Rakesh Raghunathan is a chef, food historian and TV host.[1][2] He is known for presenting South Indian food history on television and featuring in the panel of judges at MasterChef India.[3][4]
He started his career after earning an MBA degree from University of Hartford, CT, USA.[5] He launched PetaWrap, a fast-food chain before shifting his focus to food and history.[6] He began exploring food and regional dishes in Tamil Nadu.[7][8] In 2019, he hosted Dakshin Diaries, a TV series on Living Foodz.[9][10] He started exploring food and culture of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.[11][12] In 2024, he was one of the judges at the Masterchef Tamil season 2.[13]
He has documented recipes and culinary traditions as a food historian.[14] He uses food and cooking as a medium for story telling.[15]