Laid-off Indian-origin tech worker switched career path and leapt to dream job with 6-figure income: Here's how
Priyanka Naik, a former X employee, is a self-taught Indian vegan cook who shot to her culinary fame after being declared a Food Network Champion.
Switching course from a tech career to winning a Food Network competition and paving the way for a culinary empire, Indian-origin Staten Island native Priyanka Naik’s story boasts a passion meets purpose success.
The award-winning chef’s journey began in tech having spent over a decade building her vast portfolio of professional accomplishments through roles at X (formerly Twitter), Bloomberg and Conde Nast. Despite her career-fuelled focus in the tech world, Naik’s heart always belonged in the kitchen. Initially, she channelled her energy through her blog, ‘Chef Priyanka,’ which helped her culinary creations take flight.
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Priyanka Naik's unconventional career move after being laid off by X
Coming from a vegetarian background, the techie-turned-food artist expanded the menu roster for vegans, marrying her bold experimentation to sustainability. What may have been deemed as a mere hobby relegated to the sidelines ultimately carved out her main character saga by 2017, when her credibility was attributed to her winning Cooks vs Cons on Food Network.
According to The Morning Rundown, she was laid off by X in 2022. However, instead of that letting that blow trample all over her spirit, Naik claimed the perks of the rising opportunity. She finally jumped ship to pursue full-time culinary adventures.
How she used SNS to write her own story
Using social media as a tool, Naik allowed the world to sneak a peek into her culinary concoctions backed by a sustainable and eco-friendly foundation. Even though the new-age craze of social media virality caught up to her with the likes of Chrissy Teigen catching sight of her fusilli pasta recipe, “The Modern Tiffin” author’s authenticity was not to be tied down to the restrictive algorithm looking for the next repetitive cycle of trends.
More determined to grow her brand synonymously with her artistic identity (especially as a vegan chef in an industry dominated by non-vegan catalogues), Priyanka continues to create content that meaningfully aligns with her own vision devoid of cookie-cutter connotations.
Indian American Boston University alum's culinary world dreams unlocked
As of now, a steady six-figure income flows into her pocket from her cumulative brand positioning through cookbook sales, brand partnerships, social media sponsorship and her exclusive “EcoKitchen” column in The Washington Post. These diverse platforms helping her gain momentum in the internet-driven existence of the 21st century have opened up more avenues for her, cementing her financial stability.
According to the Boston University’s Alumni & Friends blog, Naik, a celebrated vegan chef and TV personality is a “first-generation Indian American” whose educational background in pre-med and economics led her to a career in media and tech. Her unconventional detour from the tech world has since fleshed out a thriving career thanks to how “she embraced her cultural identity and spirit of entrepreneurship.”
In October 2024, Naik even joined the largest-ever Diwali celebration at the White House, as she was reportedly among over 600 eminent Indian Americans from across the country to be invited to the blowout.
She proudly shared the journey to her big US moment on Instagram. “I didn’t graduate the top of my class at BU, I didn’t go to grad school, I’ve been laid off, I’ve been repeatedly rejected across multiple facets in my life working towards personal and professional goals, I’m a self-taught chef/writer/TV host - but I got invited to attend the official @whitehouse Diwali Celebration✨,” she wrote on Instagram. “Such an honour to be among the dozens across the country chosen to attend and celebrate my culture at one of the most powerful institutions in the world.”
