Floyd Cardoz: In his Own Words

Floyd Cardoz

Chef Floyd Cardoz

an Indian-American chef, cookbook writer and restaurant owner, who runs restaurants both in India and United States. Cardoz opened Paowalla in New York’s Soho neighborhood, focusing on small plates to redefine approachable Indian cuisine. In 2018, he closed Paowalla, redesigned it with a more casual, festive atmosphere, and reopened it as Bombay Bread Bar. He also owns two restaurants in Mumbai, India, The Bombay Canteen, which rose to local and international acclaim and O Pedro. Cardoz attended culinary school in Mumbai and then The Global Hospitality Management School at Les Roches in Switzerland to broaden his knowledge of international cuisines. He moved to New York City in 1988 and started working under Chef Gray Kunz at Lespinasse. In 1997, he left to work with Union Square Hospitality Group, for which he opened groundbreaking, fine-dining Indian restaurant Tabla, and later El Verano Taquería and North End Grill. In 2012, Cardoz won season 3 of Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters.” He donated his winnings to the Young Scientist Cancer Research Fund at The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He has received the James Beard Award for “Humanitarian of the Year” in honor of his continued commitment to community engagement.