Aketoli Zhimomi becomes first Naga chef to win NDTV Food Award as Ethnic Table earns national recognition
Share
DIMAPUR — Chef Aketoli Zhimomi has become the first Naga chef to receive an NDTV Food Award after her restaurant, Ethnic Table, was named Best Indian Restaurant (Regional) at the NDTV Food Awards 2026 held in Delhi on Monday.
Among 21 recipients across various categories, Ethnic Table received the award in a category that recognises restaurants specialising in distinctive regional Indian cuisines, excluding North and South Indian cuisines. The category is judged on food quality, ingredients, service standards and dining experience.
A pioneer of Naga cuisine, Zhimomi shot to prominence after winning the inaugural Naga Chef contest in 2013. From her kitchen at Ethnic Table at Notun Bosti in Dimapur, she has built a reputation on sustainability, seasonality and taking Naga flavours far beyond the Northeast.
Speaking to Eastern Mirror before leaving for Delhi to receive the award, Zhimomi said the recognition validated what she had always believed about Naga cuisine.
“Winning the NDTV Food Award feels surreal for me, but getting this award validates what I have always believed — our cuisine has the potential to be on par with any other cuisine,” she said.
Also read: Naga Chef Aketoli Zhimomi featured in Food Superstars #Next30 list
Zhimomi said Ethnic Table was established with the aim of preserving Naga food traditions while promoting seasonal produce and sustainable food practices.
“Having collaborated with like-minded chefs and done pop-ups in different cities showcasing our rich culinary practices using seasonal produce could be a factor that caught their attention,” she said.
However, she noted that introducing Naga cuisine to wider audiences has not been without challenges. “A lot of misconceptions existed because of our wide array of pungent fermented foods and our love for insects and critters, which is deeply rooted in our tradition,” she said.
At the same time, she observed that people are becoming more willing to explore unfamiliar cuisines, which she believes is creating opportunities for food from Nagaland and the wider Northeast.
She expressed optimism that the award would generate greater curiosity and interest in Northeast cuisine and help create opportunities for the region to enter the mainstream market.
Breaking the stereotype of maternal influence in the kitchen, Zhimomi said it was her father who inspired her interest in food. She recalled accompanying him to local markets, where he introduced her to wild and foraged vegetables she had never noticed before.
“Cooking alongside him made me more attuned to it,” she said.
Zhimomi said she never planned to cook professionally until she won the Naga Chef title in 2013.
“I wanted to do something with the title I held,” she said.
Reflecting on changes in the state's food landscape, she said there had been a significant shift since she began her culinary journey.
“Initially, there were very few restaurants, but now a lot of food joints have cropped up serving different cuisines, and it is also very encouraging to see more Naga food restaurants on the rise. The concept of dining out is also catching up compared to how it was 13 years back,” she said.
Asked which Naga dish deserved a place on restaurant menus across the country, Zhimomi pointed to axone.
“Being very biased, but axone is one thing that deserves to be on menus. It's super versatile,” she said.
She noted that fermented ingredients such as axone and bamboo shoot are often misunderstood because of their strong smell, despite being widely used in cuisines across the Northeast.
Zhimomi also said food should be recognised as an attraction in itself rather than merely something that accompanies tourism.
“We have amazing ingredients, cooking traditions and food stories that deserve more attention. There should be more support for culinary events, workshops and experiences throughout the year rather than only during major festivals,” she said.
On challenges within the hospitality sector, she said many young chefs leave the state in search of better exposure, training and career opportunities.
According to Zhimomi, more hospitality training, stronger industry support and greater opportunities for local businesses would help create an environment where young professionals can build careers within the state.
Asked what Nagaland Tourism could do beyond the Hornbill Festival, she suggested year-round programmes connecting chefs, farmers, home cooks and tourists through culinary trails, workshops and district-based food experiences.
She also proposed support for indigenous food businesses through culinary training, documentation, start-up grants and programmes linking chefs with local farmers and producers.
In a brief interaction with NDTV while receiving the award, Zhimomi said Naga cuisine has always been popular among foods from the Northeast, but many of its flavours remain unexplored.
“There is a lot more to be explored,” she said.