Dr. Damodharan Kothandaraman, professionally known as Chef Damu, is an Indian celebrity chef. He is known for hosting numerous cooking shows and serving as a judge on popular Tamil language television programs, most notably Cooku with Comali on Star Vijay. He holds the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual, achieved in 2010. In recognition of his contributions to the culinary arts, he was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, in 2025.[1]
He is also known for being the first Indian chef to receive a Ph.D. in Hotel Management and Catering Technology, awarded by the University of Madras in 2004.[2]
In December 2010, Chef Damu cooked 617 dishes weighing a total of 190 kilograms over a continuous cooking session that lasted 24 hours, 30 minutes, and 12 seconds.[3]
He has authored several cookbooks and conducted culinary workshops to promote traditional South Indian cuisine. He also served as a judge in food competitions such as Our State Our Taste conducted by The Hindu across various cities in Tamil Nadu.[4]
In 2025, Chef Damu was conferred the Padma Shri by the Government of India for his contributions to culinary science.[5][6][7]
