from.

“I believe you can modernise Indian cuisine without losing what makes it Indian.” He first tries to understand the original dish, where it comes from, why it was created and what makes its flavours special. Once he understands that foundation, he gives himself the freedom to explore.

“I might change the technique, the texture or the presentation, but I never want the innovation to take away the soul of the food.” His approach is also closely connected to his Hyderabad upbringing and the experience he has gained in different kitchens. “Growing up in Hyderabad gave me a strong sense of what Indian food should taste like. At the same time, working in different kitchens has taught me to be curious and open to new ideas,” he explains.

The challenges of an Indian chef building a career in America

While his journey has been challenging, he admits that every challenge has shaped the chef and person he is today.

When he first came to the United States, he had specialised in pastry and bakery and originally wanted to build his career as a pastry chef. As an Indian immigrant starting out in a new country, he found it difficult to find the opportunities he was looking for.

“I eventually found my path through Indian restaurants, and what initially felt like a limitation became an opportunity to represent my country and its cuisine in a foreign land. I am very proud of that today,” he says.

Being a young Indian chef building a career in the United States also meant long hours, financial uncertainty and many sacrifices. “I saw people around me leave the industry because the work was demanding and the financial rewards were often limited compared with other professions.” But he stayed committed because he had a bigger goal. “I wanted to build something of my own and eventually open restaurants that represented my vision,” he adds.

COVID, loss and the road to Gazab

COVID was another major turning point. He was in California when the pandemic began and, like many people, was separated from my family and uncertain about what would happen next. There were months without work, his savings were disappearing, and at one point he seriously considered returning to India.

Later, when he lost his father in 2024, he faced another deeply difficult period in his life and again questioned his direction. “My family has always been an important source of strength and encouragement throughout my journey.”

There were moments when he questioned whether he should continue, but their support helped him stay focused on his goals and keep moving forward. When he eventually returned to New York and found an opportunity to open his first restaurant, Gazab, he was only 25 and had very little business experience. He had to learn everything along the way.

There were people who doubted me and believed I was too young to succeed, but I chose not to focus on that. I stayed focused on my food, continued learning, worked with talented chefs and trusted what I knew.

Chef Vamshi Krishna Adi

Carrying India to the table

Even when he misses home, cooking connects him back. For Adi, being an Indian chef abroad is about being proud of where he comes from while having the courage to build something new somewhere else.  “My family’s values, the flavours I grew up with and the pride of representing India through food are all a part of who I am. It is about being proud of where I come from while having the courage to build something new somewhere else,” he remarks.

His journey has taken him far from Hyderabad, but India remains central to his identity and his food.

 

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I may have travelled far, but I carry my India with me, always, everywhere. And through my food, I hope a little piece of India reaches everyone who sits at my table.

Chef Vamshi Krishna Adi

The legacy he wants to leave 

The chef to be remembered as someone who came from India with a dream, carried responsibilities with grace and showed that Indian food deserves respect, whether it is served on a street corner or on a white tablecloth.

For him, that legacy also includes inspiring the next generation of chefs. “If, years from now, a young chef anywhere sees my journey and thinks, ‘I can do this too,’ then that is enough for me,” remarks the chef . “I want to be remembered as an ordinary person who came with a dream, worked with what he had, stayed true to his country and his food and tried to leave Indian cuisine a little stronger than he found it,” he signs off.

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