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Koushik Shankar (Chef) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 6, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

BirthplaceChennai, Tamil Nadu

ProfessionChef

NationalityIndian

Koushik Shankar (Chef) Biography

Koushik Shankar is an Indian chef and restaurant consultant from Chennai, known for fusion cooking and television work in Tamil-language shows. He foundeda

Early life and background

Koushik Shankar was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and grew up with an early fascination for cooking. He attended Mallya Aditi International School in Bangalore and pursued culinary and language studies thereafter. His formal training includes a diploma in French linguistic skills from Alliance Française de Bangalore and a diploma in hotel management from the Institute of Hotel Management, Bangalore. He also completed a postgraduate diploma in business analytics through distance learning at Symbiosis.

Career

Shankar began his professional kitchen career in 1997 as a trainee Chef de Partie at The Leela (then Leela Kempinski) in Mumbai. Later that year he joined Cafe Coffee Day in Mumbai as a product development manager and worked there until 1999. From 1999 to 2002 he held product development and marketing responsibilities at Chimayo Chains in Chennai, and in 2002 he moved to Java Green in Chennai as a product development manager, a role he performed until 2006.

In 2006 he launched his own food and beverage consultancy, Eatitude Gourmet Technologists. Through his consultancy he has worked with a wide range of restaurants and cafés across India and abroad, providing concept and menu development for venues such as Toss Up, Illusions, Peach’s, Simply South, Azzuri Bay, Hundred’s Heritage, Coal N Flame, Eleven Fine Dining, Greens N Grains, Raakozhi, Sri Krishna Rassa, The Gig, Texas Fiesta, The Bayleaf, M.A.S.H., Chennai Chillin’, Hazzel Dairy, The Madaras Kafe, Boomerang, Soup and Salad Café, Dewberry’s, Funk N Jazz, Kalmane Koffees, Qwiky’s and international projects including The Tower and Mantra in North Carolina.

Shankar’s work has earned industry recognition over the years. His honours include the Best Chef award conferred by Tamil Tourism (2017), awards from the Indian Restaurant Congress and Times Food (2016 and 2017), and the Times Hospitality Icon accolade (2019). In 2023 he received the President’s Medal from the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA).

Television and public-facing roles

On television, Shankar has appeared both as a chef and as a judge. He served as the main chef on the Jaya TV series Masala Express and Thamizhagathin Samayal Champion. He was a judge on MasterChef India – Tamil in its first season (2021) and returned as a judge for season two (2023); season one aired on Sun TV while season two premiered on the OTT platform SonyLIV.

In 2022 he expanded his television presence with guest and judging appearances on shows including Tamizha Tamizha on Zee Tamil and Cooku with Comali on Star Vijay. That year he also served as a visiting judge and was invited to judge several industry award ceremonies such as The Food Connoisseur India Award, the Indian International Victory Awards, and various restaurant awards. He shared a judging platform with Ranveer Brar at the Merit Awards & Market Research event in New Delhi in 2022.

Style and persona

Known by the nickname "The Mad Chef," Shankar has described the origin of the name as stemming from his willingness to blend culinary traditions and present South Indian cuisine with continental styling while still a student. He is recognised for fusion-driven dishes and a creative approach to menu development.

Public profile

Physically, Shankar is approximately 175 cm tall (about 5'9") with black eyes and salt-and-pepper hair. He has a distinctive tattoo of a Japanese dragon covering his left arm. He lists Bangalore, Karnataka, as his hometown and holds Indian nationality.

Latest updates

Most recently, Shankar served as a judge on MasterChef India – Tamil Season 2 (2023) and was awarded the President’s Medal by the IFCA in 2023. He continues to run his consultancy, Eatitude Gourmet Technologists, and remains active in television appearances and industry events.
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Recent Work

MasterChef India – Tamil Season 2 (Judge)

Judge on the 2023 season which premiered on SonyLIV

2023
President's Medal by IFCA

Recipient of the President's Medal awarded by the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations

2023
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Career Highlights

  1. Founded Eatitude Gourmet Technologists (2006) and provided consultancy to numerous restaurants and cafés in India and abroad
  2. Judge on MasterChef India – Tamil (seasons 1 and 2)
  3. Main chef on Jaya TV series Masala Express and Thamizhagathin Samayal Champion
  4. Awards include Best Chef by Tamil Tourism (2017), Times Food Awards (2016, 2017), Times Hospitality Icon (2019), and President's Medal by IFCA (2023)
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