ABOUT THIS COOK:

K.N.Vinod (www.chefvinod.com) is a Restaurateur, Chef/Co-owner of Indique Heights (www.indiqueheights.com,) Chevy Chase, MD, Indique (www.indique.com,) Washington D.C and the Bombay Bistro (www.bombaybistro.com )in Rockville, Maryland. Chef Vinod has been pleasing the palates of Washingtonians for over a decade with his acclaimed restaurants. Indique and Indique Heights have been receiving rave reviews in the press from the Washingtonian Magazines, Washington Times, Washington Post, Fox TV, Style Magazine, zagat Surveys and just about every magazine that reviews restaurants. Indique in cleveland Park was one of the three nominees for the Rammy Awards in 2006. Vinod's restaurants have hosted gourmands, foodies and celebrities including the former President of India, Mr. K.R.Narayanan, the former secretary of state Ms. Madeleine Albright, Mrs. Hillary Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, Ambassadors of various countries, Media personalities, other celebrity chefs, as well as the Club des Chefs des Chefs (an international organization of Chefs of Kings, Queens, Presidents and Prime Ministers). A graduate of the Institute of Hotel Management, Madras, India, Vinod has undergone extensive Chef training with various Hotels in India and has also attended the Culinary Institute of America , Hyde Park, New York. He further honed his culinary skills under many well-known chefs including Roger Moncourt, the French Chef who introduced French Cuisine to India. Vinod served as the first chef of the Burgundy, an upscale fine dining restaurant serving classical French cuisine at the Ashok Hotel, New Delhi. Chef Vinod has represented India at Indian Food Festivals across the globe. He led a team of chefs to the Festival of India held in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution in 1985. In 2002 Vinod's restaurants had the honor of running the food Concession at the prestigious Silk Road Festival organized by the Smithsonian. It catered to about 4000 people a day at the National Mall. He is also a frequent guest at the Smithsonian Resident Associate Programs. Chef Vinod volunteers his time to teach at the DC central Kitchen. His hobbies are International travel, and photography. Chef Vinod has also appeared on Fox TV and Channel 9 WUSA doing cooking demonstrations.

• What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
  Durian - Just can't stand the smell of it..

• What do you cook when home alone?
  A piece of spice rubbed grilled fish

• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  Coconut grater

• The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
  6 - 8