The culinary battleground was set ablaze as the first leg of auditions for MasterChef India Season 8 ignited the dreams of aspiring home chefs, homemakers and food enthusiasts from diverse professions, from Kolkata and its neighbouring states. With aprons and ambitions held high, the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) Kolkata witnessed a queue of eager contestants on August 13, ready to take on the challenge.
My Kolkata was there to get a feel of the passion first-hand, and got a glimpse of what the upcoming season of this popular culinary reality show holds in store.
Second shot at the title
In the spirit of second chances, Subhojit Sen, of Jadavpur-based cloud kitchen The Harmony Pot, took the stage once more. Having narrowly missed out on the Top 36 last season, the full-time home chef was back with the same dreams, but more passion. “Even though I got my hands on the white apron last year, my name wasn’t written on it. That still keeps me awake and motivates me to try harder. This year, I am back with more experience and hope to have the title MasterChef added before my name,” he said. For the first round, Subhojit prepared an innovative fish kebab with a tangy pineapple twist.
Sudeshna Das, a Kudghat resident and a home baker, presented a combo of chicken pora and mutton ghee roast
Equally determined was Sudeshna Das, a Kudghat resident and the mother to a 16-year-old son. While she is a home baker and works in a medical company, her dreams go beyond. “I got married quite young and my passion took a backseat as family responsibilities became my priority. Yet, I dabbled in new recipes at home and got appreciated. With my son now grown up, everyone encourages me to chase this dream,” she said. Sudeshna presented a combo of chicken pora and mutton ghee roast on the judges’ table.
Dreamers beyond borders
The Kolkata auditions not only saw people participating from West Bengal but also drew contenders from the neighbouring states of Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam, Tripura, Nagaland and more. One such contestant was Sweta Bagaria who flew down from Guwahati with her 11-year-old son in tow, eager to audition for MasterChef India. “Cooking has always been my passion and when you have a child, you experiment with dishes to create nutritious and engaging meals. I think MasterChef is all about innovation. I am nervous but let’s see what happens,” said the mompreneur.
Sweta Bagaria from Guwahati and (R) Swapnita Swain from Cuttack
Another working professional, Swapnita Swain joined the culinary quest all the way from Cuttack (Odisha). She came out of the judges’ room looking confident. “I made a Lamington Ontrone with layers of cake glazed with strawberry and raspberry sauces. The judges asked me questions about the dish and about various cuisines. I don’t yet know the results but I am hopeful.”
Inspired by the stars of Season 7
Season 7 star Priyanka Kundu Biswas with a contestant from Ranchi
Priyanka Kundu Biswas graced the Kolkata auditions, infusing contestants with a dose of motivation. Amidst clicking selfies with fans, she told us, “I was here at the same place for my auditions one year ago. It feels nostalgic. I wish all contestants here today all the very best. I am excited to watch the new season!”
Triumphs and setbacks
As the journey unfolded, a bittersweet tale emerged – a mix of triumphs and early farewells. Babita Gupta, a resident of Ranchi, Jharkhand, made it to Kolkata even after her train was cancelled. But despite the efforts to present her platter of kebabs in front of the internal jury, she didn’t clear the auditions. “According to the judges, I need to bring in some new thoughts into my traditional cooking,” she said.
Participants pose with cut-outs of celebrity chef duo, and judges, Ranveer Brar and Vikas Khanna
Babita wasn’t alone in having her quest cut short. Others, too, returned with dreams yet to be realised. Meanwhile, those who made it will navigate further rounds of auditions, aiming for the coveted Top 16. Here, they will finally lock horns, under the discerning eyes of the celebrity chef duo, Ranveer Brar and Vikas Khanna.
What to expect this season?
With the remarkable success of Nayanjyoti Saikia, Santa Sarmah, and Nazia Sultana in the previous season, the resonance of the show extended to Assam and other northeastern states. So we can expect a heightened representation from these regions in Season 8
- With the remarkable success of Nayanjyoti Saikia, Santa Sarmah, and Nazia Sultana in the previous season, the resonance of the show extended to Assam and other northeastern states. So we can expect a heightened representation from these regions in Season 8
- The banners at the Kolkata auditions subtly revealed that chef Garima Arora isn’t on the judges panel this season. We can expect the seasoned expertise of chefs Ranveer Brar and Vikas Khanna to lead the eight edition of MasterChef India
- With Veeba as the title sponsor, we can hope to see a lot of Continental cooking. Perhaps, there won't be another mayonnaise-making challenge when it will be easily available in the Veeba pantry?
- The popularity of Season 7’s contestants have been remarkable in comparison to other seasons. Building upon this fervour, we hoping to see a reunion of a few familiar faces, as they team up with the current participants for the weekly challenges
