Chef Damu dies: Padma Shri-winning chef was once a dishwasher at restaurants. A look at his networth

An era has come to an end. Chef Damodharan, aka Chef Damu breathed his last on Sunday. The Padma Shri recipient lost the battle to ill health after a long period of struggle. He was 72. The veteran chef was a renowned name in the field of cuisine, and he had also won fame as a judge in the show Cooku with Comali. He also held the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual, achieved in 2010. He cooked nonstop for 24 hours and 30 minutes and prepared no less than 617 dishes (190 kg) of food from scratch. He also was the first Indian chef to earn a PhD in Hotel Management and Catering Technology, awarded by the University of Madras in 2004.

A Better India report indicated his journey to success was not easy. In the beginning of his career, he joined hotel kitchens not as an aspiring chef but as a dishwasher and spent years honing his craft. Over the years, he established himself as a prominent figure in Tamil Nadu’s culinary landscape, earning recognition for his expertise in regional specialities, particularly Chettinad cuisine and traditional Indian dishes.

Beyond the kitchen, he contributed to culinary education, mentored aspiring chefs and helped popularise Tamil food traditions through television programmes and other public platforms. He also authored several books for home chefs featuring over 2,700 recipes. His best-selling book was Damu’s Home Free Style Cook.


In 2025, the government of India awarded him the Padma Shri in 2025 for his contribution to the field of cuisine. He also contributed to the Tamil Nadu government’s midday meal initiatives in 2008 and 2011, introducing eight rice dishes and six egg preparations for 1.68 crore schoolchildren

What Was His Networth?

According to an Asia Net report, the veteran chef’s networth is about four million dollars; that amounts to Rs 33 to Rs 34 crore.