NEW YORK: At Michelin-starred Semma in New York City, South Indian fine dining is more than a meal—it’s a movement. And behind this culinary revolution is Executive Chef and co-owner Vijaya Kumar, a proud son of Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, whose personal story is as rich and layered as the flavours on every plate he serves.
With a waitlist that regularly hits 1,400 diners, scoring a reservation here has become a minor miracle. But diners aren’t just showing up for the hype—they’re showing up for heritage, reimagined.
Kumar’s upbringing in rural South India, where cooking was instinctive and ingredients deeply local, shaped his culinary lens. Raised in a farming family, he grew up eating rustic dishes made with freshly plucked greens and hand-ground spices. Today, he brings those same dishes—like poriyal, pirattal, and paniyaram—to the forefront of Manhattan’s elite dining scene, proving that South Indian food deserves the same spotlight as global haute cuisines.
“South Indian cuisine is getting its long due recognition. And, this could happen because the chefs took pride in the food they ate,” he told reporters in a recent interview. That pride is evident in every dish at Semma, which has quickly become one of NYC’s most sought-after reservations.
Reservations open just two weeks in advance and vanish within minutes. But Kumar isn’t just chasing acclaim—he’s chasing authenticity. His menu doesn’t pander to Western expectations; instead, it introduces diners to the true taste of the south—sour tamarind, fiery black pepper, and deeply comforting coconut.
Semma is part of a new wave of South Indian fine dining in the US and UK, where chefs are diving deep into regional cuisines. And with Kumar leading the charge, it’s clear that South Indian flavours are finally getting their place at the top table.
