Bringing the soul of Kerala to the Pacific Northwest
2025 James Beard Award Semi-Finalist
Discover His StoryThe Chef
Born and raised in Chennai to Kerala parents, Chef Ajay Panicker grew up between two of South India's great culinary cultures — both of which continue to shape the way he cooks and thinks about food. He trained in hotel management in Chennai before making the journey to the United States in 2001, spending years honing his craft across Florida, New Jersey, and the Pacific Northwest.
After settling in Seattle in 2012, Chef Panicker set out on a mission — not simply to open an Indian restaurant, but to bring the real thing: the food of Kerala, the dishes made at home, the traditions rarely seen outside the subcontinent.
"I wanted to bring the food I grew up eating to a city that hadn't seen much of it… not just South Indian food. I wanted to focus on Kerala. The real thing."
Today, Chef Panicker leads three distinctive restaurants, each a love letter to the regional cuisines of India — earning national recognition along the way, including a 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalist nomination for Best Chef.
Dining
An Indian Eatery
11451 98th Ave NE, Kirkland, WA — Juanita
Panicker's flagship and the restaurant that earned his James Beard recognition. Kathakali is devoted to the cuisine of Kerala — coconut-forward gravies, banana leaf preparations, and coastal seafood dishes rarely found in the Pacific Northwest.
Signature: Meen Pollichathu — spiced fish wrapped and roasted in banana leaves
Visit KathakaliSouth Indian Cuisine
Snoqualmie, WA
Aahaar — meaning "nourishment" in Sanskrit — was Chef Panicker's first restaurant and the foundation of his culinary vision in Washington State. The menu explores the breadth of South Indian cooking, spanning Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka traditions.
A celebration of the full spectrum of South Indian regional flavors
Visit AahaarBold Indian Flavors
Pacific Northwest
Roaring Indian channels the vibrant, unapologetically bold side of Indian cuisine — big spices, confident flavors, and dishes with personality. A counterpart to the more refined Kathakali, it showcases the full range of Chef Panicker's culinary expression.
Where Indian cooking roars with confidence and heat
Visit Roaring IndianPhilosophy
Kerala's cuisine is among India's most distinct — shaped by the Arabian Sea, lush spice gardens, and centuries of trade. Chef Panicker draws on this heritage to create food that is at once deeply traditional and entirely alive.
From aviyal — a coconut-yogurt vegetable medley — to meen pollichathu, the flavors of the Kerala coast thread through everything Chef Panicker cooks. Coconut milk, curry leaves, and mustard seeds are not accents; they are the foundation.
In a culinary landscape where "Indian food" is often flattened into generic curries, Chef Panicker insists on specificity. He cooks the food of a particular place, particular people, and a particular way of life — and that commitment is what earned him national recognition.
Awards & Press
2025
Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA)
Kathakali, An Indian Eatery received national recognition from the James Beard Foundation — one of the most prestigious honors in American cuisine — celebrating Chef Panicker's dedication to authentic Kerala cooking.
View Official Announcement →The Seattle Times
"Spread the word about the great South Indian flavors at Kathakali in Kirkland"
Layered Kerala flavors and gracious service in Kirkland's Juanita Bay neighborhood.
Seattle Magazine
"This Eastside Indian Restaurant Wows With Dishes Rarely Found Stateside"
Spotlighting Kathakali's meen pollichathu and dishes rarely seen outside Indian homes.
Seattle Refined / KOMO News
"Chef Ajay Panicker gains national attention for Kerala cuisine"
"I wanted to bring the food I grew up eating… the real thing. The food we make at home."
Seattle Met
"These Are Seattle's 2025 James Beard Semifinalists"
Panicker named among seven regional nominees for Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific.
FOX 13 Seattle
"Chefs & Restaurants: James Beard Semifinalists"
Kathakali in Kirkland featured among Washington State's James Beard honorees.
Axios Seattle
"James Beard Semifinalists: Seattle 2025"
Axios covers Kathakali's nomination as part of Seattle's strong James Beard showing in 2025.