Chef Damu dies: Cooku with Comali judge and Guinness record holder, CM Vijay leads tributes

Dubai: Chef Damu, the veteran Tamil chef known to television audiences as a judge on Cooku with Comali, has died in Chennai at the age of 72.

According to Filmibeat, he died on Sunday, October 25, after a period of illness. He had reportedly been receiving treatment at a private hospital in Chennai for the past few days. The cause of death has not been made public.

Born Damodharan Kothandaraman, he held a Guinness World Record and was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honours, in 2025.

CM Vijay pays tribute

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay paid tribute in a post shared by his office on X.

"Through his culinary expertise and unique approach, he brought the art of cooking to the people via television programmes," the post read. "His demise is a great loss to the culinary arts field."

The chief minister also offered his condolences to the chef's family, relatives and friends. Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor also paid tribute, remembering him for his cheerful, smiling nature.

From hotel management to a doctorate

Chef Damu was born in Chennai in 1954 and studied at the Institute of Hotel Management in the city. According to ANI, he began his career as a management trainee with the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation.

In 2004, he received a PhD in Hotel Management and Catering Technology from the University of Madras. He was widely reported to be the first Indian chef to earn a doctorate in the field, which earned him the nickname "Dr Chef".

He also worked in culinary education, training young chefs, and wrote several cookbooks.

617 dishes in a day

His best-known feat came in December 2010, when he set the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual.

Over 24 hours, 30 minutes and 12 seconds, he prepared 617 dishes weighing about 190kg in total.

He went on to attempt other large-scale cooking challenges, including a 14.7-metre dosa in Madurai and what was billed as the world's largest curry in Singapore.

'Damu Appa' on Cooku with Comali

To a younger generation of viewers, he was best known as a judge on Star Vijay's Cooku with Comali, the comedy cooking show that pairs contestants with clowns. He judged the show from its first season through its seventh, and fans called him "Damu Appa".

Before that, he was a familiar face on Jaya TV's cookery show Arusuvai Neram. He also built a following in Kerala as a judge on the Malayalam show Dhe Chef on Mazhavil Manorama.

His screen work extended to Tamil cinema, with appearances in films including Kallappadam (2015), Ulkuthu (2017) and Kalyanam Conditions Apply (2018).

Ties to the UAE

Chef Damu also cooked for audiences in the UAE. In 2017, Gulf News reported that he was among the Indian chefs taking part in the cookery programme at the Sharjah International Book Fair.

At the time, he was described as specialising in South Indian cuisine, which he was drawn to for its medicinal properties.

A Padma Shri in 2025

The Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri in January 2025 for his contribution to the culinary arts.

Details of his funeral have not yet been announced.