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“Apna time aa gaya” Vikas Khanna on TIME 100 recognition
He said the recognition turns a once-derogatory “curry boy” label into a marker of global influence.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 16, Apr 2026
- 17:36 EDT
- 20
Vikas Khanna / Instagram/ Vikas Khanna
Indian American chef Vikas Khanna said being named to TIME’s 100 Most Influential People list marked a personal and cultural milestone, as he reflected on the journey that took him from Amritsar to global recognition.
In an Instagram post, Khanna said the moment felt deeply personal and linked it to his late sister. “I know she’s still fighting for me from above. I can almost hear her today saying, ‘Aaj toh champagne piyenge… Apna time aa gaya’ (Today we’ll celebrate with champagne… our time has come),” he wrote.
Also Read: 5 Indian Americans on TIME100 Most Influential People of 2026
“Who would have imagined that a boy from the narrow lanes of Amritsar… who chose cooking as an act of rebellion… would one day find his name among the world’s most influential voices,” he wrote, adding that the recognition reflected “41 years of consistency.”
Khanna also recalled being referred to as a "curry boy" during his early days as a chef in the United States, noting that the term was used disparagingly. He wrote that his sister Radha told him it would one day be a "badge of honor."
Calling it “a moment for Indian cuisine, for our culture, for every story that began in a humble kitchen,” Khanna traced his journey from “the narrow lanes of Amritsar” and the langars of the Golden Temple to the global platform.
“This moment is not just mine–it belongs to every dream that was doubted, every identity that was questioned, and every voice that refused to be silenced,” he wrote.
He dedicated the honor to “every mother, every teacher, every sister, every hand that believed, and every plate that carried a story forward,” and thanked chef Eric Ripert for his support over the years.
Khanna said celebrations are ongoing ahead of the TIME 100 event on April 23. At Bungalow, his New York restaurant, he marked the milestone by adorning the space with 755 flowers–one for each day of its journey–and hosting more than 500 guests.
“This is not just our victory. This is the victory of our nation. Our collective dream, blooming together,” he wrote.
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