A Zing To Fusion Meals: How MasterChef India Is Blending Cultures And Kitchens

Meet the culinary connoisseurs adding desi tadka to western cuisines.

Food has no barriers, knows no language and has this innate ability to unite people across borders. And MasterChef has added an extra layer of verve to these flavourful cuisines.  

Stepping up a notch from the world of hardback cookbooks, it has sizzled the kitchens of every aspiring Michelin-style chef. It has plated culinary experiences that were previously unheard of. And created an identity with which food aficionados across the remotest parts of the world want to identify themselves with.

Today, there is a MasterChef in almost every Indian household. Someone who cooks lip-smacking meals, potters around their kitchen to blend cuisines with their quintessential Indian touch. Someone who carries the legacy of their Dadi's nuskes to Michelin-style recipes and to whom the family always says, “Arre you should go for MasterChef India!”.

So, who are the contestants cooking up a storm at MasterChef India this season?

Nayanjyoti Saika

Impressed by his plating skills, chef Vikas Khanna selected Nayanjyoti to participate in the audition round of MasterChef India. After try outs, he was chosen as one of the top 36 contestants, and a cook-off earned him a spot in the top 16 contestants.

Urmila Jamnadas Asher

Urmila Jamnadas Asher also known as the "Gujju Ben" or "Baa" is an inspiration for all.  Baa has her own YouTube channel where she teaches people how to cook. Her cooking abilities rendered all three chefs speechless. 

Suvarna Vijay Bagul

Suvarna's life purpose is to cook and serve delicious meals to others. She brought a Maharashtrian thali to the audition rounds, which the judges adored. Suvarna was chosen among the top 36 contestants and is now one of the top 16 contestants.

Sachin Khatwani 

Sachin Khatwani of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, came to "Masterchef India" with aspirations of becoming a Chef. Sachin had been assisting his mother in the kitchen even though he had been told "cooking is a woman's profession".

Priyanka Kundu Biswas

Priyanka Kundu Biswas is from Kolkata, West Bengal. She hopes to prove to people that she is an excellent cook, more specifically a chef. After completing the audition process, Priyanka finally joined the Top 36 and is now a part of the Top 16.

Deepa Chauhan

Deepa Chauhan, a 51-year-old lady who sells Thai and middle eastern pastes, operates a small enterprise. Chef Garima Arora serves as her inspiration and role model.

Aruna Vijay

Aruna claims that she is the biggest representative of South cuisine. She wants to promote South's authentic recipes and flavours.

Kamaldeep Kaur

She started baking and cooking at home, used to give door-to-door service and hygienic food like Snacks, non-veg, and mostly everything from starters to desserts. Her dream is to be in the Masterchef kitchen.

Avinash

Avinash holds a doctorate in horticulture and gardening and is involved in food styling. He learned to cook from his mother and also cultivates indigenous seeds at home. He desires to open a café in the city and publish a cookbook.

Dyuti Banerjee 

Dyuti Banerjee wants to promote Bengali food. She wants to prove that it is not just about mishti dhoi, and roshugula there are many other flavours and food items. Her biggest idol and inspiration have to be her mother her grandmother.

Priya Vijan

She has suffered all her life health-wise and has been prescribed all types of medicine but nothing has worked and then Plants in her backyard solved her troubles. She wants to prove healthy eating is tasty.

Yashu Verma

Yashu Verma was eight years old when he first witnessed his mother cooking and became interested in the culinary arts. He desires to be victorious. And he will do everything possible to achieve it.

Santa

Santa started cooking at the age of 8 years. she has also won Grihini season 3 on Assam Food Channel.

Nazia Sultana

Nazia Sultana has won the Assam-wide cooking show Grihini Superstar.  She sings, gardens, travels and enjoys macro and food photography.

Gurkirat Singh

From working in his father's law firm and dreaming about the culinary arts to finally coming to 'MasterChef India' and impressing the judges. Gurkirat has charted a long journey from a law firm to the kitchen.

Vineet Yadav

Vineet is an artist both outside and inside the kitchen. When he is not focused on put the right amount of masalas in his curry, he is busy with applying mehndi and nail paint to customers.

MasterChef India is streaming exclusively on SonyLIV and airing on Sony Entertainment Television.