Vicky Ratnani

The Climb

Industry training at The Leela in Mumbai, India, gave Ratnani an early grounding in pace, precision, and the daily discipline of a professional kitchen. Industry training at Oberoi in Mumbai, India followed, extending that technical base in another setting where consistency and attention to detail were part of the job, not the ideal. When he moved on to chef at Costa Cruises, the work shifted into a service environment shaped by movement, transit, and a rotating dining room, adding scale and adaptability to the craft. The next step was executive sous chef at Queen Mary 2, where the scope widened again and the demands of high-volume execution met the expectations of a more formal service. As consultant at Aurus in Mumbai, India, Ratnani’s accumulated experience became something to advise from rather than simply apply. Then came founder/chef at Nido in Mumbai, India, a role that brought authorship into the picture and marked a point where his kitchen identity was being defined on his own terms. Taken together, those posts show a career advanced through distinct kitchens, each one adding another working layer to the same discipline. His media work sits alongside that line of appointments: Vicky is host of NDTV, host of LivingFoodz, and executive chef of Haus Hiltl. That mix keeps the chef’s voice in public circulation, not just through service but through presentation and comment, where kitchen experience becomes something that can be translated for a wider audience.

Today

Ratnani now works as executive chef at Haus Hiltl in Zürich, Switzerland. The role suits a chef whose experience spans training kitchens, cruise service, consulting, and ownership-minded work, because it asks for the same things those settings reward: control, adjustment, and clear direction under pressure.

Signature

Vicky's signature dishes include Vicky Goes Veg and vickypedia. The names point to a personal register in the kitchen: recognizably his, but built to carry play, reference, and a chef’s own shorthand into the plate. They mark a practice where identity is part of the craft without replacing it.

In Their Words “I have a lot of memories from that time of travel, good food, and encounters with celebrities and dignitaries.” The line reads like a record of service in motion, where travel, dining, and the people around the table all shape the work. “Feeding people isn’t just work—it’s a celebration of connection, care, and the happiness shared through food.” Here, Ratnani frames the act of cooking as service with intent: direct, social, and measured by what it gives back to the room.

Recognition

Vicky's honors include Best Indian Chef of the Year (2015). The award sits in line with a career that moved from industry training in Mumbai, India to executive chef at Haus Hiltl in Zürich, Switzerland, with enough range between those points to make the recognition read as part of the record rather than the exception.