NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Diya TV) — Maneet Chauhan is facing backlash online after describing herself as a “Southerner” during a recent podcast interview.
The Indian American chef, television personality, and restaurateur made the remarks while appearing on Biscuits & Jam, a podcast by Southern Living. Chauhan discussed her life in Nashville, where she has lived for more than a decade and built a successful restaurant business. During the interview, Chauhan was asked whether she now considers herself a true Southerner.
“I am,” Chauhan said. “I think there’s a lot of commonality between people who are from India and the people from the South. So it felt very much at home.”
She added that being Southern goes beyond geography or birthplace.
“Being a Southerner means having a heart that permeates into everything that you do,” she said. “With the people that you meet, with every project you take up, with each conversation that you have, there is soul, there is depth.”
The comments quickly spread across the social media platform X after conservative journalist Sean Davis criticized her remarks. Sharing screenshots from the interview alongside details about Chauhan’s Indian background, Davis wrote: “I mean, come on.”
The post gained significant attention and divided users online. Some criticized Davis and defended Chauhan, calling her story an example of successful immigrant assimilation in America.
“Republicans are now getting mad at immigrants for assimilating,” one X user wrote.
Another user praised Chauhan’s business success and cultural influence in Tennessee.
“Maneet, an award-winning chef, built her restaurant empire in Nashville,” the post read. “She’s also a live fire barbecue expert. She’s an immigrant from India who assimilated and loves America. We should celebrate entrepreneurs like her.”
Others questioned why Chauhan faced criticism for embracing Southern culture after living and working in the region for years.
“So she’s assimilated, and that’s a problem?” another user wrote. “What would you like her and others like her to do when asked a question?”
However, critics supported Davis and argued that Chauhan should not identify as Southern because she was born outside the United States.
“She’s not a Southerner or an American,” one user posted. “What an insult to real Southerners.”
Chauhan was born on Oct. 27, 1976, in Ludhiana. She studied hotel management in India before moving to the United States in 1998 to attend the Culinary Institute of America in New York.
She graduated with top honors and quickly built a successful culinary career. Chauhan worked in restaurants in New Jersey, Chicago, and New York before eventually settling in Nashville. At age 27, she became the executive chef of Vermilion, where she earned praise from food critics. She later opened several restaurants, including Chauhan Ale & Masala House and The Mockingbird.
Over the years, Chauhan became one of the most recognized Indian American chefs in the United States. She also expanded her presence on television through appearances on shows including Chopped, BBQ Brawl, and Tournament of Champions. In the same podcast interview, Chauhan spoke about her long-standing mission to make Indian cuisine more approachable for American audiences.
“Since 1998, coming to this country, all I have wanted to do is show people the beauty of Indian food,” she said. “It’s really not that complicated, and I wanted to demystify that you can do this at home.”
