Notable Roles | - Founder‑Chef, Gaa restaurant in Bangkok |
Key Recognition | - First Indian woman chef to receive a Michelin star in 2018 for Gaa - Awarded Asia’s Best Female Chef (2019) by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants - Gaa debuted at No 16 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list with Highest New Entry Award - Earned her second Michelin star in 2023, becoming the only female Indian chef with two stars |
Background and Early Foundations
Garima Arora was born on 9 November 1986 in Mumbai, into a Punjabi Arora family. She studied Mass Media and worked briefly as a journalist before moving to Paris in 2010 to train at Le Cordon Bleu. She trained under Gordon Ramsay in Dubai and René Redzepi at Noma in Copenhagen before joining Gaggan Anand’s team in Bangkok. In April 2017, she opened Gaa, blending Indian techniques with Thai ingredients in a fine‑dining tasting menu format. Her sociable yet disruptive approach reshaped perceptions of Indian ingredients globally. Founding Food Forward India in 2019, debuting two Michelin stars in 2023, and serving as the first female judge on MasterChef India reflect her multifaceted culinary journey.
Career Milestones and Impact
Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
2010 | Began culinary training with Gordon Ramsay’s Verre (Dubai), René Redzepi at Noma (Copenhagen), later sous‑chef under Gaggan Anand (Bangkok) |
2017 | Opened restaurant Gaa in Bangkok offering Indian‑Thai tasting menus focusing on umami from vegetables and local ingredients |
2018 | Awarded Michelin star for Gaa; first Indian woman to do so |
2019 | Named Asia’s Best Female Chef; Gaa debuted at No 16 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants (Highest New Entry) |
2019 | Launched Food Forward India initiative in Mumbai to elevate Indian cuisine culturally and globally |
2023 | Gaa earned its second Michelin star; Garima became first female Indian chef to run a two‑starred Indian restaurant; debuted as judge on MasterChef India while pregnant |
- Michelin Recognition: 1 star in 2018; second star awarded in 2023 — first female Indian chef with two stars
- Restaurant Launch: Gaa opened April 2017 in Bangkok housed in traditional Thai villa repurposed into fine dining space
- Awards: Asia’s Best Female Chef 2019; Gaa highest new entry debut on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list
- Initiative: Founded Food Forward India in 2019 to document and reshape Indian culinary heritage
Leadership Style and Influence
Garima Arora’s cuisine merges traditional Indian culinary techniques with bold Thai ingredients and global tasting concepts. She is celebrated for extracting umami from vegetables, redefining Indian flavors through fermentation, smoke, and spice, all presented with artistic precision. Her practice challenges conventional norms, elevates Indian gastronomy with immaculately layered tasting menus that evoke curiosity, emotion, and memory. A former journalist, she brings intellectual curiosity and storytelling flair to the plate. Her work is a beacon for modern Indian fine dining globally.
Legacy and Future Focus
Garima’s legacy includes raising Indian cuisine into Michelin-tier fine dining globally. Through Gaa, she has expanded the global narrative on Indian cooking’s sophistication and subtlety. Her dual awards highlight female empowerment in a male‑dominated field, breaking barriers for South Asian women chefs. Her future vision intersects mentorship, global culinary research, digital restaurants (e.g., HERE in Bangkok), and her philanthropic venture Food Forward India, that focused on reimagining Indian food culture for the next generation.
