The James Beard Foundation announced the US culinary community’s winners during its 35th annual celebration. Held at Chicago’s Lyric Opera on June 16, 2025, the awards night rewarded multiple eateries and chefs. Vijay Kumar of the NY-based Michelin winner ‘Semma’ had a standout night at the 2025 edition of the awards.
Highlights
- Tamil Nadu-origin chef Vijay Kumar won the Best Chef: New York State title at the James Beard Award 2025.
- Kumar won the accolade for his offerings at Semma, a Michelin-star-winning eatery in NYC.
- The New York Times had previously named the Greenwich Avenue restaurant as the number one restaurant in NY.
Vijay Kumar’s Historic Win at the James Beard Award 2025
Vijay Kumar, along with his Semma crew (Source: Instagram @chef.vijayakumar)
Viewed as the Oscars for the food world, James Beard conferred multiple medals, including five for NYC. Among the 2025 winners was Vijay Kumar, the chef behind South Indian cuisine at Semma. Kumar was offered the title ‘Best Chef: New York State.’
The Tamil Nadu-origin chef claimed the award after beating other NY-based chefs. Nasim Alikhani of Sofreh and Ryan Fernandez of Southern Junction Barbecue in Buffalo were nominated. Others include Eiji Ichimura of Sushi Ichimura and Atsushi Kono of Kono.
A String of Successes for the Semma Chef
While Vijay Kumar’s latest James Beard win is commendable, he has been riding a wave of success for quite some time.
This June, the New York Times crowned Kumar’s Greenwich Avenue eatery the number one restaurant in New York. Kumar expressed his joy through an Instagram post.
Calling himself a ‘Tamil Nadu kid’ whose restaurant was now No. 1 in NYC, he dedicated the recognition to Semma’s members. Kumar thanked fellow chefs and Semma’s loyal guests as well. The Best Chef winner added that Semma celebrates ‘the fire and soul of Southern Indian cooking’ in NYC.
Semma has held a Michelin star every year since 2022 (2022–2024).
About Vijay Kumar
The Semma chef comes from Tamil Nadu, where he learned the basics of preparing South Indian delicacies. Fuelled by his passion for cooking, he studied at Tiruchirappalli’s culinary school. After this, he moved to the US and worked for 12 years at Burlingame’s Michelin winner Rasa.
Kumar then worked for Semma with chefs Chintan Pandya and Roni Mazumdar. Their Unapologetic Foods umbrella has offered South Indian delicacies at NYC’s Semma since 2021.
Vijay Kumar’s latest triumph at the James Beard Award 2025 highlights the rising popularity of South Indian cuisine in NY and the world. Despite humble beginnings, the Tamil Nadu-born chef has built his name in the US culinary scene.
