Indian-British chef Asma Khan wins Johannes van Dam Prize 2024

The Allard Pierson announced today that the Johannes van Dam Prize 2024 has been won by the Indian-British chef, cookbook writer and restaurant owner Asma Khan. An initiative of the Allard Pierson and the Stichting Gastronomische Bibliotheek (SGB), the Johannes van Dam Prize is a lifetime achievement award for an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to the sharing of knowledge of gastronomy. Khan will receive the prize on Friday 16 February.

Louise O. Fresco chair of the jury: “Asma Khan gives a new dimension to culinary culture by working with a bicultural team made up exclusively of women who act as equals in the workplace. She is an advocate of social justice both inside and outside kitchen.”

Asma Khan (1969) is one of the most prominent chefs in Britain. She was the first Indian-British chef featured on the successful Netflix series Chef’s Table, with her restaurant Darjeeling Express, run with an entirely female kitchen team.

Khan grew up in Calcutta and moved with her husband to Cambridge to study law. While she successfully completed her studies, she missed the food of her motherland. After graduating with a PhD in law, she started a private supper club with other women in her home, which eventually led to her own restaurant, Darjeeling Express, in 2017.

Asma Khan already has two cookbooks to her name: Ammu (also translated into Dutch) and Asma’s Indian Kitchen: Home-cooked food brought to you by Darjeeling Express.

Programme

The award ceremony takes place at 3 p.m. on 16 February at the Singelkerk in Amsterdam. On the basis of items from the History of Food collection, Asma Khan will be interviewed by Paulami Joshi and Lelani Lewis. Paulami Joshi – known for her book De Bijbel van de Indiase keuken and the platform Spice Trip – will interview Khan about finding a new home through food. Chef and culinary activist Lelani Lewis – known for the book Code Noir – will talk to Khan about diversity in culinary heritage.

Johannes van Dam Prize

The Johannes van Dam Prize, named in honour of culinary journalist Johannes van Dam (1946-2013), has been awarded since 2012. His collection of cookbooks and archive has been loaned by the Stichting Gastronomische Bibliotheek to the Allard Pierson, museum and knowledge institute for the heritage collections of the University of Amsterdam. Johannes van Dam’s curiosity extended to the furthest corners of the gastronomic world. He introduced a broad Dutch audience to the subject through his books and articles. This lifetime achievement award was created to continue that work. The wide-ranging interests of Johannes van Dam are reflected by his collection of cookbooks held at the Allard Pierson.

Previous winners have included Yotam Ottolenghi, Alain Passard and Alice Waters. In 2022 the prize was awarded to the Flemish television chef Jeroen Meus.

The jury consists of Professor Louise O. Fresco (writer, scholar and NRC columnist), Joris Bijdendijk (chef at RIJKS and WILS restaurants), Hassnae Bouazza (NRC journalist), Jonah Freud (writer and food journalist) and Hiske Versprille (restaurant critic for the Volkskrant).

Note to editors

For more information, please contact Pètra Huijgen of the Allard Pierson communications department, at p.a.huijgen@uva.nl.