The character arc of Garima Arora
A life drawn by Character Arc from the public record
Born in 1986 and raised in Mumbai. Between then and now sit a first career in journalism, a departure for France in 2008 to train at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and a graduation in 2010, work with Gordon Ramsay and with Rene Redzepi at Noma in Copenhagen, her own restaurant Gaa opened in a traditional Thai house in Bangkok in April 2017, a Michelin star in November 2018 as the first Indian woman ever to hold one, a debut on the Asia list at number sixteen, an initiative for the future of Indian food, and a second star in December 2023. The line below draws the story so far, in order.
Drag along the line to move, pinch or use the buttons to look closer. Tap the line to pluck it, or any mark for its card. Drawn from the public record of her life; the sources are at the foot of the page.
Who is Garima Arora?
She was going to be a journalist. Then she went to Paris.
She grew up in Mumbai, in a Punjabi Arora family, and initially pursued a career in journalism. That is the fact everything else hangs on, because a working journalist deciding at around twenty two to start again at the bottom of a kitchen brigade is not a small decision.
In 2008 she left for France to study at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and graduated in 2010. She then went to work in two of the hardest kitchens available: with Gordon Ramsay, and with Rene Redzepi at Noma in Copenhagen, which was at the time repeatedly named the best restaurant in the world.
In April 2017 she opened her own restaurant, Gaa, in a traditional Thai house in the heart of Bangkok. It is a modern Indian fine dining restaurant, which is to say an Indian chef cooking Indian food in Thailand for an international room, a position with no obvious precedent and no established audience.
In November 2018 she and Gaa were awarded a Michelin star, and she became the first Indian woman ever to receive one. The following year everything arrived at once: Asia Best Female Chef in February, a debut on the Asia 50 Best list at number sixteen in March with the Highest New Entry award, and a debut on the World 50 Best list at number ninety five in June.
In August 2019 she launched Food Forward India, an initiative prioritising the future of Indian food, whose first event brought the Mumbai food community together for a day of talks, tastings and panels that October. She was a judge on Masterchef India in 2023. And in December 2023 Gaa received a second Michelin star, making it only the second Indian restaurant in the world to hold two and Arora the first and only female Indian chef to run a two star restaurant. She has said that when she cooks traditional Gujarati food she still looks up a home cook videos to do it.
The moments
Garima Arora's timeline.
The 1980s
Born in Mumbai
Everyday. Mumbai, and a Punjabi family.
The 2000s
A career in journalism
Milestone, and it changed everything. She had already started one career.
Stay a journalist, or start over
Crossroads, decided.
The paths laid out: go to Paris and start again, taken, or stay in journalism. Noma, then her own restaurant in Bangkok, then the first Michelin star ever held by an Indian woman, and then a second.
She leaves for Paris
Milestone, and it changed everything. A journalist, starting again at the bottom of a kitchen.
The 2010s
Ramsay, then Noma
Milestone, and it changed everything. Two of the hardest kitchens in the world, in a row.
Gaa opens in Bangkok
Milestone, and it changed everything. An Indian chef, cooking Indian food, in Thailand.
The first Indian woman
Milestone, and it changed everything. Nobody from India had done it before.
Asia best female chef
Milestone, and it changed her direction. Three months after the star.
Highest new entry
Milestone, and it changed everything. Straight in at sixteen.
Onto the world list
Milestone, and it changed her direction. Two years old, and on the world list.
Food Forward India
Milestone, and it changed everything. She went home and started something for the whole country cooking.
The 2020s
Masterchef India
Milestone. On television at home, judging.
A second star
Milestone, and it changed everything. Two stars, and only the second Indian restaurant anywhere to hold them.
She still looks it up
Everyday. Two Michelin stars, and she still checks the home cooking videos.
Gaa still sits in a wooden Thai house with two stars on the door, and Food Forward India is still running. What she set moving is the plain proof that Indian cooking belongs at that level, made by somebody who had to leave both India and journalism to prove it.
Your turn
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Hers turned on leaving a career she had already started, at around twenty two, for one she had not. Yours is already further along than you think, and drawing it takes about five minutes.
Garima Arora: frequently asked questions
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What is Garima Arora's character arc?
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What is Gaa, the restaurant of Garima Arora?
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What is Food Forward India by Garima Arora?
What has Garima Arora said about home cooking?
Where does this timeline of Garima Arora's life come from?
More character arcs
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Sources
- Garima Arora, English Wikipedia biography, filed under living people.
- The Michelin Guide awards of November 2018 and December 2023.
- The Asia 50 Best and World 50 Best Restaurants listings of 2019.
- Food Forward India, launched August 2019.