Vikas Khanna hosts Zohran Mamdani for Iftar, remembers meeting him as an 8-year-old

Chef Vikas Khanna hosted New York City's mayor Zohran Mamdani for Iftar at his Manhattan restaurant, reflecting on a connection that began when Mamdani was a child.

An Iftar gathering in New York recently turned into a deeply nostalgic moment for celebrated chef Vikas Khanna and Zohran Mamdani. The mayor visited Khanna’s Manhattan restaurant Bungalow to break his fast during Ramadan, a visit that unexpectedly brought back memories from more than two decades ago.

Khanna later shared the story on Instagram, revealing that the two had first met when Mamdani was just a child accompanying his mother, acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair.

Recounting the early days of his life in New York, Khanna described how the meeting happened during a difficult period in his career when he had recently begun working at a restaurant in Tribeca.

"I had just survived homelessness, left a very abusive job, and started working at Salaam Bombay restaurant in Tribeca. I loved the name, it was also my favourite film by the iconic Mira Nair. One day, Mira walked in with her very young 8-year-old son, Zohran," Khanna wrote.

More than two decades later, the young boy from that memory returned, this time as New York City’s mayor. Mamdani visited Bungalow to mark Iftar, breaking his fast in the traditional way by eating a date before sitting down to a meal prepared by Khanna.

Khanna also reflected on the encouragement he received from Nair during his early years in the city. He described her as one of the most supportive individuals he encountered after moving to New York and mentioned that he has since catered several events for her over the years.