Damodaran Kothandaraman, the celebrated Tamil chef and television personality known to millions as chef Damu, died on Sunday in Chennai. His death was confirmed by fellow chef Venkatesh Bhat, who posted an Instagram video message. Also read | Days after music composer Deva’s death, his nephew and actor Karthik Sabesh dies
‘This news is very shocking’
Chef Venkatesh called chef Damu a friend and collaborator of 15 years, and said in Tamil, “It’s very upsetting to learn that Padma Shree Chef Damu is no more. He set an example for thousands of people in the catering profession, showing them that it was possible to become a Padma Shree awardee (doing what they do). He authored 26-30 books and made traditional Tamil recipes world-famous.”
He added, “We were friends and collaborators for 15 years, and our memories together will be evergreen. I conveyed my deepest condolences to his bereaved family and his crores of fans. This news is very shocking. He should be honoured in a manner befitting his stature. His memory will always be with us….I pray that his soul attains peace.”
Tributes poured in
Food cintent creator Viji Sharon Philip wrote in her Instagram post, “Heartbroken to hear about the passing of Padma Shri Chef Damu sir. He was not just a chef, he was an emotion for all Tamil households. He made cooking simple, joyful and approachable for all of us. His passion taught us that cooking is not just a job; it’s an art. He was truly an artist. Your legacy will forever live in our kitchens. We miss you, chef.” Someone commented, “The best chef who was soft-spoken with a touch of humour.” A fan also wrote, “I started learning cooking through his cookery books… I will always treasure the books with me.”
Chef Damu’s career
Born in 1954, he began as a management trainee with the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation after studying at the Institute of Hotel Management, Chennai. He would later earn a PhD in hotel management and catering technology from the University of Madras in 2004 — the first Indian chef to do so — teach and lead hotel management institutes, author more than 20 cookbooks, and help overhaul Tamil Nadu’s school noon-meal scheme, training some 140,000 workers between 2008 and 2011.
He held records for endurance and scale: in December 2010, he entered the Guinness World Records by cooking 617 dishes, weighing 190 kg, in a continuous 24-hour, 30-minute, and 12-second session. Later feats included a 14.7-meter dosa in Madurai and, in Singapore, the world’s largest curry.
But for a generation, he was simply the warm, moustached judge on Vijay TV’s Cooku with Comali, where cooking contests collided with slapstick. From 2019, through all seven seasons, his gentle humour, encouragement and unfailing clarity made professional technique feel approachable. He also appeared in Tamil films.
In January 2025, the Government of India conferred on him the Padma Shri for contributions to the culinary arts — an honour, chef Venkatesh said, that showed thousands in the catering industry that their craft could reach the highest civilian recognition.
Chef Damu had dismissed false death rumours in August with a video, explaining that his absence from the show was due to a leg injection. He was 72, and is survived by family whose details have not yet been made public. Funeral arrangements are expected in Chennai.
