Once, he washed dishes for a living. Today, he is a Padma Shri winner and entered world records for cooking 617 dishes in a day. Who is Chef Damu?

Today, he is a Padma Shri winning chef, but once upon a time, Chef Damodharan aka Damu washed dishes for a living. Recently, positivity portal The Better India, shared a video of his incredible life journey. Born in a small town in Tamil Nadu, Damodharan began his journey in hotel kitchens - not as a cook but by scrubbing vessels. He worked tirelessly in the kitchens, mastering his craft. He eventually went on to become the first Indian chef with a PhD in the culinary arts.

Chef Damu is celebrated for his mastery of Tamil cuisine. His expertise spans the spice-laden flavours of Chettinad cooking, Chennai's renowned seafood delicacies, and the wholesome, traditional vegetarian dishes prepared by Tamil Brahmin communities. His extensive culinary knowledge reflects a seamless blend of robust South Indian flavours and time-honoured vegetarian recipes, highlighting the rich and diverse gastronomic heritage of Tamil Nadu.

Blessed with not just a knack, but an undying passion for cooking, he refused to retire even after he crossed 56. He once cooked nonstop for 24 hours and 30 minutes and prepared 617 dishes (190 kg of food) from scratch. This made to the Guiness Book Of Records. He has also authored over 20 books, and put various local Tamil dishes on the global map.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Better India (@thebetterindia)

Chef Damu received further recognition when he appeared as a judge on the comedy-based cooking reality TV show Cooku With Comali.

In 2025, at the age of 70, he was honoured with the Padma Shri award for his contribution to the field of culinary arts.