Maneet Chauhan was born on October 27, 1976, in Ludhiana, Punjab, India, to a Sikh household. She began her culinary career at Manipal University's WelcomGroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration in India, where she graduated at the top of her class with a bachelor's degree in Hotel Management.
She then attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and graduated with honors, sweeping all the awards in her class. As an apprentice chef, she worked in India with prominent hotel chains such as Oberoi Group, Taj Group, Welcome Group, and Sheraton Group.
After graduating in 2000, Maneet was hired as the management for a startup restaurant in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where she headed a team and expanded the restaurant's capacity from 70 seats to 140 seats. In 2003, at the age of 27, she became the opening executive chef of Vermilion in Chicago, Illinois, earning her 3-Stars from The Chicago Tribune.
In 2007, she moved to New York City to open At Vermilion, where she was nominated as the 'Best Import to New York' by Time Out Magazine. Her culinary style is described as "global fusion" with roots in Indian cuisine.
Maneet has written two cookbooks, "Flavors of My World: A Culinary Tour Through 25 Countries" and "Chaat," co-authored with Jody Eddy. Her first cookbook was a Cookbooks of the Year and her second cookbook won the award from International Association of Culinary Professionals in 2014.
She has appeared on several TV shows, including "Chopped," "Guy's Grocery Games," "The Next Iron Chef," "The View," "Iron Chef America," and "Worst Cooks in America." She has also been a judge on "Chopped" and "Guy's Grocery Games."
Maneet has received several awards and recognition, including being invited by President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama to the White House for the Annual Easter Egg Roll Hunt in 2014. She was also an invited member of Indiaspora, which hosted 100 influential Indian American leaders in 2012.
In 2014, she opened her first restaurant, Chauhan Ale and Masala House, in Nashville, Tennessee, and has since opened three more restaurants and three breweries in the area. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak, Maneet has managed to keep all her restaurants in business.
Maneet is also involved in philanthropic efforts, participating in fundraisers to benefit underprivileged children in India and the typhoon relief efforts in the Philippines.
