Chef Damu, Padma Shri Awardee and Cooku with Comali Judge, Dies at 72 in Chennai

Chef Damu, the Tamil television chef and culinary teacher known to millions of viewers as a judge on Cooku with Comali, died on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at the age of 72. His full name was Damodharan Kothandaraman. The Times of India reported his death on October 25, in a report titled for his role on the show, and Filmibeat reported that he died at Apollo Hospital in Chennai. He had been in ill health and had reportedly been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Chennai for the past few days.

Confirmation and the earlier false rumour

His death was confirmed by Media Masons in an Instagram post, as reported in a Mint syndication published on October 25. The post said: "It is with deep sadness that we pay our respects to Dr. Chef Dham, a renowned culinary artist who has made an extraordinary contribution to the world of cooking and inspired countless people with his passion, knowledge and dedication. His remarkable legacy and contribution to Indian cuisine will always be remembered. Heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and admirers at this difficult time." The post spells his name as Dham. Confirmation mattered in this case because false rumours of Chef Damu's death had already spread once this year. In August 2026, after he missed a Cooku with Comali semi final, rumours circulated and he answered them himself in a video, explaining that a leg injection had kept him away. The reports this time rest on the Times of India report, the Mint syndication and the Media Masons confirmation, checked by Orbit Post before publication.

A career built on teaching

He was born on September 3, 1954, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He became a familiar face in Tamil households through television cooking programmes, including Arusuvai Neram on Jaya TV, and he served as a judge on Cooku with Comali on Star Vijay across its listed seasons 1 to 7. The show paired cooking with comedy, and his judging made him one of the most recognisable chefs on Tamil television. He also appeared in Tamil films, including Kallappadam in 2015 and Ulkuthu in 2017.

The record and the honours

In December 2010 he set a Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual. He prepared 617 dishes weighing about 190 kilograms in a continuous session lasting 24 hours, 30 minutes and 12 seconds. He received a PhD in Hotel Management and Catering Technology from the University of Madras in 2004, and he was widely reported to be the first Indian chef to obtain a doctorate in the field. In 2025 he was conferred the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honours, for his contributions to the culinary field. No family statement wording was verified in the reports available at publication.