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Rakesh Raghunathan (Chef) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 14, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

BirthplaceKodaikanal, Tamil Nadu

ProfessionChef, Food Historian, Host

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpousePreeti Mohan

FamilySon; Mother - Rama Raghunathan; has a sister

Rakesh Raghunathan (Chef) Biography

Rakesh Raghunathan is an Indian chef, food historian and television host known for blending culinary storytelling with regional food histories. From early

Early life and background

Rakesh Raghunathan was born and raised in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu. He completed a B.Com at Loyola College, Chennai, followed by a Master of Financial Management from Pondicherry University. He later pursued an MBA in Finance and Management at the University of Hartford in the United States. Raghunathan’s mother is Rama Raghunathan; he has a sister. He is married to Preeti Mohan and the couple have a son.

Career

Raghunathan began his professional life outside the kitchen, working as a Senior Contract Administrator at Hewlett-Packard in India from 2003 to 2005. He later undertook a short business internship at Standard Chartered Bank in 2008. Parallel to these roles he developed his interest in food and began sharing it publicly.

In 2009 he launched a self-titled YouTube channel to post cookery videos and build an audience for his culinary work. In 2010 he founded PetaWrap, a kiosk-based food and beverage concept offering both vegetarian and non-vegetarian wraps. Two years later he and his wife started a food and travel blog called Puliyogare Travels, focused on regional cuisines with particular attention to South Indian food.

Raghunathan moved into broadcast work and long-form food storytelling, creating, hosting and concept-directing the tourism television show Sutralam Suvaikalam for News7Tamil in 2015. His work on that programme was recognised with the Tamil Nadu Tourism Award in 2018. He expanded his television presence with projects for Living Foodz (now Zee Zest), presenting an appearance on Curries of India and launching the documentary series Dakshin Diaries in 2019, which explored the culture, tradition and food of South Indian regions.

He has continued to alternate between digital and broadcast formats. On his YouTube channel he produced a web series titled Ammavum Naanum in which his mother prepares dishes while he provides commentary, blending recipes with culinary history and family memories. In 2022 he hosted the travel and food show Highway Dreams on Zee Zest and that year also appeared as a celebrity chef on the Tamil cookery show Super Samayal (Sun TV) and on Zee Zest’s 100% South Indian. He served as a jury member for the Zee Zest Unlimit Awards in 2023 and joined the judging panel of MasterChef India – Tamil Season 2 on SonyLIV the same year.

Public profile

Beyond television and digital content, Raghunathan is active as a public speaker and storyteller. He took part in forums and festivals including a 2017 event organised by the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, a TEDx talk in Chennai in 2018 titled "Food Stories: Tale of a Community, Adversity & a Humble Peanut," and a group discussion at The Hindu Lit Fest that year on culinary journeys into the past.

He runs cooking workshops and has spoken about hosting large, in-person classes early in his career. Raghunathan also posts music covers and videos, reflecting training in classical music. His social media activity includes brand endorsements; he has promoted Aashirvaad Atta on Instagram.

Latest updates

In recent years Raghunathan has balanced television appearances with digital projects and live events. Highlights from 2022–2023 include hosting Highway Dreams, serving as a celebrity chef on multiple regional cookery shows, judging MasterChef India – Tamil Season 2, and participating as a jury member for Zee Zest’s Unlimit Awards. His YouTube channel continued to publish cookery and culture-focused content alongside workshop and speaking engagements.

Physical characteristics

Rakesh Raghunathan is listed at approximately 175 cm (1.75 m), or about 5'9". His eye colour is recorded as hazel brown and his hair colour as brown.
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Recent Work

MasterChef India – Tamil Season 2 (Judge)

Appeared as a judge on the Tamil cookery TV show which premiered on SonyLIV.

2023
Highway Dreams (Host)

Hosted an English language travel and food show that aired on Zee Zest.

2022
Dakshin Diaries (Creator/Host)

Documentary series exploring South Indian food and culture on Living Foodz (now Zee Zest).

2019
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Career Highlights

  1. Founder of PetaWrap food kiosk chain
  2. Creator and host of TV shows exploring regional food and travel
  3. Tamil Nadu Tourism Award for Sutralam Suvaikalam (2018)
  4. Judge on MasterChef India – Tamil Season 2 (2023)
  5. Presented a TEDx Chennai talk on food storytelling (2018)
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Rakesh Raghunathan (Chef) known for?

Chef, Food Historian, Host

What is Rakesh Raghunathan (Chef)’s marital status?

Married

Who is Rakesh Raghunathan (Chef) married to?

Preeti Mohan