WHO: Neel Kajale is head chef of the new Adda in the East Village.
ABOUT: As a young chef from Mumbai who has studied his way through top colleges — IHM Mumbai and the Culinary Institute of America — Neel has evolved every step of the way. As the former chef de partie at the world-renowned Eleven Madison Park, his discipline, hard work, and dedication to the culinary industry have been impeccable and consistent.
Branching into different avenues of the food world, Neel was the recipe developer and test kitchen assistant at Food52 and later at Haven’s Kitchen. A desire to cook the food of his home country brought him to Unapologetic Foods, where he joined Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya at Dhamaka as chef de cuisine of the highly acclaimed restaurant. He was named a StarChefs’ rising star and has now been appointed head chef of the new Adda in the East Village — bringing his story full circle, from India to New York and back, to the heart of the food that shaped him.
WHAT: Get a taste of the new Adda (the prior location received two NYT stars and was a Critic’s Pick), with Chef Neel Kajale — previously at Dhamaka — leading the way. The groundbreaking restaurant, from the highly revered Indian restaurant group Unapologetic Foods, moved from Long Island City to the East Village in 2025 and is focusing on reimagined classics with a particular focus on northern India.
WHEN: Tuesday, December 9, 6PM - 8PM EST
WHERE: De Gustibus Cooking School
