The stage is set for the final showdown on MasterChef India 2023 with the top three contestants — Assam’s Nayanjyoti Saikia and Santa Sarmah, and Mumbai’s Suvarna Bagul — ready to battle it out in the grand finale, to be aired on March 31 on Sony Entertainment Television and SonyLIV.
Chennai’s Aruna Vijay, who was among the top four contestants, was eliminated from the cooking reality show after failing to impress the judges in the ‘cook along’ challenge on Wednesday.
The contestants had to match the cooking techniques and pace of the three judges — Garima Arora, Ranveer Brar and Vikas Khanna — in the challenge that aimed at reimagining street food in India.
In Wednesday’s episode, chefs Garima and Ranveer kept the four contestants on their toes. Unlike chef Vikas, who was poised in his cooking, chef Garima was cooking at a rapid pace. The home cooks found it hard to keep pace and were floundering while trying their best to catch up. In the end, Aruna was eliminated.
An emotional Santa broke down after judges announced her name as the first finalist of the competition. “I can’t believe this. Is this really happening? I have watched MasterChef for so many years. I used to take out time to go behind stables to watch recipes online as it was the only place with network coverage. I think I have proved myself, ” she said.
“Even if one woman from my village watches me today and gets out to follow her passion, and be successful, it will fulfil my purpose in life,” Santa added.
Suvarna hugged Santa after she secured a place in the grand final. “You have made an identity for yourself,” chef Ranveer told her. “Had my father been alive today, he would’ve been immensely proud of me,” a weeping Suvarna said to the judges.
Nayanjyoti, the third finalist of MasterChef India 2023, heaved a sigh of relief when chef Vikas announced his name. “I feel like I am in a dream,” he said.
Eliminated contestant Aruna left the kitchen with a smile on her face. Chef Vikas announced that he is going to add Aruna’s dish ‘mor kali’ to the new menu in his restaurants.
