Akash Muralidharan

Akash Muralidharan (born c.1996) is an Indian food designer, entrepreneur, TedX speaker and television cook who is from Chennai, India. He is the winner of MasterChef India – Tamil season 2.

Early life
Akash was born and brought up in a small town in Chennai, India and always had a "Great Passion for cooking". When growing up Akash said he watched his grandmother pluck spinach, Solanum nigrum, or coconut and transform them into comforting dishes. “These are things I look up to her for. She would make so many things quickly. When she made sweets, she would put Boost or Milo and bring out a new flavour. I would think about how she did it then only.

Akash holds a Master’s degree in Food Design and Innovation from Scuola Politecnica di Design, Milan, Italy and completed his Bachelor’s Degree from Marg Institute of Design and Architecture Swarnabhoomi, Chennai. He has also worked as an Intern at the KATJA GRUIJTERS Food design Studio in Arnhem, Netherlands in 2019.

Personal life
In an interview, Akash also said that when he was much younger he was diagnosed with ADHD and found cooking to be "Therapeutic" and helping him in controlling his condition.

MasterChef India - Tamil
Akash was selected in the Top 12 to contest MasterChef India - Tamil in 2024. He reached the finale on 7 June and was declared the winner of the season. He is also the first male to win the franchise in history. Akash won 10 Lakh price money after winning MasterChef.

After MasterChef
During a television interview, Akash said that after winning the competition his goal is to bring attention to forgotten vegetables and help crops to grow across various farms across Tamil Nadu and India.