01 April 2023, Mumbai: The 13-week run of MasterChef India has come to an end, with the top 3 finalists – Suvarna Bagul from Maharashtra, along with Santa Sarmah and Nayanjyoti Saikia from Assam – making it to the highly anticipated ‘Ultimate Grand Finale’. The finale episode featured Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and the regular judges, Chefs Ranveer Brar, Vikas Khanna, and Garima Arora, who judged the 3 finalists in the challenging “signature three-course meal” task.
The winner of the challenge was Nayanjyoti Saikia from Assam, who received a cheque of INR 25 lakhs from Sony Entertainment Television, in addition to the prestigious trophy of ‘MasterChef India’ and the coveted Golden Chef’s Coat. Santa Sarmah from Assam was announced as the first runner-up, while Suvarna Bagul from Mumbai was declared the second runner-up, both of whom were awarded a cheque of INR 5 lakhs.
Upon contacting Nayanjyoti, the champion shared, “My aspiration was to participate in MasterChef India and cook, but now it seems like I have achieved all my life’s goals. I not only got to participate, but I also received the apron, and winning this intense cooking competition feels surreal. Despite my self-doubts, the judges motivated us immensely. The opportunities that this platform has provided are beyond imagination – working with the best chefs in the industry, in cutting-edge food facilities, professional kitchens, and experimenting with novel ingredients has helped me learn a lot.” Chef Garima also expressed her thoughts, saying, “Nayanjyoti truly deserves all the recognition and more. As an amateur home cook, his exponential growth in the kitchen made him the perfect choice for this win. He is humble, firmly grounded in his state’s culture, and eager to learn. I hope this experience will help him grow even further. Congratulations to him, and I wish him all the best.”
According to Chef Ranveer, “Nayanjyoti Saikia is truly deserving of the win. He worked tirelessly throughout the season and consistently presented dishes that impressed the judges. Additionally, his food is characterised by honesty, simplicity, and purity, which undoubtedly contributed to his victory.” Chef Vikas added, “I remember visiting Nayanjyoti in his hometown of Tinsukia and being blown away by his creativity and passion for food. He has an incredibly bright future ahead of him and is always striving to achieve his dreams. It has been an honour to be a part of his journey.