Chef
Vijay Kumar
Executive Chef and Partner, Semma
- Discipline
- Chef
- Venue
- Semma · Restaurant
Made By record
Awards & recognition
2 total
1 winner
Portrait of Vijay Kumar
i. Biography
Vijay Kumar is the executive chef and partner at Semma in New York City’s West Village, where he leads a menu rooted in heritage Southern Indian cuisine and Tamil Nadu traditions. He grew up in Tamil Nadu and previously worked in India and California before joining Semma in 2021. In 2025, he received the James Beard Award for Best Chef: New York State.
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The Sunday email
Read about chefs like Vijay Kumar in the Sunday email.
Every Sunday we send a lead story and up to four more about the chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and hoteliers behind the restaurants, bars, wineries and hotels we cover.
Recent stories
Free. One email a week, and you can unsubscribe from any issue.