User:MasterChef Pankaj Bhadouria

MasterChef India http://www.pankajbhadouria.com/ An Introduction

My tryst with food began at the age of 12 thanks to my parents who were excellent cooks themselves. I inherited this love for food from them. This love for the kitchen was always a source of joy, a hobby and never taken for a career option ever. My profession, when I set out to earn a living for myself, turned out to be one of the noblest of all professions- I became a teacher. I taught English at the secondary level for 16 years before quitting the job to follow my passion. Having been presented with an ultimatum by my principal- quit the show or quit your job, I thought that opportunity knocks but once at your door so either I could play safe and quit the show and regret having missed the one chance life was offering me or take the risk, quit my job and give it a go. To my greatest surprise, I was further encouraged by my family who have become my greatest source of inspiration. For more than 25 years now I have been pursuing my passion in the kitchen and enjoyed every moment of it.

Journey in Master Chef India

From an amateur cook to Master Chef India, the journey has been amazing!

It all started with a simple SMS and then a phone call. From there to the Lucknow auditions and then finally a call to the Mumbai auditions. My Drums of Heaven with Stir fried Veggies in Fried noodles Basket got me a ticket into the top 40. From there to Karjat for the Boot Camp was a journey filled with lots of apprehensions for I had quit a 16 year old job to try myself and my luck. I did not know whether I would finally be able to make it to the top 11 or not, yet I had taken the biggest risk of my life!

Win, I did – over my apprehensions, over my hurdles and the judges as well for I got what I aspired for and was one of the finalists of Master Chef India!

Thanks to my indomitable faith in the Almighty, I never learnt to be afraid of what awaited me. I knew that if this is where He had steered me, this is the course he had charted for me in my life. And with this belief, I started my journey in the Master Chef kitchen.

Each task in the Master chef kitchen brought before us a new challenge which got tougher and tougher with each passing day. The Mystery box challenge had BHOOT JHOLAKIA, the hottest chili in the world along with the ingredients which made the weirdest combination. The First TEAM TASK had a strong set of individuals working together who failed to come together as a team. The lesson was well learnt and the DHABA TASK turned into a brilliant victory. Cooking for the first family of Bollywood- the Kapoor’s, the honour of cooking for the Maharana of Udaipur, the emotionally charged moments where we met our families, The one time that I wore the Black apron as I fought for my survival with an injured elbow, Chef Rohit Gambhir’s appreciation, pairing with Joe to become the first semifinalists, becoming the first finalist of the show and , the first one to move to the top two Chef Abhijit Ghosh’s approval, The highly appreciative comments of the judges when I had presented my final dish of the show – each day , each task, each moment have helped shaped a new facet of my personality.