Amul presents MasterChef India is an Indian competitive cooking game show based on the original British MasterChef. It is produced by Colosceum Media Pvt. ltd. and screens on Star Plus. The series is the most watched cooking show in India.
Contents[]
Format[edit][]
MasterChef India features a different format to that of the original British MasterChef and MasterChef Goes Large formats. Initial rounds consist of a large number of hopeful contestants from across India individually "auditioning" by presenting a food dish before the three judges to gain one of 50 semi-final places. Entrants must be over 18 years old and their main source of income cannot come from preparing and cooking fresh food in a professional environment.
The semi-finalists then compete in several challenges which test their food knowledge and preparation skills. In Season 1 and 2, the top 50 competed until 12 were left, with the final 12 progressing to the main stage of the show. The contestants will then be whittled down through a number of individual and team cooking challenges and weekly elimination rounds until a winning MasterChef is crowned. The winner plays for a prize that includes their own cookery show, the chance to have their own cookbook published, and 10,000,000 INR in cash.
Broadcasting[edit][]
Season 1[edit][]
Main article: MasterChef India (season 1)
Season 1 of the show started airing on STAR Plus every Saturday and Sunday at 9:00 PM IST.[1] The first episode aired on 16 October 2010, and the season one finale was broadcast on 25 December 2010. The first winner of MasterChef India was Pankaj Bhadouria, a 38-year-old teacher from Lucknow. She runs a cookery show on Star Plus.[2] Season 1 was hosted by actor Akshay Kumar who worked as a chef in Bangkok before his acting career, along with chef Ajay Chopra who is working as an executive chef at Goa Marriott Resort, Goa, and chef Kunal Kapur an executive chef at Leela Kempinski, Gurgaon.
Season 2[edit][]
Main article: MasterChef India (season 2)
Season 2 of MasterChef India premiered on 22 October 2011. The second season aired on every Saturday and Sunday at 9:00 PM IST. Season 2 was hosted by chef Vikas Khanna, a well-acclaimed chef in New York City. Due to the success of season 1, chef Kunal Kapur was invited to MasterChef USA Season 2 as a guest judge in the semifinal. The second season also had Ajay Chopra and Kunal Kapur as the other judges. Shipra Khanna won this season of MasterChef India.
Season 3[edit][]
Main article: MasterChef India (season 3)
The third season premiered on 11 March 2013 and aired on STAR Plus channel on weekdays at 8.00PM IST. Vikas Khanna and Kunal Kapur returned as judges. Sanjeev Kapoor replaced Ajay Chopra from the last season. Ripudaman Handa won Season 3 of MasterChef India.
Junior MasterChef India[edit][]
India's own Junior MasterChef started on 17 August 2013 and airs on Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 pm. It is called "Junior Masterchef Swaad Ke Ustaad".