MasterChef India is back with auditions for Season 8. Scores of culinary enthusiasts from eastern and northeastern India gathered at the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) Kolkata on Sunday to cross their ladles.
Contestants from Jharkhand, Assam, Odisha, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal took part in the first round of audition of the popular cooking reality show, and a few budding chefs qualified for the next rounds.
Scores of culinary enthusiasts gathered at the Institute of Hotel Management Kolkata, on Sunday
The internal jury of the show judged the participants on the basis of flavours, cooking techniques, presentation and innovation.
Abhishek Prasad, an entrepreneur, came all the way from Assam to take a step forward towards his dream of donning the MasterChef apron. A fan of MasterChef India Season 7 winner Nayanjyoti Saikia, he replicated the current champion’s hero dish Fried Chicken Wings with Pomegranate.
“Both Nayanjyoti Saikia and Priyanka Kundu Biswas were my favourites in the last season. Since I am from Assam, too, I went ahead with Nayanjyoti's lucky dish. I hope it takes me forward too!” Prasad said.
Abhishek Prasad, an entrepreneur, came all the way from Assam to try his luck
The contestants were asked to bring cooked dishes from home and plate it on the spot. They were asked questions about ingredients, cooking methods and other culinary general knowledge.
Sangeeta Saha, from north Kolkata, is a home baker who dreams of donning the apron, too. “My focus has always been my family and cooking for my loved ones came naturally to me. I want to pursue my dream. This is my first audition for MasterChef. Hope things go well.”
Sudeshna Das, from Kolkata’s Kudghat area, came to the audition with two goals. First, to grab the title of the show and second, to meet her favourite chef Ranveer Brar. “The judges aren't here today but I wish to meet him if I go further in the competition. I love how knowledgeable he is and his way of explaining is so simple yet articulate.”
MasterChef Season 7 semi-finalist, Priyanka Kundu Biswas, and her husband, paid a visit to the auditions
Semi-finalist from MasterChef Season 7, Priyanka Kundu Biswas, paid a surprise visit at the auditions. She wished the contestants luck and said, “It feels nostalgic to be here. One year ago, I was queuing up at this same place for auditions. I wish all the participants all the best. I am excited to watch the next season!”
There will be several rounds of auditions before the Top 16 are picked. Tentatively, Season 8 is set to go on air by the end of this year, and will be judged by chefs Ranveer Brar and Vikas Khanna.
