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Garima Arora is a chef from Mumbai whose Bangkok restaurant Gaa made her the first Indian woman to earn a Michelin star in 2018. In 2023 Gaa received a second star, making her the first Indian woman to run a two-Michelin-star restaurant.
Biography
Early life
Garima Arora grew up in Mumbai in a Punjabi family and first worked as a journalist. In 2008 she moved to Paris to train at Le Cordon Bleu, graduating in 2010.
Training with the best
She cooked under Gordon Ramsay and at René Redzepi’s Noma in Copenhagen, then worked at Gaggan in Bangkok, where modern Indian fine dining was being reinvented.
Gaa
In April 2017 she opened her own restaurant, Gaa, in a traditional Thai house in central Bangkok, serving inventive tasting menus rooted in Indian ingredients and techniques. In November 2018 Gaa earned a Michelin star, making Arora the first Indian woman chef to receive one. In 2019 Gaa entered Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants at No. 16, winning the Highest New Entry Award, and the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list at No. 95.
Two stars and beyond
Arora was named Asia’s Best Female Chef for 2019. In August 2019 she launched Food Forward India, a platform for conversations about the future of Indian food. In December 2023 Gaa received a second Michelin star, making her the first Indian woman chef with two stars. She has also been a judge on MasterChef India (2023).
Cooking style
At Gaa, Arora serves tasting menus that reinterpret Indian ingredients and techniques — fermentation, tandoor cooking, regional spices — through a modern, seasonal lens influenced by her years at Noma. She has spoken about wanting to change global perceptions of Indian food as only curries and to give young Indian chefs the confidence to experiment with their own culinary heritage.
Timeline
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2008
Begins training at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris
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2017
Opens Gaa in Bangkok
April.
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2018
First Michelin star
First Indian woman chef to earn one.
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2019
Asia’s Best Female Chef; Gaa enters Asia’s 50 Best and World’s 50 Best
Launches Food Forward India.
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2023
Second Michelin star; MasterChef India judge
Awards and honours
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Michelin star
2018 · Gaa, Bangkok.
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Asia’s Best Female Chef
2019 · Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.
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Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants — Highest New Entry Award
2019 · Gaa at No. 16.
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Second Michelin star
2023 · Gaa, Bangkok.
Did you know?
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1
She worked as a journalist before training as a chef.
-
2
Gaa is housed in a traditional Thai house in the heart of Bangkok.
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3
She is the first Indian woman chef to hold two Michelin stars.
Connections
Frequently asked
Who is Garima Arora?
Garima Arora is a chef from Mumbai whose Bangkok restaurant Gaa made her the first Indian woman to earn a Michelin star in 2018. In 2023 Gaa received a second star, making her the first Indian woman to run a two-Michelin-star restaurant.
Where is Garima Arora from?
Garima Arora was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
What is Garima Arora known for?
Garima Arora is best known for Gaa in Bangkok, holder of two Michelin stars; MasterChef India judge.
What awards has Garima Arora received?
Notable honours include Michelin star (2018), Asia’s Best Female Chef (2019), Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants — Highest New Entry Award (2019), Second Michelin star (2023).
References
- Garima Arora — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Garima Arora — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Garima Arora (Q58823961) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Garima Arora.” TrackFame, last updated 26 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/garima-arora
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