Quick Info
| Profession | Chef, Television Personality |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Date of Birth | 03/09/1954 |
| Age | 72 years (died on 25, Oct, 2026) |
| Birthplace | Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Date of Death | 25/10/2026 |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
Latest News about Chef Damu
25/10/2026
Chef Damu, the Padma Shri-awarded chef and Cooku with Comali judge, died in Chennai on 25/10/2026 at the age of 72 after a period of ill health. Multiple news outlets reported his passing, which was preceded by a hip fracture and knee surgery that had left him relying on a wheelchair in recent years. Tributes followed from the culinary and Tamil television communities.
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Bio/Wiki
| Full Name | Damodharan Kothandaraman |
|---|---|
| Other Names |
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| Summary | Indian celebrity chef known for hosting cooking shows and judging Tamil-language television programmes, especially Cooku with Comali on Star Vijay, and for expertise in South Indian cuisine. |
Educational Qualification(s)
| Ph.D. | Hotel Management and Catering Technology, University of Madras, 2004 (reported as the first Indian chef to earn this degree) |
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Family
| Spouse | Usha Damu |
|---|---|
| Children | Akshaya |
Career
| Early Career | Began his culinary career at the Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai (Bombay) |
|---|---|
| Television | Host and judge on Tamil-language cooking shows and reality competitions, notably Cooku with Comali on Star Vijay (judge, 2019) |
| Film | Appeared in the film Kallappadam (2015) as a fictional chef |
| Guinness World Record | Longest cooking marathon by an individual, December 2010: 617 dishes weighing 190 kilograms over 24 hours, 30 minutes and 12 seconds |
| Publishing and Education | Author of several South Indian cookbooks; conducts culinary workshops and demonstrations |
| Competitions | Judge in The Hindu's Our State Our Taste food competitions across Tamil Nadu |
| YouTube | Started a YouTube channel in 2019 |
| Awards | Padma Shri (2025) from the Government of India for contributions to culinary science |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. He was reportedly the first Indian chef to receive a Ph.D. in Hotel Management and Catering Technology. | |
| 2. He appeared in the unreleased film Server Sundaram in 2016. | |
| 3. He uploaded his first YouTube video in September 2019. |
