Indian-origin MasterChef Australia 2024 contestant Sumeet Saigal, who rose to prominence with her viral pani puri dish, was eliminated from the competition in the latest episode that streamed on Disney+ Hotstar in India on Thursday night.

Sumeet, a 46-year-old sales manager from New South Wales, had secured a place among the top eight contestants on the show before her elimination.

Sumeet’s journey on the show took an unexpected turn during a surprise elimination round. The challenge involved reimagining classic breakfast ingredients, bacon and eggs, in just 75 minutes. Sumeet chose to create a bacon, egg, and blue cheese stuffed naan, innovatively freezing the eggs to prevent overcooking during baking.

While the concept was creative and the bake looked perfect, the inconsistency of the eggs inside led to her elimination. Sumeet was visibly heartbroken when the judges announced that her time on the show had come to an end.

Known as the Sauce Boss, Sumeet had previously impressed with her condiments, winning the Coles sauce challenge with her InTalian Simmer Sauce, which hit shelves nationwide.

“This kitchen is just magic. Coming here… your dreams just come alive. To share this experience with these beautiful bunch of people, and to have you guys (the judges) taste my food, has been a privilege,” Sumeet said before bidding adieu to the MasterChef kitchen.

“This is life-changing for me. This is dreams becoming reality. And for me it’s the start of the journey. I am so ready for this,” she added.