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The Recipe A photographic journey of the making of MasterChef India

Photography by Manish Nirwal

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About the Photographerand Writer:

Manish Nirmal : A director by profession and a professional photographer by passion, Manish Nirwal, 35, has the very scenic north india to thank, for making him pick up a camera. Now based in Mumbai, India thru this coffee table book he brings to life the aromas of food. Say cheese!

Tanmay Bahulekar:Becoming a writer happened by chance and not design. Tanmay Bahulekar is 26 years old and now based in Mumbai,India. A theater actor, song writer, ex radio-dj he has dabbled in more professions than most his age. Thru this book he shares his love for food, words, people and everything in

“Non scripted drama is in our opinion the highest form of storytelling. When one’s approach is honest, then the story rise higher than the imagination. MasterChef taught us that even food can be dramatic.”

Cover_DJ_295-368pg_Lg-Sqar_StdPpr_v2.indd 1 21/02/11 2:16 PM

The Recipe: A photographic journey of the making of MasterChef India.

Photographer: Manish Nirwal

Copywriter: Tanmay Bahulekar

Art Director: Puneet Rakhejawww.puneetrakheja.com

All images copyright © Manish Nirwal 2010

Any unauthorized copy, usage or reproduction of images or the pages of this book in part or in whole in strictly prohibited.

Master Chef logo, Star TV Logo and Colosceum logo are the copyright/trademarks of respective companies.

A photographic journey of the making of MasterChef India

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The Recipe

Photography by

Text by

Manish Nirwal

Tanmay Bahulekar


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R

When you hear about a television show “hitting the floor” it means that the production (read:shoot) commences that day. It is an unwritten rule that every shoot schedule starts with Ganpati puja. This is a photograph from the puja that marked the MasterChef shoot and we have in accordance decided to begin our photographic journey with Ganpati’s blessings too.

GANPATI BAPPA MORYA!


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“ T h e r e a r e p e o p l e i n t h e w o r l d s o h u n g r y , t h a t G o d c a n n o t a p p e a r t o t h e m e x c e p t i n t h e f o r m o f b r e a d . ”

Mahatma Gandhi


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When the morning speaks of a wiff,Thats wakes the mass alike,Where breakfast brings together,Memories you like.

Aromas have run aplenty,Sweet reminds a taste,Aternoons often growl,Lunch demands haste.

Supper till late at night,Comes a special time,Dinner over special bonds,Will you read between the lines?

Thank you for the meals, that make us come around,Food i say i like the taste, and i even like the sound.

Forget love, I’d rather fal l in chocolate.


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You CAN teach an old dog new tricks. And I realize this after being a part of the mammoth project called MASTERCHEF. After being a part of the Indian television industry for well over half a decade, and after successfully creating some cult shows, I encountered a truly challenging property. One that had been successful across the globe, yet was a risky proposition in India.

I thank Star Plus for having the faith in Colosceum, I thank the Shine team for their wisdom and guidance, and I thank The Colosceum team for pulling it off in the grand manner which I’m confident will come to define us going forward. It has been a massive undertaking which has tested the mettle (and the patience) of everyone involved. Maybe that’s the secret behind this deep satisfaction I feel today in writing the foreword for this book.

And lastly, a special and heartfelt thankyou to Mr. Akshay Kumar. It’s been an absolute pleasure watching you work.

Foreword

Rajiv Lakshman,Creative Head, Colosceum Media Pvt Ltd


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MasterChef is a show that celebrates great people who make great food, it is a one of its kind culinary competition series based on the smash hit U.K and Australian format of the same name. On this show, people who passionately cook as a hobby and have absolutely no experience in the food industry, fight for the title of ‘best cook of the country’.

MasterChef is not just a TV show, it’s a cultural phenomena. The show converts the most mundane daily chore of cooking into a life changing experience. The show is an emotion packed cut throat competition, which is easy to connect with and will keep the viewers at the edge of their seats.

International versions of the show have broken rating records in two of the world’s biggest markets. It has been successfully running in UK since 1990. The Australian version became third most watched Australian TV program since 2001 - its finale ranking as one of Australia’s most-watched programs in a decade.

In India where people are defined by what they eat, they are sure to take this show as seriously as the food on their plate. In India it has been a one of its kind nationwide search for the best cook in the country. It’s about people who are executives, house wives, home cooks and students, anyone and everyone is a part of the show, all you need is an undying passion to make great food. Contestants are put through the paces with various challenges as they compete head-to-head to create delicious dishes. These everyday at-home cooks now have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show their passion and excitement for food as they are put to the trial and judged by India’s best.

The Indian version of the show isn’t just be about food, it is about emotions, pressure tests and extreme culinary circumstances where the finest culinary genius will be put to the test.

MasterChef India is being mentored and judged by the Super Star in a new avtaar, Akshay Kumar who in turn is helped by Ajay Chopra, the tough as old boots master judge and Kunal Kapoor, the man who romances with culinary delicacies.

The MasterChef India journey is taking its contestants through the rigors of cooking where tasks and challenges test their very limits, broaden their culinary horizons and hone their cooking skills to the sharpness of a cutting edge knife.

The Indian version will not just end with finding the best cook of the nation, it goes a step further. The show offers to set up a winner for life. The grand prize is a cookery show on Star Plus, winner’s own cook book and a cash prize of one crore rupees.

Rule of the game is just one, Tasty Dish, Warna Game Finish!

“MasterChef India was a big risk, sink or sail kind of call for StarPlus. Terms like `mildly successful ‘ were not even in consideration when we decided to take the plunge. We were clear it would either be genuine , solid programming that would appeal to people or be panned from the word go.

Thankfully our conviction paid off and we are now holding a brand that has tremendous possibilities for us in the years to come. MasterChef has left its mark on this genre of programming in the country.

Monica ShergillProgramming HeadStar Plus


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MasterChef India was a mission impossible in so many ways.We had to get chefs to perform and actor to cook. We had to find dramatic storytelling in cooking, shoot this within an unbelievable deadline and make all of this work in weekend primetime against one of the world’s most successful formats. The fact that we truly accomplished the mission is a testimony to the team behind it.

To produce a cooking reality series for the first time posed a huge challenge. No one had dealt with safety requirements for real time cooking on piped gas, executing episodes in places as diverse as a flight kitchen, a royal palace open kitchen, a dhaba and over 40 cooking stations in bootcamp. The Production team has really done a tremendous job.

In an enterprise of this proportion with a massive team working there are bound to be differences. What is remarkabke is how they were dealt with, resolved and a constructive approach maintained with each person rising above oneself to keep the show winning at all times.

MasterChef has arrived in India and it is here to stay. This is yet another instance for Colosceum combining with a top broadcaster and producing what will become a franchise in times to come.

Ajit AndhareCEO, Colosceum Media Pvt Ltd

CEO, Colosceum Media Pvt LtdUSP: Colosceums Maximus

Ajit Andhare

Creative HeadUSP: Trouble Shooter

Rajiv Lakshman

Lalit Sharma

Kate D Walker

DirectorUSP: Thinks aloud.

Hitesh Bhatia

Akshay Rajput

Srikant Malladi

Director of PhotographyUSP: Always Charged up

Project HeadUSP: Mailer Demon

VP ProductionUSP: Pays people.

Consultant on MasterChef India, Shine International.


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AKSHAY KUMAR USP: Akshay Kumar

More than a hundred films old, recipient of the Padmashree and someone who is also a stuntman’s actor! Say hello to the man who knows his chops both in a fight and on the dining table. Say hello to Akshay Kumar. Bollywoods this leading actor never had it easy, son of a government employee hailing from Amritsar (Punjab, India) this master of several traits started his culinary journey in Bangkok, where he trained in Martial Arts and food alike. Akshay moved to Mumbai to teach Martial Arts and on one of his students insistence suddenly found himself in front of the camera. From a Chef to being a Model, life was just about to take over. Akshay’s acting debut was in 1991, two decades and several hits later he still is a force to reckon with. The original “Khiladi” does agree his life has come full circle, surrounded with food once again he is ready to sharpen his knives and take on a show loved by millions across the world. The face of MasterChef India who also takes his taste buds seriously. Let the journey begin.

Akshay Kumar The face of MasterChef India


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Star Plus is the leading General Entertainment Channel in the country. Here we see Monica Shergill, Programming Head, Star Plus in an animated conversation with Akshay Kumar.

What was your first reaction when you heard you were getting signed on for Master Chef?

Excited and skeptical at the same time, didn’t believe in the concept at the first go but a week later my perception changed

You shot a pilot first, how did that help before the main shoot?

Shot the pilot treating this as any other reality show that i had done in the past, but soon realized that this is a different beast, the biggest learning was that we will have to make the viewers consume the food through different means since they can’t smell, touch, taste, experience food unlike other formats where u can like / dislike dance, song, comedy, fights just by watching it on the telly, So ya shooting the pilot before hand was a great learning experience as to how to tell the food story right.

How was it to work with Akshay Kumar?

Overall, i think he is great to work with though sometimes it becomes a lil challenging to make him see your vision and get him to do what u want because he has his own take on it. But on the other hand he suddenly will do something that you never even dreamt of and will make the most mundane routine experience into a crazy one. Also, his punctuality is unbelievable, he will never never ever waste even a single minute on the set.

How was your experience with MasterChef?

Due to the long and demanding tenure there were huge expectations and a lot of stress, but overall it was a good experience, not saying just for the heck of it! It was fun tackling the new and unique problems we faced almost on a daily basis.

Do you cook? If yes, then what? I only cook Maggi and probably am the best Maggi chef around town.

Director Speaks: A few quest ions for Hitesh Bhat ia


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Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all


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the product ion


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From welders to carpenters, they come, hang their clothes and get to work. A ritual practiced over decades.


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Quite a few art directed structures never make it to the final shoot just like this paint job that proved to be in vain. Creative Teams are just like the working hours, unforgiving.

Minute by minute, inch by inch, MasterChef is in the making both on camera and behind it.

The painters in action. They add colour to a dream called MasterChef, one stroke at a time.


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When everyone is soaked in the spirit to win, it is tough to brush aside the competition.


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CARPENTERS : A formidable crew of any large production, these men are generally given two things to structure a requirement: Wood and less time. Do not go by the way they look. Even a ‘Desk Job’ has a completely different meaning for them.

“... Camera, Action”. Sounds incomplete right? Lights take centre stage in every shoot and go hand in hand with cameras. For a Director of Photography these are not just words, these are his responsibility.


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Taking “No strings attached’ to a new height, the brave light men.


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What does it feel like to be Akshay Kumar? This man got the answer.


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... and it lays low. Waiting patiently to capture anyone that dares to enter its captivating depth of field.

They are not smiling for you Manish, look behind you.


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...and here he is, from flying in a chopper to chopping in a kitchen, MasterChef is in good hands.


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TEAM Akshay


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Akshay Kumar’s Body Gaurd.Before(above) and after (below) realising he is on camera.

Above - Akshay Kumar’s Manager, Make-up and Stylist


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Chef Ajay Chopra, Executive Chef, Goa Marriot

Chef Kunal KapoorChef De Cuisine, Leela Kempiniski, Gurgaon

The magic of MasterChef captured in the jar. Who will unleash the genie?

Alladin or Jasmine.


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The first dosa cook off! The competition has enough steam to power a locomotive.


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If she cooks as well as she looks, I will eat eight meals a day, every day.


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Brilliant minds come together to create each show. The director, Hitesh Bhatia makes sure everyone is on the same page.


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The lion is most handsome when looking for food.


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Meet the contestants

Ankita Chakrovorty

For this participant MasterChef is about proving a point to her father, who is also a chef. The youngest in the competition, meet 19 year old Ankita Chakrovorty. MasterChef for her is not just a competition, but a medium to be taken seriously in life.

Zebi Zubair

In every Indian household, the chef in the kitchen is often the woman of the house. Zebi Zubair has lead that by example. Her husband is her best critic and more often than not she cooks to bowl him over. Countless women in India can relate to Zebi’s story, the only difference being has made it to the top 12 at MasterChef.

Shweta Parikh

Shweta Parikh understood the meaning of fighting against all odds at a very young age. She comes from a family which faced financial hardships as she was growing up. Shweta derives strength from her sister who has lost her eyesight and yet is pursuing Law. Shweta’s husband is her source of inspiration and this 28 year old banker who was taught the ropes of cooking by her father is out here to prove that she has what it takes to be a MasterChef.


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Jayanandan Bhaskar Jayanandan is a 24 year old businessman from Lucknow. He lost his parents at a very young age and hence responsibilities made him grow up a lot quicker than the rest of the boys his age. He tried to run a restaurant once, but it never turned out to be monetarily viable. Generally a shy guy, Jayanandan is all ears when you talk to him about the thing he loves the most : Food.

Radhika Agarwal Radhika Agarwal has always been serious about cooking.She even pursued home science so that she could pursue her dream of being a chef. This 28 year old event manager hopes to rekindle that dream through MasterChef.

Smita Duggar

Smita is someone who knows her way around the kitchen, recipes and cusines. This 38 year old foodie has travelled all over the world and is known to improvise as she cooks, she calls it the ‘Smita Touch’. Will all that she touch really turn gold? Smita Duggar sure hopes it does.

Kandla Nijhowne

Having a food writer on the show adds an enormous amount of curiosity, will someone who writes a food column for The Tribune be able to put her money where her mouth is? Kandla sure thinks so. At the age of 58 one thing she sure does have by her side is years worth of precious experience. Kandla loves baking, and she has her finger set in the right pie.

Joe Baath Meet the cool quotient of MasterChef. Meet Joe Baath. Joe has been cooking since 1989, mostly because of the immense passion he feels towards it. He hosts a wrestling show, no wonder adventure is what drives him, be it in the ring or in the kitchen. A man of many talent, we hope this trained DJ spins the right magic when he cooks.

Parul Sukhwani Being a radio jockey Parul Sukhwani charms her listeners with her voice and she plans to do the same with her cooking. This girl from Indore started helping out in the kitchen when she was just eight years old, primarily because of her mother’s illness. She is one of the youngest amateur chefs in the competition with hands on cooking experience many would envy.


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Archana Chauhan

Archana Chauhan aka Khamosh Khiladi is a 39 year old amateur chef from Meerut. She runs the kitchen at home and knows that the only way to impress is by taste. She believes more in the walk than talk. Her determination has gotten her this far and she is ready to take over with all guns blazing.

Pritesh Chotani

Pritesh Chotani is an Assistant Brand Manager at Sprite. When he is not working he is clicking away. An ardent photographer Pritesh is known to out cook his wife and capture almost every dish he prepares through his camera. He is 28 and is mostly fascinated by Indian spices.

Pankaj Bhadouria

At the age of 38 seldom would any one leave their comfort zone. Meet Pankaj Bhadouria from Lucknow. She just quit her sixteen year old profession as a teacher to be a part of Master Chef.

From a country of over a billion, these 12 have an opportunity to help their dreams taste reality. They have the heart and the skills and what connects them all is faith.


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DARE DEVIL

ACTOR

CHEF

FATHER


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MODEL

HUSBAND

M a n y m o o d s , o n e m a n

A k s h a y K u m a r


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Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama introduced chilli to India, which now, out of many home grown chillies boasts of “Naga Jolokia” an Assamese chilli which is 401.5 times spicier than Tabasco. Until very recently it was the hottest chilli in the world, its predecessor the “Naga Viper” created by an English farmer is hot enough to strip paint.

Blocking: In every reality show there are several cameramen who capture all that goes around. One thing they have to be careful of is to never enter another cameraman’s field and this is where camera blocking helps.Each cameraman is assigned specific contestants and an area to play around with, so that the footage captured is unique and makes sense when it lands on the edit table.


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Set Change: Time and production, both are strongly against shifting too many venues for shoot purposes. It is also monetarily not feasible; this is where set changes help. A set change involves the same space being used for more than one purpose or scene. Here the “setting” team is working to get the space ready for a team cook off.


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Justice and Food feel the best when served on time. When there is a mammoth task up ahead and the clock is in no mood to be lenient, the only thing that can save you is team work. At MasterChef a team cook off is in play. The Red Team v/s The Blue Team.


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...and all that cooking has to prove its mettle here on the tasting table. The three crew members seen here, are first seated to set camera frames and lighting. Do they get to taste the food? Never! They still have to make do with “Set-Food” as Akshay, Kunal and Ajay let their taste buds run wild.

Roti, kapda aur makaan. One down, two to go.


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After losing to the Red team, Pankaj tries hard to hide her emotions. If only she knew what her culinary skills and fate had in store for her several recipes later... ...


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Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch.


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Music with dinner is an insult both to the cook and the violinist.


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During the shoot schedule, Akshays movie “Action Replayy” released adding a new flavour to the MasterChef set.


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Ex Miss World and now Mrs Bachchan, Aishwarya is to beauty what food is to Master Chef. Akshay’s leading lady in “Action Replay”, she charms one and all on set.


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India like any other country is connected by its highways. On these roads the most popular form of eatery that churns out hot spicy food almost all through the night is a “Dhaba”. Truck drivers especially rely on Dhabas for their meals. Find me an Indian who has not eaten at a Dhaba and I will tell you he isn't Indian. MasterChef cooks up a brand new challenge!


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The elaborate Dhaba challenge did not go very well with the Rain Gods! It poured, forcing production to make an alternate plan to go back to the studio if things did not brighten up. Luckily the rain stopped and hence the food did not.


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If they like the food, they might tell you. If they don’t like it, you will definitely know. The most truthful, yet fussy palate will judge today’s amateur chefs.

It is Children’s Day at MasterChef

READY KICK


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WATCH OUT! Sorry, Lightman dada.


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How did they all manage to cut their Index finger?


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Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.


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Udaipur Special


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Like most of the states in the country, this one too is known for its curries. Spicy, pungent and flavourful, the food here demands a burp. “Rajasthani Thalis” are the best way to savour this city on a plate. Food that stays true to the roots looks as picturesque as the city itself.

Welcome to the Royal City of Udaipur.


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Lighting up the palace was a mammoth task. The reflectors make it look like some mad scientist is out to steal all the light from the sun, but then if you think of it, it almost holds true.

Located on the east bank of Lake Pichola, City Palace, Udaipur was built in 1559. MasterChef has a royal challenge planned for our amateur chefs. Akshay Kumar dons a sherwani designed by his wife Twinkle Khanna as he makes haste to meet the King!


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A meal fit for kings, a phrase that could not be more apt than in a situation like this.His Royal Highness Sriji Arvind Singh Mewar is the 67th custodian of the Mewar dynasty. He knows his food, not just because he belongs to the royal dynasty, but primarily because this graduate of the prestigious Mayo College went on to study hotel management in the United Kingdom.


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Our competing chefs met their families after months. Happiness sure looks sweet.


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Akshay tries his hands at photography. These are the three images clicked by Akshay.


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The Kapoors : An affluent, loved and respected family in the Indian Film Industry. Food brings everyone together. Rishi Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor on the sets of MasterChef.


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Two hundred and fifty hungry guests. Five amateur chefs. Please welcome MasterChef at The TajStats Air Catering Ltd

You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients.


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the grand finale


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Croquembouche. A cake for the world, a challenge for our amateur chefs. A challenge Chef Avijit Ghosh (The Leela, Bangalore) has for all who share a dream to be India’s first MasterChef. Visit the Recipe section to know how he does it.


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With Akshay’s film “Tees Maar Khaan” also up for release two vivacious guests make way towards the MasterChef set! Well known Bollywood Director and Choreographer Farah Khan and one of the hottest women known to mankind, Katrina Kaif. If you look close enough you can also spot the Creative Head of Colosceum in the still above.


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Crowds cheer for the two finalists : Pankaj Bhadouria and Jayanandan Bhaskar. The moment of truth is upon us.


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Who wi l l f ind the l ight at the end of the tunnel?

The first Indian Master Chef :

Pankaj Bhadouria!


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Congratulations on winning MasterChef, how has your life changed ever since.Life has taken a 360 degree turn after winning Master Chef. Earlier my life revolved around my school and my family but now my horizon has definitely broadened. Along with the money has come in a lot of name and fame. It has now become difficult for me to walk 10 paces in a mall without somebody or the other coming up to me for an autograph or to have a picture clicked! I am humbled by all the love and affection that has come my way but I must confess that I am loving every minute of it. I also realize the responsibility I carry on my shoulders being India’s first MasterChef and pray that I should be able to fulfil it and make my mark in the culinary world.

Where did you grow up, how has your food journey been so far in life?I grew up in Delhi, a city where food is a way of life. My tryst with cooking started at the age of 11 or 12 thanks to my parents who were excellent cooks themselves. They loved throwing parties and I guess I inherited this love from them. The kitchen became my favorite part of the house where I would love to experiment. Sometimes the result would get me a pat on the back and sometime they would be so disastrous that I would be embarrassed to no end! Slowly I started understanding my spices and they became my good friends. I started evolving as a cook and improved myself with each passing day (and dish). I started trying out other cuisines by trying out things from various books and watching cookery shows. One of my favorite shows was “If Yan can cook, you can cook” and I fell in love with not only Yan but also the Chinese cuisine! Moving to Lucknow, another city famous for its cuisine, at the age of 18 had a definite influence on my taste buds and my skills as a cook.

Who was the toughest competition in MasterChef for you?Of the 12 contestants that were there, I would take each as a tough competition. But of them all, I felt Kandla and Joe were the ones who would give me tough competition and that they did till the semi-finals.

Was there ever a moment in MasterChef when you thought you would be ousted off the competition?Yes, there did come a moment when I thought I would be out of the competition. This was the day when I faced the elimination round. I had the misfortune of wearing the black apron only once during my entire journey at MasterChef and unfortunately I hurt my left hand very badly in the morning that day. When I reached the MasterChef kitchen that day and discovered that the task that day required us to make roomali rotis and the Almond Macroons, both requiring extensive use of the hand, I thought I had lost it there because I am a left hander. I could not save myself in either of the tasks and was sorely disappointed. I have never learnt to give up and when Akshay ji asked me whether I would be able to do it, I told him that I would fight till the end. When I faced the last task, I

was overjoyed because the task was based on presentation and we had to simply decorate a cup cake. I am also very fond of painting and have an eye for it. I have also won a cake decorating competition in my city and so felt very confident that I would be able to do it well and with God’s grace was able to present the best cupcake that day.

Which contestants elimination shocked you the most and why?I must say that Joe’s elimination shocked me the most because I felt he felt was very good. I had worked with him in a pair task during the Oriental challenge, and I knew that he was really good not only as an individual but also as a team member. His elimination was definitely the most shocking one for me.

How many cuisines were you comfortable with before Master Chef and now how many can you cook?I had tried my hand at almost all cuisines over the years. I could nearly all North Indian cuisines and some South Indian cuisines as well. I had not tried the Goan cuisine, Marathi and Parsi food and had no idea about the North Eastern food. I enjoyed cooking Chinese and Italian food and managed to do some Continental dishes quite well. Master Chef helped me hone my skills. I greatly improved on my cooking techniques here and learnt how to think out of the box which, I think, has helped me evolve as a better cook.

What is your family like? My family consists of my hubby, Charu Samarth, an IT and Gadget person (he also does a GADGETOMANIA page for a weekly magazine), my daughter, Sonalika, who is all of 13 and a Tennis buff (she is also gearing up to give me tough competition in the kitchen and I love her for that!). My son Siddhant is 10 years old car freak and a Federer in the making! My mom-in-law is the rock of our family and the greatest support for all of us.

Do you think your headmaster regrets not giving you that 1 month off when you asked for it? Frankly, I wouldn’t know what my Principal is feeling at the moment because I have not met her nor communicated with her since I left the school. Somehow it doesn’t hurt any more now. I guess winning the show has helped me to forget all about it.

Post Master Chef, whats your next step?Very soon I will have a cookery show coming up with Star Plus. I am also busy writing a cookery book of my own which would soon be published with the help of Star Plus. There is still so much I need to learn, so much that I am yet to explore in the culinary world. A good teacher is one who never stopped learning and so from a teacher, I am going back to becoming a student again!!

The belly rules the mind.


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Li fe on the sets of MasterChef

Meet cameramanAdnan. His t-shirts are just like his lenses - never out of focus.


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Eat. Grin. Smile. Tease. Laugh . But never let go of your camera.

Ever seen a Blue Moon? You now have. A cameramen sitting idle is a rare sight on any shoot and as you can see none of them are happy about it.


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The food team are the masters of this MasterChef kitchen. Running around the set with the recipies - every cutlery and every ingredient are expertly managed. Not the team to mess around with, they carry the knives too!

For a crew who’s numbers run in multiple hundreds there has to be a way to connect them all. Shoot in an air conditioned location or in an unfriendly terrain, a “Walky Talky” is the only acceptable and respected communication lifeline.


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Reality Producers : Generally a young bunch of enthusiasts, reality producers have to make sure that they follow their assigned cameraman and make sure he follows the contestants he has been assigned. If they are left with any time after that, then they are just not doing their job well. One Rule : If you can’t run, you can’t be a reality producer.


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Out of all the people on this page one of them quits their job today. Can you spot?

The Recipe


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Floor Manager : A floor manager runs the floor. Makes sure that everything happens on time, by the clock and with perfection.

Featured here are their two weapons of choice - A microphone to make sure every word they say is heard and a “double sided tape” to mark positions on the floor. From cameramen to the anchor, its always about the right blocking.

MasterChef spares no one, be it the contestants or the judges. Chef Kunal’s culinary skills being put to test by the MasterChef team.


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As the shoot progressed, hot food and heated arguments become the staple diet. While utensils rattle because they dislike being empty, creative minds make noise because the field is full of ideas.


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The man who knows the sundry expense, his own and the entire show. Rub him the wrong way and you might just not get your cash voucher signed.

The entertainment business cannot afford to be equal, for everyone. While some enjoy being a SuperStar, many have to face the struggle. This anonymous director, waited for two days in a row to meet Akshay Kumar, and finally he did.

While making a television program, the show is not the only thing that is shot. Promotional content also needs to be rolled and cut to create buzz around the property. These are commonly known as Promos. Here, you see Akshay performing for two different promo shoots.


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Reality television demands that a lot of scripting is done on the fly. Incomes the “In Ear”, a device widely used during TV shoots to relay information directly to the anchor.


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Is something burning in the kitchen? Yes, the kitchen! The restaurant caught fire on the last day of shoot. Akshay points out the culprit.

So all that food thats made, where does it go? Don’t look at them, they can’t tell with their mouths full.


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Its takes forty satisfying shoot days for the director to say the magic words “Pack-Up!”


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Master RecipesR

The most loved recipes from MasterChef India


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Blue Team’s Khumb Bharwan Murgh

Akshay Kumar ‘s Khiladi Sizzler

Pankaj Bhadouria’s Aubergines with Rice & Pepper-Feta Salad

Radhicka Agarwaal’s Italian Platter

Kandla Nijhowne’s Cigarillos of Stuffed Chicken with Vegetable bundles

Jayanandan’s Sweet Cheesy Basil

Avijit Ghosh ‘s Croquembouche Cake

Ajay Chopra ‘s Apple and berry Crumble

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Khumb Bharwa Murg

Ingredients:

Method

4 pieces Chicken breast3 nos Onions (2 sliced, 1 chopped) 50 gm Cashewnuts (boiled)1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste1 tsp Green Cardamom (powdered)100 gm Mushrooms (chopped)1 tbsp Amul ButterFor frying Fortune Oil½ tbsp Kasoori methi

3 nos Cloves1” Cinnamon1 nos Bay leaf4 tbsp Amul Curd (whisked) A pinch Turmeric powder1 tbsp Coriander powder 1 tsp Red chilli powder½ tsp Amchur powderTo taste Salt

1. Heat oil in a pan and fry sliced onions till brown. Grind to a smooth paste. Grind cashew nuts to a smooth paste.

2. Marinate chicken with ginger-garlic paste, cardamom powder and salt and keep aside.

3. In a pan, heat butter and sauté chopped onion and mushrooms. Season with salt (if required).

4. Slit the chicken breast and stuff with prepared mushroom mixture. Heat butter in a frying pan and sear the chicken breast. Remove and

keep aside.

5. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same pan and add kasoori methi and whole spices. When spices crackle, mix in brown onion paste, cashew paste and

curd and cook stirring continuously till oil separates.

6. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, amchur powder and salt and simmer the gravy.

7. Bake marinated chicken pieces in a preheated oven at 120*C for 10 minutes. Remove, add to the gravy and simmer till done. Serve hot.


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Khiladi Sizzler by Akshay Kumar

Ingredients:

Method

For Momo:• 50 g Cabbage• 50 g Carrots• 3 Mushrooms• 1 Spring onions with greens• A few sprigs coriander leaves• Salt to taste• White pepper powder• 1 1/2 tsp Oyster saucet• 1 tsp Dark soya sauce

For the Momo:

Finely chop all vegetables. Combine with salt, pepper, oyster sauce, soya sauce and 1 tsp oil. Keep aside this stuffing.

For Dough:

Mix flour, salt and water to make a semi stiff dough. Keep covered under cling wrap for 1 hour. Remove and knead again for a minute. Divide into 6 equal por-

tions. Shape each roundel into a mini puri. Place a portion of the stuffing in the puri and shape like a momo. Steam in bamboo baskets for 10 minutes . Cool.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok and toss the momos for glaze and keep aside.

For Pad Thai Noodles:

Cut the vegetables in dices/ triangles. Keep aside. Boil water for noodles . Add noodles and cook till almost done. Drain off excess water, add oil and mix well.

Wash in running cold water and keep aside. Heat oil in a wok; add the vegetables and the remaining ingredients. Toss well on a high flame. Add cooked noodles,

season well, toss well and keep aside.

For Stir Fried Veggies:

Chop vegetables in dices and keep aside. Heat oil in a wok, add the rest of the ingredients and toss well on a high flame. Keep aside.

To be heated into a sauce: For the base - Slices of yellow and green zucchini Plating - Heat the sizzler plate and place the slices of zucchini. Spread stir fried veg-

gies on top. Place a mound of pad thai noodles in the centre and place the momos on the sides. Drizzle with the sauce for sizzle effect. Alternatively, place the

momos on skewer sticks and place at an angle on the noodles.

• 1” Ginger• 4 Cloves garlic• 1 1/2 tsp Sesame oilFor Dough:• 1 cup Refined flour• Salt to taste• WaterFor Pad Thai Noodles:• 2 Asparagus• 2 Baby corn

• 1/2 Red capsicum• 1/3 Cup bean sprouts• 1 Spring onions• 50 g Cabbage• 50 g Pakchoy• 1 Packet flat thai noodles• Salt• Sugar• 2 tsp Peanuts• 1 tsp Red chilli paste

• A pinch Turmeric powder• 1 tsp Lemon juice • White pepper powder• Tbsp Refined oil For Stir Fried Veggies:• 1 tsp Oil• 1 tsp Garlic, chopped• 50 g Bean sprouts• 1/2 Pakchoy• 1/2 Red pepper• 2 Babycorn

• 5 to 6 Basil leaves• Salt to taste• 1/2 tsp Soya sauceTo be heated into a sauce:• 1 tsp Butter• 1/2 tsp Sesame oil• 1 tsp Hite sesame seeds• 3 Red bird eye chillies• 1 Lemon, juiced• Dash of soya sauce

Sizzler base: • Zucchini-both colors (yellow and green)

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Pankaj Bhadouria’s Aubergines with Rice & Pepper-Feta Salad

Ingredients:

Method

3 nos. Long Purple Aubergines (thinly sliced lengthwise)3 nos. Long Green Aubergines (thinly sliced lengthwise)To taste SaltTo taste Ramdev Black Pepper powder500 gm India Gate Basmati Rice500 ml Vegetable stock1/3rd cup Walnuts (finely chopped)

1. Toss the sliced aubergines in salt and pepper and keep aside.

2. Boil the rice with vegetable stock, salt and pepper. Add the required amount of water and cook till just done. Toss with chopped walnuts and

half the parsley. Keep aside.

3. Heat 3 tbsp oil, add garlic and onion and sauté till translucent. Mix in tomatoes and cook till softened.

4. Mix in the mutton mince, salt, pepper and oregano and continue cooking till done.

5. Meanwhile, toss aubergine slices with 2 tbsp oil. Heat a tawa and grill aubergine slices on both sides.

6. Combine capsicum with feta, remaining parsley and paprika. Toss well and keep it aside.

Garnish

7. Heat the balsamic vinegar with 1 tsp sugar and reduce till slightly thick.

8. Heat 1 tbsp oil and toss in cherry tomatoes, a pinch of oregano, salt and pepper.

Assembling

9. To assemble, use a ring mould to make a bed of rice. Arrange aubergine slices on top with alternate layers of mutton sauce. Top with salad.

10. Drizzle balsamic reduction around the rice and arrange cherry tomatoes. Serve hot.

4 sprigs Fresh Parsley (minced)6 tbsp Fortune Refined Oil6-8 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)2 nos. Onions (finely sliced)4 nos. Tomatoes (finely chopped)250 gm Mutton mince1 tsp Dried Oregano2 nos. Yellow Capsicum (cut into juliennes)2 nos. Red Capsicum (cut into juliennes)100 gm Feta Cheese (crumbled)

1 tsp Paprika4 tbsp Balsamic vinegar1 tsp Sugar10 nos. Cherry Tomatoes


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Radhicka Agarwaal’s Italian Platter

Ingredients:

Method

3 tbsp: Olive oil4-5 cloves: Garlic cloves (finely chopped)250 gm: Arborio rice100 ml: White wineTo taste: Salt500 ml: Vegetable stockFew sprigs: Fresh basil (finely chopped)8-10 nos. Mushrooms (quartered) 1 nos. Onion (chopped)

1. Take 1 tsp olive oil in a pan, add chopped garlic and sauté.

2. Add in the Arborio rice and sauté. Pour in the white wine, let it get absorbed.

3. Add salt and keep adding vegetable stock slowly. Add chopped basil leaves and mushrooms.

4. Saute onions in a tsp of olive oil, add garlic and fresh cream and red, yellow and green capsicum. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Sauté zucchini and baby corn in olive oil with fresh parsley and salt.

6. Heat a tsp of olive oil and put slices of mozzarella sprinkled over with thyme. Cook on both sides.

7. Preheat oven to 120*C. Brush butter on wonton wrappers and fold. Again brush with butter, fold and bake till crisp and golden.

8. On a plate, place the sauteed vegetables in a pile, a mound of risotto on the other side. Using a ring mould, place the creamed vegetables

and baked wonton crisp on it and the pan-fried cheese on the side with a drizzle of balsamic reduction.

200 ml: Amul Fresh Cream1 nos. Red pepper (finely chopped)1 nos. Yellow pepper (finely chopped)1 nos. Green capsicum (finely chopped)To taste: Ramdev Black Pepper powder1 nos. Green zucchini (cut into batons)1 nos. Yellow zucchini (cut into batons)8-10 nos. Baby corns (cut into batons)2 sprigs: Fresh parsley (minced)

250 gm: Amul Mozzarella cheese (sliced thinly)½ tsp: Thyme3-4 tbsp: Amul Butter (melted)3-4 nos. Wonton wrappers2 tbsp: Balsamic and white wine reduction

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Kandla Nijhowne’s Cigarillos of Stuffed Chicken with Vegetable bundles bathed in a Mushroom Glaze

Ingredients:

Method

3nos. Red Bell Peppers2 tbsp: Olive Oil½ cup: Dried Porschini Mushrooms (soaked for 30 minutes)4 nos. Boneless Chicken BreastsTo taste: SaltTo taste: Black Pepper powder1 nos. Lemon (juice extracted)2 cups: Ricotta Cheese

1. Smear the bell peppers with olive oil and roast. When blistered and scorched, cover in cling film and keep for 10 minutes. Carefully peel off the blackened skin

and discard. Chop into even sized pieces.

2. Slit the chicken breast evenly, taking care not to cut through to the edge. Open out and beat flat till uniformly thin. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

3. Cream the ricotta cheese till the lumps are smoothened. Season with salt, pepper and mustard, add chopped rosemary and chopped smoked pepper.

4. Place an oblong portion of the mixture along one side of the flattened chicken and roll firmly, enclosing the filling by folding in the sides as you go along. Wrap

in a sheet of foil and chill for half an hour.

5. In the meanwhile, drain the water from the mushrooms and slice them evenly. Heat a frying pan, add the rest of the oil and saute the garlic paste. Add mush-

rooms and stir fry briefly.

6. Season with salt and pepper, then add wine and simmer till it is reduced to half the quantity. Cook further till you have a syrupy glaze. Keep aside.

7. Boil salted water in a saucepan and blanch carrots and beans briefly. Plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process.

8. Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a pan and toss the beans and carrots, adding lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from pan, bunch together and tie into little

bundles using a length of chive greens.

9. Braise the rolled chicken in the rest of the butter till golden and cooked.

10. To serve, remove on a platter and slice, laying them out at an angle. Drizzle the mushroom glaze over it and arrange the veggie bundles on the side.

To taste: Mustard powder1-2 tbsp: Fresh Rosemary (finely chopped)1 tbsp: Garlic paste3 tbsp: White Wine3 tbsp: Amul Butter2 nos. Carrots (cut into batons)150 gm: Tender green beans (cut into batons)A few shoots: Chives


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Sweet Cheesy Basil by Jayanandan

Ingredients:

Method

½ kg: Spinach10-15 nos. Fresh Basil leaves½ cup: Amul Milk50 gm: Khoya (grated)½ cup: Caster Sugar½ tsp: Cinnamon Powder 1 cup: Ricotta Cheese1 tbsp: Cranberries (chopped)2 tsp: Pistachios (chopped)

1. In a pan combine spinach with basil and milk and heat for 5-7 minutes till spinach softens but does not change colour.

2. Puree the spinach mixture in a blender taking care not to overgrind (as this will make the spinach black).

3. Heat khoya in a frying pan till it softens and becomes moist. Mix in caster sugar and spinach puree and cook for 1 minute.

4. Mix in cinnamon powder, ricotta cheese, cranberries and pistachios and cook for 1 more minute. Serve hot.

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For Saffron and Pistachio Coconut Cream1 litre: Amul Milk1 nos: Vanilla pods10 nos: Egg yolks200gm: Sugar100 gm: Cornflour200 gm: Unsalted ButterA few strands: Saffron100 ml: Coconut milk180 gms: Coconut (freshly grated)

For Choux paste1 litre: Water400gm: Amul ButterPinch of Salt600 gm: Refined Flour12 nos. Eggs (lightly beaten)

For Royal Icing1 nos. Egg300 gms: Icing Sugar

1 nos. Lemon (juice extracted)

Caramel sauce400gm: Castor Sugar200gm: Liquid Glucose40 ml: Water

Caramel for spun sugar400gm: Castor Sugar

200gm: Liquid Glucose40gm: Water

For GarnishFondant flowersGold and silver leaf

Pastry Cream1. Slit the vanilla pod lengthwise, add to milk and bring it to a boil in a pan.2. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with sugar and cornflour. When milk comes to a boil, mix in the egg yolk mixture gradually, whisking continuously till mixture thickens. Mix in the butter while custard is still warm.3. In a separate bowl combine saffron with coconut milk and heat till warm. Mix in fresh coconut and combine with prepared pastry cream. Keep aside to cool. Choux Pastry1. Boil water with butter and salt in the large stock pot. Sift in the flour and whisk thoroughly till it forms a soft dough. Remove dough into steel bowl and beat using electric whisk.2. While the dough is still warm, add lightly beaten eggs gradually at regular intervals. Continue beating till mixture is smooth. (Reserve about 3 tbsp beaten egg for egg wash.)3. Preheat oven at 220’C.4. Fill prepared batter into piping bags with plain nozzles and pipe small profiteroles onto the provided greased and dusted baking trays. 5. Brush profiteroles with egg wash and bake at 220*C for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 160*C and allow profiteroles to dry out in the oven at this temperature for 7-8 min. Royal Icing6. Prepare royal icing by separating the egg yolks from the white and placing the whites in a glass bowl. Gently which the whites then gradually sift in icing sugar, add lemon juice and whisk well till very smooth and bright. When you get your desired consistency immediately fill into a piping bag.Setting7. Place the provided cake on the bottom tier of cake stand. Garnish with royal icing and fondant flowers. Attach top tier of cake stand.8. Remove profiteroles from the oven and keep aside to cool. Grease mould.9. Using the tip of a small knife, pierce a small hole in the base of the cooled profiteroles. Whisk prepared pastry cream again to smoothen it and fill into piping bags. 10. Start to prepare caramel sauce. Combine caster sugar with glucose and water and cook on a medium-high flame, stirring at regular intervals, till temperature of the syrup reaches 160-170*C.11. Meanwhile, pipe pastry cream into prepared profiteroles.12. Dip the top of a profiterole in prepared caramel and place with base side up inside the greased mould. Repeat the procedure for the remaining profiteroles till the mould gets filled completely without any gaps. The placement of profiteroles should follow a circular pattern.13. Demould onto the top tier of the cake stand. 14. Start making spun sugar by combining sugar with glucose and water and cooking it on a high flame till the temperature of the caramel reaches 150-160*C.15. Place two steel ladles with long handles on the table, with the handle part protruding out. Grease the handles with oil. Dip fork in caramel and sprinkle over the handles. Do this process twice or thrice. Once done, remove using both hands and shape as required. Use within 10 minutes.16. Garnish the croquembouche with spun sugar and gold and silver leaves as shown.

Croquembouche Cake by Avijit Ghosh

Method

Ingredients:


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Ingredients:

Apple and Berry Crumble recipe by Ajay Chopra

Apple: 2no.Lemon Zest: 1 noSugar: 25gms Vanilla Bean: 1noMix Berry: 5gms

CrumbleButter: 100 gmsSugar: 100 gmsFlour: 170 gms

Method

• Cook the sugar till light caramel.

• Add lemon Juice and vanilla bean.

• Put in the peeled dices of apple and cook.

• For crumble, cream butter and sugar and add flour.

• Spread crumble on baking tray and bake at 180.c till light brown

• Put the crumble on soup plate and cover it with crumble.

• Microwave it for 10 sec..

• Serve with vanilla ice cream and garnish with used and dries vanilla bean

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epilogueThe making of this book took several months, during the course of which we cooked enough to feed an entire army. We are thankful to all who trusted us with a responsibility as savory as this and if it still needs to be said, the pleasure is all ours.

Manish Nirwal, Photographer

Tanmay Bahulekar, Writer

g o o d f o o d e n d s w i t h g o o d t a l k


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g o o d f o o d e n d s w i t h g o o d t a l k

The RecipeA

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The Recipe A photographic journey of the making of MasterChef India

Photography by Manish Nirwal

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About the Photographerand Writer:

Manish Nirmal : A director by profession and a professional photographer by passion, Manish Nirwal, 35, has the very scenic north india to thank, for making him pick up a camera. Now based in Mumbai, India thru this coffee table book he brings to life the aromas of food. Say cheese!

Tanmay Bahulekar:Becoming a writer happened by chance and not design. Tanmay Bahulekar is 26 years old and now based in Mumbai,India. A theater actor, song writer, ex radio-dj he has dabbled in more professions than most his age. Thru this book he shares his love for food, words, people and everything in

“Non scripted drama is in our opinion the highest form of storytelling. When one’s approach is honest, then the story rise higher than the imagination. MasterChef taught us that even food can be dramatic.”

Cover_DJ_295-368pg_Lg-Sqar_StdPpr_v2.indd 1 21/02/11 2:16 PM

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