Vikas Khanna is a world-renowned chef, restaurateur, humaniitarian and cookbook author from India. He is one of the famous judges of Master Chef India. Born in Amritsar, Punjab in 14 November 1971, Davinder Khanna and Bindu Khanna were his parents. Vikas did his schooling at St. Francis School, Amritsar. Khanna began his culinary journey at a young age, learning traditional Indian cooking techniques from his grandmother. Khanna began developing recipes at a very young age and at the age of 17 he opened Lawrence Gardens Banquets to host weddings and family functions. He graduated from Welcomegroup graduate school of hotel administration a constituent of Manipal Academy of Higher Education in 1991.

After completing his education in India, Khanna moved to the United States to attend the Culinary Institute of America. He graduated in 2001 and began working in some of the top restaurants in New York City, including the Michelin-starred Junoon and Vermilion. In addition to this, Khanna worked for the Taj Hotels, Oberoi group, Welcome group and Leela Group of Hotels. In 2008, Khanna opened his own restaurant, Junoon, in New York City. Junoon received a favorable review from Sam Sifton in The New York Times. The restaurant quickly gained critical acclaim and was awarded a Michelin star for consecutive six years in 2010. In 2011, Junoon was named the best Indian restaurant in the United States by the prestigious James Beard Foundation. He opened a restaurant in Dubai named Kinara in 2019.

In addition to his success as a restaurateur, Khanna is also a highly accomplished cookbook author. He has written several books, including "Flavors First," "My Great India," and "Vikas Khanna's Indian Harvest." He has also been featured in many magazines like the Time, Forbes, People, New York Times and many more. Khanna is also a television personality, hosting and judging several cooking shows, including "MasterChef India" and "Junoon - A Spice Odyssey."

Khanna is also known for his philanthropic work, particularly in the areas of hunger relief and education. He founded the "Feed India" initiative, which aims to provide meals to underprivileged children in India, and has also supported organizations such as the Smile Train, which provides cleft lip and palate surgeries to children in need. Overall, Vikas Khanna is a highly respected and accomplished chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author who has made significant contributions to the culinary world. He has achieved great success in the United States while staying true to his Indian roots, and is widely admired for his dedication to both his craft and to giving back to the community.