Ajay Panicker

The Climb

Hotel management training in Chennai, followed by ownership and then a kitchen defined by Kerala cooking, frames Ajay Panicker’s path with unusual clarity. At Aahaar in Snoqualmie and Kathakali, An Indian Eatery in Kirkland, the work stays close to coconut-forward gravies, banana leaf preparations, and coastal seafood dishes that are still uncommon in the Pacific Northwest.

Today

At Kathakali, An Indian Eatery in Kirkland, WA, the public-facing role is executive chef, and the kitchen language is direct: Meen Pollichathu, spiced fish wrapped and roasted in banana leaves, sits at the center of that expression. For Ajay Panicker, the dish shows how leaf, spice, and heat can be managed as a single system, with moisture held in and aroma folded through the fish. The broader line of the cooking stays consistent with that method. Coconut-forward gravies build body, banana leaf preparations add fragrance and structure, and the seafood points specifically to Kerala rather than to a generic South Indian category. In Ajay Panicker’s hands, the regional markers are not decorative; they are the framework. That same framework carries into the second address in Snoqualmie, where the arc remains the same rather than expanding for its own sake. Across both restaurants, Ajay Panicker keeps the focus narrow and legible, making Kerala cooking readable in a region where it is still not common.

Signature

Ajay's signature dishes include Meen Pollichathu.

In Their Words “I wanted to bring the food I grew up eating to a city that hadn't seen much of it… not just South Indian food. I wanted to focus on Kerala. The real thing.”

Recognition

Ajay's honors include James Beard Award Semi-Finalist for Best Chef (2025).