Vipin Agnihotri’s podcast has featured some interesting personalities, but the upcoming episode with Devinder S Mahal brings a story that stands out on its own. Dev comes with a journey shaped by two cultures, years of relentless work inside real kitchens, and a philosophy that has stayed untouched despite all the noise around him.
Dev was born to an American mother and a Punjabi father, raised in the United States, and later sent to Woodstock School during his parents’ divorce. His introduction to the food world began early. Back in 1983, he stepped into his uncle Prem’s 5-star Indian restaurant, Gitanjali, in Beverly Hills. It was the sort of place that set high standards from the first day.
After getting a basic grounding there, he moved to a themed restaurant called Bobby McGee’s in Burbank. He didn’t walk in as a chef. He started at the sink as a dishwasher, and slowly worked his way up to become an executive chef. That climb took years, the kind of years where the work teaches you more than any culinary school can.
His career took him through several well-known restaurants, including the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, California. Over there he cooked for names everyone knows: Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Damon Wayans, Jeff Dunham, Gabriel Iglesias, Craig Shoemaker, and many more. These aren’t just celebrity interactions; they’re the mark of a chef trusted to deliver every single time.
Life pulled him back to India after the passing of his father. Dev spent several years consulting for restaurants before he finally decided to build something of his own. That became Dev’s American Cafe in Mohali, a place that reflects exactly who he is: an American-style kitchen serving honest, original food without any desi shortcuts or diluted flavors.
The cafe runs on a simple idea. Everything is fresh. Everything is cooked live. And almost everything is done by Dev himself. He insists on handling his own purchasing, prep work, cooking, and sometimes even the cleaning. Apart from one helper, he runs the entire show alone. His spicy ranch dressing and his RedHots candied jalapenos have developed a following of their own. Regulars know that coming to Dev’s isn’t just about grabbing a burger; it’s an experience where you watch the chef-owner create your meal right in front of you.
Dev’s American Cafe operates Wednesday to Sunday, from 2 PM to 10 PM, and remains closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. You’ll find it at Booth No. 5, TDI City, Sector 118, Mohali, Punjab.
His work has earned recognition beyond the cafe walls. Dev has been a TEDx speaker and was awarded the Times of India Chef of the Year in 2017 in Chandigarh.
This mix of American roots, Punjabi grounding, decades of hands-on experience, and a stubborn commitment to doing the real work himself is what makes Devinder S Mahal’s journey so compelling. And that’s exactly what makes his appearance on Vipin Agnihotri’s podcast worth tuning into.
