Barkat: The Inspiration and the Story Be

“This chef has a Michelin star and a mission: feeding millions in India’s lockdown.”-New York Times ‘Barkat’ means abundance. An abundance of blessings and auspiciousness. Where there is no dearth and there is no scarcity, that’s Barkat. It’s a much bigger word than can be translated in English. This is the story of one of the most beloved chefs from India, Vikas Khanna. From the small town of Amritsar, he grew to be an international chef and fulfilled his dream of getting a Michelin Star. He narrates how his grandmother infused in him the values of sharing food, while the langars of the Golden Temple showed him that community kitchens are perhaps the only way to ensure no one goes hungry. From these values developed around food, he got the goal and the grit to build one of the world’s largest food drives called ‘Feed India’ during the COVID-19 lockdown. This deeply personal and heart-touching narrative is a testimony of one man’s vision to showcase Indian culture and the intrinsic value of sharing food to the world.