Local Voices
McLean Resident Vikram Sunderam Wins James Beard Award for Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic
Sunderam, 47, is the group executive chef for Rasika and Rasika West.
McLean resident Vikram Sunderam walked away with one of the culinary world's biggest prizes this week: "Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic," from the James Beard Foundation. The awards were handed out Monday in New York.
Sunderam, 47, is the group executive chef for Rasika and Rasika West, which serve up modern Indian cuisine at two DC locations. The name “Rasika” is derived from Sanskrit language meaning “flavors.”
The Bombay, India native opened Rasika in 2005 with Ashok Bajaj, founder of Knightsbridge Restaurant Group. The company includes The Bombay Club, 701 Restaurant, The Oval Room, Ardeo+Bardeo, Rasika, Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca, Rasika West End, and nopa Kitchen+Bar.
Sunderam is the first in the restaurant group to bring home a James Beard award.
Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsma gave Rasika four stars in his most recent review of the eatery.
Sunderam bested the other chefs in the Mid-Atlantic category: Spike Gjerde of Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore, Brad Spencer from Amis in Philadelphia and most notably Cathal Armstrong of Restaurant Eve in Alexandria. The Washington Post noted that this is the eighth time Armstrong has walked away empty-handed.
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