Doma Wang
Doma Wang | |
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| Born | Kalimpong, West Bengal |
| Culinary career | |
Current restaurant
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Awards won
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Doma Wang, also called Doma Di, is an Indian chef of Tibetan heritage who has been known for popularizing Tibetan cuisine in and around Kolkata. She opened a restaurant, The Blue Poppy Thakali, and has been ranked in the Top 30 Chefs in India three times by Culinary Culture, including fifth in 2025.
Biography
[edit]Doma Wang was born and raised in Kalimpong, before it became a district. Her father was the principal of the local Chinese school and also owned a noodle factory, which was in the upper floor of their family home.[1] Her father was also the one to teach her to cook food, such as Momo, and instill a love for food in her.[2]
She worked as an interpreter for a Buddhist cultural organization in Kolkata, but after the office relocated to Gaya, Wang decided to launch a home delivery system, delivering homemade momo and thukpa in Bidhannagar. She was then invited by the Sikkim Tourism Ministry to the Sikkim House Canteen in Kolkata.[3] In 2019, after a government change that resulted in the loss of her lease,[4] she moved to the building next door and opened a new restaurant version, The Blue Poppy Thakali.[1]
She has become known for bringing Tibetan cuisine to Indian attention,[5] and became known as the "Momo Queen of India".[6][7]
Her daughter, Sachiko Seth, is also a chef and has assisted Wang in her work. Together, Wang, Seth, and her niece Manisha Sangma[8] also opened Boma Asian Bakery, a Korean-inspired bakery, and Popo's, in honor of Wang's father.[9]
Wang also opened Shim Shim, a Himalayan restaurant focused on beef.[10] She has held many pop-ups, including ones in Chennai[11], Pune, and Bengaluru.[2] She was one of five chefs selected for Power Play at Masters of Marriott Bonvoy.[12]
She has been ranked in the Top 30 Chefs in India by Culinary Culture on three occasions: in 2022, she was ranked 19th.[13] In 2024, she was ranked 15th.[14] And in 2025, she was ranked 5th.[15] She was ranked Best Restauranteur in India by the NDTV Food Awards in 2026.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Doma Wang". UpperCrust India on the web. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ^ a b "Power play on a plate: Doma Wang takes Tibetan flavours to Pune and Bengaluru". Archived from the original on 15 March 2026. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ^ Hussain, Sara (29 January 2025). "Doma Wang made Kolkata fall in love with Tibetan food". Tweak India. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ^ "A Food Chat with Doma Wang of the Blue Poppy Thakali and Boma Asian Bakery on How She Became the Momo Queen of Kolkata". Telegraph India. Retrieved 28 May 2026.
- ^ AR, Reshmi (6 December 2024). "We Serve Himalayan Food in its True Form, says Chef Doma Wang". www.deccanchronicle.com. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ^ Hussain, Sara (29 January 2025). "Doma Wang made Kolkata fall in love with Tibetan food". Tweak India. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ^ "Chef Doma Wang transports original Tibetan flavours to city". DT Next. 16 July 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ^ "The Woman Who Has Refined Momo For Kolkata". Slurrp. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ^ Nast, Condé. "At Popo's, Kolkata's Momo Queen Doma and her daughter Sachiko bring family tales to the table". Condé Nast Traveller India. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ^ Roy, Madhushree Basu (6 May 2018). "Shim Shim - Finally a Himalayan Beef Cafe in Kolkata". Pikturenama. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ^ Banerjee, Shreya (13 July 2023). "In Chennai: Enjoy Doma Wang's authentic Tibetan momos and flavours from the North East". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ^ "The flagbearer of Tibetan food". BW Hotelier. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ^ "Doma Wang - Aparajita, an initiative by Sanmarg, felicitates women, who have carved a niche for themselves by excelling in their fields of expertise with determination". 29 December 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ^ Kumar, Karo Christine (27 October 2024). "Top 30 chefs honoured at Food Superstars 2024 by Culinary Culture". Telegraph India. Retrieved 28 May 2026.
- ^ Guliani, Ashmeet (27 September 2025). "India's Top 30 Chefs Of 2025 Revealed! Tresind Studio's Himanshu Saini Ranks 1st; Full List Of Winners Inside". Curly Tales. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ^ "India's Culinary Stars Shine at NDTV Food Awards 2026". 16 June 2026. Retrieved 18 June 2026.