Maneet Chauhan
Maneet Chauhan
Judge on Food Network's "Chopped", Author, Restaurateur
About
Maneet sits on the permanent panel of Judges on Food Network's Emmy Award nominated show
'Chopped.' She is the founder and president of Morph Hospitality Group, which has three restaurants (Chauhan Ale & Masala House, Tànsuǒ and The Mockingbird) in Nashville, Tennessee.
Maneet is a recipient of the 2012
James Beard Foundation Broadcast Media Award
for her role as a judge on “Chopped,” and is heavily lauded by print and broadcast media in the United States and abroad. She has worked as executive chef in successful ventures such as Vermilion in Chicago, which received accolades from
Chicago magazine, Esquire, Time Out
and
Wine Enthusiast under her leadership.
She has written a cookbook called "Flavors of My World: A Culinary Tour Through 25 Countries."
"Hard work and determination can take you anywhere,
there are no shortcuts to life."
Q & A
What/who inspired you to pursue culinary arts?
My love for food inspired me.
What’s been your greatest professional accomplishment?
Being invited to cook for the Obamas at the White House!
What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
My dad told me, “Do whatever you want but make sure you’re the best at it.”
What does your typical day look like?
I don’t have a typical day – every day is different and that’s why I love what I do.
What risks have you taken along the way?
My life is a series of risks. I decided to join a profession at a time when it wasn’t an acceptable profession, in a country where it's a challenge to become a chef, and to top it off, there aren’t many women in the industry. Then I came to America and here I took the risk of introducing a new cuisine that wasn’t considered very upscale to the U.S. Soon, I took the risk of moving my family to Nashville to open my restaurant,
Chauhan Ale & Masala House!
My personal mantra is...
