'Yesterday in the grand finale of Celebrity MasterChef,'
'Chef Sanjeev Kapoor arrived with the final challenge.'
'Where our celebrity cooks were challenged'
'to create two dishes.'
'And today, we'll see whose dish will make them'
'the very first Celebrity MasterChef!'
'You can tell from the plating'
'it reflects confidence. It exudes confidence.'
'The jackfruit is so delicious.'
'I am getting emotional today.' Which isn't like me.'
'As an actor, my emotions...'
'Perhaps you've come this far by suppressing your emotions.'
'Begin a new chapter of life today,'
'this time embracing your emotion.'
'India's first Celebrity MasterChef.'
[tense music playing]
'The name is...'
[suspenseful music playing]
Faisu, let's start with you. Please get your dish.
- Come on, Faisu. - Come on!
[suspenseful music playing]
Faisu, what have you made?
I made Haleem with Crown Bread.
[pleasant music playing]
This Haleem is inspired by a 110-year-old
traditional recipe.
The foam you see on the side, made using a siphon gun,
is actually pumpkin foam.
And with that, I've paired mango and bell pepper salsa.
And along with that, the white paste you see
is a cashew dip.
Are you happy with this dish? - Yes, Chef. I am happy.
- Is it exactly how you wanted it to be? - Yes, Chef.
Which course will this dish be in the restaurant?
Will it be served as an appetiser,
small plate, main course, or part of a tasting menu?
This isn't a main course, Chef.
This will be an appetiser.
If it were a main course, the bread would've been bigger
and stuffed it with more Haleem.
But keeping Celebrity MasterChef in mind,
I chose to plate it nicely as an appetiser.
Faisu, you mentioned that this is a 110-year-old recipe.
What is the story behind this recipe?
Chef, my grandpa
was a manager in 1987.
He used to make this Haleem.
This Haleem is really special to me.
I gave my best.
My mom...
My mom does something to enhance the flavour.
I tried to incorporate that into this dish.
I combined my grandpa's recipe
with my mom's process of elevating the flavour.
I gave it the charcoal smoke right at the end.
- Just like my mom does. - Your story
brought this dish to life.
- Yes, Chef. - Right? Faisu,
the sparkle in your eyes and the confidence in your words
are really inspiring.
Continue that. All right? All the best.
- Thank you, Chef. - Thank you, Faisu.
- Continue with the dessert, please. - Thank you, ma'am.
[applauding]
Chef, how did you like the presentation?
The presentation is stunning.
It's looking beautiful.
This kind of Haleem presentation is something
you'd never imagine seeing
in a Michelin-star place doing Indian cuisine.
[upbeat music playing]
- Oh my God! - Oh my God!
The core dish is Haleem.
And we expect a lot from Haleem.
Haleem is one of those dishes where there's no margin for error.
[suspenseful music playing]
There can't be any inconsistencies because this is the finale.
I think in this Haleem
the texture,
the meatiness, the cooking,
the smoothness, the richness...
- Smokiness. - The smokiness takes it to the next level.
Squeeze of lemon on top, and the whole thing just opens up.
The bread brings that grounding element.
It ties everything together. When you take a bite...
- I think it's a perfect combination. - Wow!
It's hard to tell
whether this is a celebrity cooking show
or a show for seasoned professionals.
But here, he has
cracked this concept of Haleem-meets-kebab,
surrounded it around textures.
And the real challenge was turning Haleem into an appetiser
without losing its integrity,
that was the test of this dish.
This dish has passed.
Pass?
I'd say, look at this,
- this is a dish. - Oh!
[pleasant music playing]
- 10 weeks ago, he had never entered the kitchen. - I don't believe it.
This is the culmination of 10 weeks.
But this is transformative to another level.
This kind of transformation
it's just unbelievable!
The only thing I feel about this dish is
that if the crown bread
had been sprinkled with grainy salt.
It would have taken it to the next level.
Other than that,
brilliance, innocence
and comfort.
[Faisu] 'I started making my second dish.'
'I took the coconut cream'.
'I combined 120 grams each of coconut cream and milk,'
'followed by 4 grams of agar-agar and eggs,'
'I made a mousse and whipped some cream, added a nice flavour to it'
'and promptly put it into the fridge.'
'I stared caramelising.'
'I took some caramel, added fresh cream'
'and sugar to it, and caramelised it really well.'
'Then I squeezed in orange juice to give it the orange flavour.'
'The idea is that when someone eats it, they should taste orange.'
'And now, it's time for the garnishing;
'I needed chocolate for garnishing'
'to make a tree.'
'If I put it in the centre'
'it should look beautiful. So, I started making a tree.'
'I made the tree.'
Nikki!
- Yes, Chef! - Please bring your dish.
[applauding]
What did you make, Nikki?
My dish is called Kismat Ki Potli.
Oh!
The outer layer is chicken skin.
The filling inside is prawns.
The sauce is made from pineapple and coconut milk.
Wow!
And what is this along with it?
- That's a salad. Red bell pepper. - Okay.
There is a chilli on top.
Do you know, there is an element
- that is Chef Vikas' favourite. - Hmm!
Raw bell pepper.
Oh!
I hate it.
[laughing]
The idea of using chicken skin
and stuffing it like that.
If we talk about innovation,
this dish exists in many cultures.
But I love that you used the same technique.
- Because the skin becomes very crispy. - Yeah.
- In my first TV show and the first episode... - Yes, Chef.
I made two dishes. Shaam Savera and Chicken Potliwala
- Okay. - Which I had poached.
- That dish was my turning point. - Yes, Chef.
Do you think this dish will do the same for you?
It will. Because I've tasted every element.
Every element is different. There is crispy, spicy,
sweet and sour.
I'll ask your parents. What do you think?
Will this Chicken Potli turn Nikki's fate around?
Yes, sir, I am certain.
- She will! - Yes.
- Okay, Nikki. Thank you. - Good!
- Thank you so much. - Time for us to taste.
Thank you.
Chef Sanjeev, tell us.
If you look at the plating, it has completely international styling,
yet it is very Indian.
The soul is Indian, but the thought is international.
I think very restaurant-friendly dish.
She was smart about using two things.
Colours and height.
The dish looks attractive because of the colours.
And the height... The elevation
is attractive on its own.
She has used both very intelligently in the presentation.
[suspenseful music playing]
- So good! - So good!
So good!
Madness!
Stunning!
The chutney she made
has tartness, fruitiness,
creaminess and has an Indian touch.
The best thing is...
I was worried that when she makes this dish
the prawn stuffing
- might get overcooked or chewy. - Yeah!
The outside should be crispy.
- There's a poppadum-like crunch in its crispiness. - Hmm.
It's tasty.
And it's a complete dish. It's a perfect dish.
The sauce is immaculate.
I think this is her most layered and beautiful spicy dish so far.
And the prawn...
the biggest concern was that if she cooked the chicken for so long
the prawns would get overcooked, right?
But the chicken fat has kept the prawns moist too.
I love it!
I ate wontons made from chicken skin in Thailand.
I could give feedback to improve it.
- But now, there is nothing to fix. - Yes.
I think the spiciness inside
- and then the balance of sweetness... - Yeah.
- With pineapple and coconut. - Amazing.
Now I believe
that she beat a professional chef.
She has it in her.
- Amazing, Chef. - She has that quality.
Are you saying the dish you made with chicken skin
and this one, both worked out great?
100%.
You'll find this dish on the restaurant menu soon.
[tense music playing]
[Nikki] 'I still have to make the main dish.'
'It is not yet over.'
'I thought of transforming rice bhakri, usually prepared in Konkan,'
'into noodles.'
'And the Khandeshi mutton will be spicy'
'because that dish is meant to be spicy.'
I plan to infuse the rice noodles with Indian flavours.
[suspenseful music playing]
- Gaurav! - Yes, ma'am.
Please bring your dish here.
[applauding]
- Gaurav! - Yes, ma'am.
What have you made?
It is a vegetarian dish.
I made a jackfruit dish in a red spicy sauce.
I also made coconut and lemongrass rice.
There are fried peanuts.
It also has walnuts
for the crisp element.
The yellow sauce
is my version of Moilee sauce.
I wanted to represent the regions with coconut.
- And... Basically, the southern part of our country. - Hmm!
Meaning Dakshin Express Gaurav Style.
- Yes. And... - You are from Kanpur
and you took a huge risk in the finale.
Actually, I learnt everything here.
Because this is the finale, I wanted to represent our country.
So, I just wanted to cover a little bit of every state.
This is my tribute
to our lovely country and its rich cuisine.
[applauding]
What is this dish called?
Dakshin Bharat!
- Thank you. - Thank you, Gaurav.
Thank you!
[applauding]
If we look at it,
it's looking like a beautiful painting.
Like modern art!
You can tell from the plating
it reflects confidence. It exudes confidence.
The way he thought about it
and presented it...
- The jackfruit is in a sauce. - Hmm.
And then to take one more sauce,
that in itself is a big risk.
But he has been portrayed very beautifully,
- He has used a bright colour. - Yes.
My mouth is watering.
[suspenseful music playing]
A prolonged silence at the table is enough to reveal
that the dish demands nothing but peace and undivided attention.
This is so good.
Oh my God!
Gaurav is killing me!
Wow!
The jackfruit is so delicious.
Technically, it is so sound.
If you hadn't said it was jackfruit, I would've thought it was meat!
- Viku, walnuts with peanuts. - It has walnuts.
Walnuts and peanuts.
- Who would've thought? - The texture... And very salty.
It is going with the dish.
There isn't a single element that hasn't received attention.
The taste of the rice,
the coconut in it, the bite...
The bite is so correct. It's nice and moist.
And the combination of jackfruit,
it's just mind-boggling.
You'll always find two trees in every household in South India.
'a jackfruit tree and a coconut tree.'
Right! To bring jackfruit and coconut together in one dish
and with so many elements, each harmonising with the other.
This dish, for me, shows the evolution of Gaurav.
This is like a warm
- southern sun's embrace. - Embrace.
Backwaters, coconut trees,
the temple sounds.
Everything is coming together here for me.
I've lived in the South for many years. I learnt cooking there.
For me, this is one of the best dishes
that represents Southern India
in a vegetarian, beautiful form.
[Gaurav] The second course is the dessert.'
'I haven't started it yet.'
'I don't know how to complete it.'
'For the dessert, I thought of'
'using the flavours of til-gud gajak,'
'which we make in UP during the winter.'
'I want to take that flavour'
'and turn it into an ice cream.'
'I started making it.'
'I prepared everything carefully because in desserts,'
'everything has to be very accurate.'
' So I'm measuring everything precisely.'
[suspenseful music playing]
Rajiv, please bring your first course.
[applauding]
Rajiv, what did you make?
I made Thepla Panipuri.
- Thepla Panipuri? - Yes.
- This puri is like a thepla. Wow! - Thepla.
And has a masala khichdi which is famous in Gujarat.
And Chhundo.
Chhundo is a pickle in Gujarat.
It is kadhi and not a typical panipuri water.
- What is it called? - Rajiv's Thepla Puri.
It doesn't sound good.
Rajiv's mom, suggest a name.
Gujju Bomb!
I have a question.
It has a touch of Gujarat.
But does it have a touch of Rajiv?
It does.
- Thank you, Rajiv. - Thank you so much.
- I want to ask one question. - Hmm!
This is the finale of MasterChef.
Do you think a panipuri cuts it?
Any dish can do that
if the execution is brilliant.
I think he thought why can't there be a kadhi in panipuri.
- Yes! - Right?
- Just like there is Shrikhand Puri. - Yes.
- Correct. - We put shrikhand in panipuri, so why not kadhi?
It's the same thing eventually, puchka, panipuri,
pani batashe, phulki.
- You can call it what you want. - Yes.
The whole of India has put
its own stamp on panipuri, so why not Rajiv?
He's like, 'I want to put my own stamp on this dish.'
- I think the thought behind it deserves full marks. - Yes.
And if you look at the presentation, the colours
are working really well together.
That dark and light contrast.
[suspenseful music playing]
Nice and crispy puri.
The khichdi inside
adds such a creamy texture.
The bite balances the crispy layer so well.
There's a slightly sweet and tangy notes.
Touch of dried fenugreek leaves.
It tastes well.
The kadhi...
Kadhi is the most perfect kadhi I've ever eaten.
It is delicious.
So, overall when you take a bite,
you taste Gujarat on your palate.
And when you bite into it,
the bubbles of kadhi burst.
It's like garba is being played.
This is absolutely fantastic.
If we talk about innovation,
he tried to elevate something so simple.
And with the elevation comes celebration. I feel that.
I think Rajiv has proved me wrong.
Because I felt that Rajiv
should not have been in the finals.
Because he was making random things.
But this is redemption.
This dish is a 'Rajiv is back' dish.
Rajiv is back on an emotional level,
technical level and taste level.
[suspenseful music playing]
My cake is in the making. I am making basundi now.
It'll take time for my basundi to cook.
Along with it, I had hung curd.
I added mango pur*e to it.
My shrikhand is getting made in the hung curd now.
[music playing]
Tejasswi, please come here.
- Teja! Teja... - [applause]
- Teju! - Teja...
Knock it.
- Whoa! - My, oh, my.
[Sanjeev] I have a question.
This is a dish from your restaurant.
- You brought it before me. - Yes, Chef.
- Now, you're presenting it. - Yes, Chef.
How will you present it?
What will you call it?
I mean, tell me in a way that makes it appetising.
This is a salt-baked rawas fish
which we cure properly in salt and lemon
and then bake it.
I've kept the moisture of the fish intact
so that you feel the moistness when you eat it.
Its texture is quite different from a normal baked fish.
I also made crystal bread which was quite challenging for me.
I'd watched a season of MasterChef
in which crystal bread was given in a pressure test
and no one succeeded in making it.
I wanted to make the impossible crystal bread
in the finale of MasterChef
and so, I made this.
The crystal bread is quite delicate.
If you bite into it, it will break immediately.
I also have a pickle made with zucchini, carrot and radish.
There's also a Kachampuli tamarind coastal sauce.
So, please enjoy.
Thank you.
[applause]
Chef, don't you think that if the plate were black,
then the crystal bread would have stood out?
Right now, it's getting lost in the white.
Actually, had it been darker, it would have...
But I think the drama of this dish...
The real drama is
a whole fish is served to you at the restaurant
and broken in front of you.
That is the drama.
That's incidental. It's not plating.
It's like when you have a Peking duck.
It comes whole, is cut and put on your plate. That's it.
So, it's in the plate.
I think the theatre was there.
Correct, but looking at the overall colours,
the fish seems to be moist,
the bread seems to be crisp,
the sauce seems to be smooth
and the pickled vegetables seem to have a crunch.
Overall, it's a very fine plate.
[intriguing music playing]
This technique is more like blind cooking.
You...
The size of the fish,
how much salt you've added on top,
the moisture content in the egg,
then comes the temperature,
then comes your travel time...
All that has to be calculated to precision!
The best of chefs falter when it comes to precision.
- I think the butteriness and softness of the fish... - Hmm.
To give it texture, she's added the cloud bread.
If there's a crisp element,
the butteriness of the fish wouldn't feel monotonous.
And there, the crystal bread is doing its job.
Amazing! I think the hero
- of this dish is the fish. - Yes.
It starts and ends at the fish.
The other elements are add-ons, they're good,
- but the fish is ten on ten. - Whoa.
Farah, in last time's challenge,
none of the home cooks were able to make the crystal bread
because, first, you've to leave the oven on for a long time.
Second, it's all about the moisture.
If the moisture is slightly more, this will burst
and if it's less, this will turn hard.
Third, how much you cook the dough matters.
So, technically, this is very difficult.
Come to think of it,
the home cooks and amateur cooks couldn't crack it,
but Teja did.
Coming to the sauce
and the pickle.
Too good.
I'm not liking the crystal bread.
Otherwise, it was a ten on ten.
The best part about this dish is,
the way she's used the sourness
and celebrated Kachampuli.
I still feel it's a very lesser-known spice of India.
It is India's answer to something like a balsamic.
The undertone with coconut and chilli is amazing.
Chef, Sanjeev, but I must say
this is some of the best food we have eaten in this season.
- I'm so happy that I'm in the finale. - Hmm.
And I'm getting to taste these.
I feel
that cooking is going to play
- an important role in her life now. - Yes.
- We say MasterChef is a transformative experience. - Yes.
The transformation is evident in all five dishes today.
It is beautiful to see people transform through food.
I can't wait for the next cook.
- Yes. - [Sanjeev] Absolutely.
[Tejasswi] 'I've to prepare the dessert.'
I've made the batter for my Swiss roll
and kept it aside to bake.
'The sugar has melted perfectly.'
I added banana, fresh cream,
a bit of cinnamon powder, jaggery and a bit of salt.
I'm making a plum kokum ice cream.
I wanted to give it a slight Marathi touch.
Celebrity cooks!
It's time for the tasting of your second course
which is the last tasting of this season.
[tense music playing]
[Faisu] 'Everyone was plating.'
'I was lagging.'
I ran to the blast freezer,
took out my dish and saw that all the chocolate was melting.
Who opened the fridge so many times
that my chocolate didn't harden?
Then Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Chef Ranveer came to me
and asked me what had happened.
[Ranveer] Your counter is clean. What's the matter?
- Chef, I've completed my dish but there's a problem. - What?
The blast freezer was opened so many times
that the net I made with honey melted.
Show it to us.
- Gel... What was... - I made a net, Chef.
What was it made of?
- You put the honey in a mould. - Yes.
You can still pipe it
- and present it differently. - Okay, Chef.
We don't know what your dish is.
Listen.
- During the dance at a wedding... - Hmm.
All the relatives are asked to dance.
- Hmm. - Right?
- The guests watching them don't know what the steps are. - Yes.
Some people get it right and some don't.
However, the steps must be done with confidence.
They're your steps.
Those watching the dance
- don't know if it's right. - True.
- Okay? - Show us a dance step.
- We didn't know what step you would do. - Correct.
- Innovation is the key. Innovation! - Yes, Chef.
- Be happy. - Let's go.
[music playing]
Rajiv, please bring your dish.
[pleasant music playing]
Rajiv, what have you made?
Because I started the challenge with Gujarat,
I'm also ending with it.
I've made a Basundi Tres Leches Cake
and mango shrikhand with a chocolate tart.
Let me say that,
this being my last dish,
I'm so nostalgic and emotional
but never will I forget this kitchen.
I'll never be able to forget what I've learned in this kitchen.
It will stay with me lifelong.
Rajiv, having you on this show
- and tasting your food has been our pleasure. - Ah!
Thank you for the honour.
Thank you for bringing joy to this kitchen.
Thank you so much. Thank you all so much for all your love.
Rajiv, I'll say one thing.
Your smile...
- The entire world has seen your smile. - Thank you so much.
- You enjoyed this kitchen... - Yes.
You had fun,
but you've never disrespected food.
Hmm. Thank you, Chef.
- That's a big thing. - Thank you, Chef.
- Keep that alive. - Thank you, Chef. Definitely.
Neela, what's the matter?
I'm so proud of him.
Neela, we are also very proud of him.
All of us.
Thank you for looking after him
and thank you for teaching him a lot of good things.
Thank you so much.
Rajiv!
All I want to say is,
no matter how the tasting goes...
- I know, thanks... - I think I need to hug you.
[laughs]
It's okay, love...
- Do well. Best of luck. - Thank you. Thank you, ma'am.
Thank you. Enjoy.
Good, Rajiv.
- Good luck. - [whooping]
See, if we talk about the presentation,
the colours are pleasant.
If you put the dish to your ear,
you can hear the candy pop and crackle.
- Crackling sound. - It's a big...
- Heard it? - I want Farah to experience that.
- Uh... - Close your mouth.
Is it popping?
- That's the sound. - Magic pop.
This is just tasting incredible.
[tense music playing]
It's too sweet for me.
The shrikhand is a bit sour
so that the sweetness can be celebrated.
Yes, I liked the shrikhand.
[Ranveer] I feel that
the creaminess and sweetness didn't get the break they should have.
The shrikhand is sour but creamy.
- Yes. - The fat coats it.
I think an element that could break the creaminess
would have added a lot of value to this dish.
- There's a saying, "Calling a spade a spade." - Hmm.
The expectation we had from Rajiv's dessert
- was fulfilled by his starter. - True.
Because he has made some outstanding desserts
- in the competition. - Out of the planet.
[Sanjeev] The cake is soft, moist and sweet.
It's as sweet as it should be.
The saffron lends a good flavour.
The shrikhand is nice and smooth with a subtle flavour,
garnished with pistachio.
I think they're two different dishes
which he has combined.
They're good and tasty,
but whether it is a winning dish is not certain yet.
Faisu, please bring your second course.
[pleasant music playing]
Faisal, tell us about your dish.
Sir, the dish is called Yaadein
because of all the memories.
So many emotions,
drastic changes in myself...
So much has changed within me.
I developed a keen understanding of cuisine
and was completely immersed in it.
These are all memories for me.
This is my last dish today
and I wish to represent it as memories.
Do you remember?
We had to replicate your dish one time,
everything was ready. I just had to place it there.
I couldn't, I was scared.
I stood there and cried.
But today, you told me to dance and I started dancing, Chef.
I feel so patient.
My final dish!
I had made a net of honey
which was supposed to elevate my dish,
but it got ruined.
I was a bit scared,
but I felt at ease when you told me
a dancer knows what steps he will do
but others don't.
He could do anything.
Faisu, everything happens for the best.
What have you made, Faisu?
First of all, I'm glad you called me Faisu.
- Yes... - On the last day
- for my last dish. - Finally, in the end.
Chef, I've made a coconut mousse
infused with orange caramel.
And the dip you see outside is made of strawberry gel.
What you see in the centre is an orange syrup.
And there's strawberry and mulberry.
Some garnishing.
I made a sort of tree on the top for garnishing.
Okay. Now, we have to eat your dish.
- Come on. - More power to you.
Thank you, Chef.
[applause]
Chef Sanjeev!
It looks so pretty.
This looks so good.
Just by looking at the elements, you can see that
it has creaminess, tartiness and fruitiness.
Amazing!
It feels like a Christmas dessert from The Ritz-Carlton.
Reminds me of Christmas.
I think the presentation is neat and clean.
There's a clarity of thought
and surefootedness, as we call it.
Um, it exudes confidence.
When you add dots,
you need a surety and clarity in your mind.
Faisu was always dexterous and skilful.
His mind and hand coordination,
owing to his confidence,
can be seen on this plate in this season.
I think since this is a finale dish,
it could have gone up a notch in terms of the garnishing and feel.
I feel this is...
Somewhere, I wanted...
I was expecting more.
[solemn music playing]
Oh my God!
Vikas, do you take your words back?
This has to be one of the best coconut mousse I've had
in my life of...
- Wow! - Hundred years.
I think,
- Vikas, you spoke about expectations. - Hmm.
- He had sensed that... - Hmm.
He needed to surprise you.
So, the layer of caramel inside which is not visible,
is breaking it so well.
Lending a nice sweetness.
There's creaminess outside.
- And the nuttiness... - That nuttiness is the killer.
You weren't expecting that.
It has a crunch.
It has fruity flavours.
The balance is perfect.
The caramel is delectable.
It's almost like Stick Jaws.
I believe...
Could Faisu have done better than this? We don't know.
But as far as the honeycomb goes...
Had he given something dark in the centre, then it...
We always talk about the degree of difficulty in cooking.
Things that not everyone can do.
The honeycomb had that,
but this falls under simplicity.
[Ranveer] I think it's an excellent dessert.
All the elements are created well.
The highlight is the coconut and caramel...
- Yes. - Killed it.
[Ranveer] It's their combination.
Supporting elements of that level, uh...
That's where your expectation increases,
after the coconut and caramel.
Then everything else sort of doesn't matter.
I think that is where this dessert is.
Okay! Chefs, let's have the next one.
Nikki!
Please bring your last dish of Celebrity MasterChef.
[solemn music playing]
What have you made, Nikki?
I hail from Khandesh.
So, I've made Khandeshi mutton that my father makes back home.
I've combined Khandesh and Konkan.
Rice bhakri is a staple in Konkan.
So, I made noodles with it.
Along with it, we have tossed potatoes.
On top, we have chutney made of raw mango.
And the Khandeshi sauce is on the side.
- Thank you, Nikki. All the best. - Thank you so much.
- You've done very well in this season. - Thank you.
- Wish you all the best. - Thank you so much.
We're very proud of you.
Thank you.
- I think the idea of Bhakri noodles... - Yes?
I love it.
It's one of those ideas with a social media virality potential.
This will do well on social media.
Let's talk about the presentation.
If we look at Indian dishes,
the mutton is very traditional.
She's broken with tradition when it comes to the bhakri,
but the presentation is of international standards.
Having sad that, it should not be dry.
[solemn music playing]
- The mutton... - Hmm.
- The spices are absolutely robust. - Yes.
Roasted.
- The pickle! - Oh...
I think letting the spices speak...
- Lovely. - Conveying something through them...
When spices start talking,
they speak loudly.
These spices are also loud.
- Absolutely sharp. - Yes.
- Very... - Crazy.
Um, yes.
This is amazing.
Very nice.
It's a very simple thing.
- For inspiration, we're always looking to the West. - Hmm.
Look at this.
Noodles made of bhakri, which is basically rice flour.
- I was blown away by just the thought of it. - Thought, yes.
And she's celebrating it.
I found the dish weak in terms of presentation.
It's plain brown and white.
Very dull.
If I had to break this dish down,
for me,
there's only one word. Unapologetic.
Yes.
I am
who I am. Completely Nikki.
- In her creativity too. - Absolutely.
It's very flavour-forward.
Gaurav.
Come on!
All the best, Gaurav!
[cheering]
Thank you!
[applause]
Gaurav.
Thank you
- for giving us - Thank you, chef.
most amazing dishes
and some great moments in this kitchen.
Thank you so much, chef.
Gaurav,
you know how we started off.
On the wrong foot. But I think,
as the season progressed, you became my favourite.
You proved us wrong. Everyday.
And I love it when someone proves me wrong in the right way.
And you did that in the right way.
And I love you.
I love you too, ma'am. Thank you.
And I love the signature on the plate. GK.
It's my last dish
for MasterChef.
And as chef said,
Since you asked him to make a signature dish.
I love it.
I'm getting
emotional today.
I don't, usually.
Actually, it's very important
for food to have emotions.
What is expression?
Emotion. Food is an emotion too.
- So never be scared of emotions. - Yes.
Everyone's family came in. Yours didn't.
You suppressed that emotion.
Only laughter and smiles.
[emotional music]
From Kanpur to here,
you've achieved quite a lot.
But there's still a lot left.
Maybe you made your way here
by running away from your emotions till now.
Start your life anew today,
by connecting with your emotions.
[chuckling]
We love you.
Let me tell you something.
Whatever happened inside you, in these last ten weeks,
it's nothing compared to what happened outside you.
Alright? What has happened inside of you
is far bigger than what is happening outside.
Oh!
As an actor, I...
I've never cried on camera.
This is my first reality show.
And I always thought
that nothing is real in these reality shows.
But I was wrong. This show only has reality.
[emotional music]
Competition.
Starting low.
Accusations.
I just put everything there.
I put all of that
on the plate.
It's nothing.
I'm very happy.
Ah.
- The last. - Actually,
don't say anything. We'll taste it.
You don't need to say anything.
But I will say one thing
which I haven't said before.
Gaurav, I don't know you.
I've always been devoted
to cooking food.
I feel
I don't know whether this plate will make you win.
But this victory of life
that you have
won today.
[emotional music]
So honourable!
Thank you.
- Thank you. - God bless you.
I love you all!
The two things I really love
are the grey-coloured ice-cream because you don't see it usually,
I think it's giving a very different dimension to the black and white.
Secondly, I love that he signed
the plate.
He did it with humility.
I asked for signature dish and therefore he signed it.
As his last dish.
It's his print on it.
Will it become his identity?
We'll decide that.
[tense music]
When someone says til-gul,
your first connotation is brown.
He broke that stereotype by using black sesame seeds instead of white.
He created a new colour that we wouldn't have expected
in an ice-cream.
I love that in the presentation.
The savouriness and sourness he has added into this dessert,
I mean, soaking the cake in a chilli salsa,
- no cookbook can teach you that. - The cake is outstanding.
I love it. I love the sweet and savoury combination.
This dish,
it's a masterclass on textures.
The creaminess of the ice-cream has texture.
The crumble kept with it,
it's quite hard.
But the moment you eat that soft cake,
it reduces that harshness.
It's like having a family with perfect emotions.
One thing that caught my eye was betel leaf.
It's hidden inside it.
Where's the betel leaf?
The earthiness of the black sesame,
the grassy taste of the betel leaf,
I think it's an unexpected combination.
Amazing.
After eating this
dish, I will say,
there you go,
now that's what I call a dish!
Okay. Chefs, let's have the next one.
Tejasswi,
please bring us your last dish for the last tasting.
- Teju! - Teju!
[applause]
Sometimes we look at the plate, sometimes we look at you.
Teju, where did you get the inspiration for this dish?
Chef, I've named this dish 'black swan'.
They say that it's very rare to
see a black swan. It's a very, very rare event.
I think that my journey in this show
has been filled with ups and downs.
In the end, I always wanted to take a risk.
And that's why, I've made a very rare version
of myself, a vulnerable self,
on this plate.
What are the elements on the plate?
I've made a cake. I mean,
it's the batter of a Swiss roll cake.
Then I've made a banana caramel
with a chocolate rum ganache,
a chocolate mousse
on top of the swan,
aerated rocks of lemon and orange zest,
aerated chocolates,
and a kokum and plum sorbet.
There's not much time between
this plate and the announcement.
I know, chef.
Who will be crowned MasterChef?
Tejasswi? Or MasterChef Faisu?
MasterChef Nikki?
MasterChef Rajiv?
MasterChef Gaurav?
Karan. One, you should be really proud.
And two,
this is the time to say all the best.
Because there's only the result after this.
Sir, the thing is,
if I was standing there, I wouldn't have been this nervous for myself.
Since she's standing there,
my heartbeat is going so fast.
And I've stopped saying all the best to Tejasswi.
Because I'm that confident
ever since I saw her, I saw her hard work,
I'm always there.
I'm always there and I know she's there.
- We're each other's all the best. - Of course.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
[applause]
First artistic plate.
There are quite a few elements.
Looking at the sorbet, you can tell
the way it has been made,
the shape of it, the quenneling technique,
it's looking perfect.
I think all the elements
that everyone has made, including this plate,
I've never judged this kind of
MasterChef in any season.
Wow.
[tense music]
What a combination, chef!
For me, what really works is kokum and chocolate together!
Oh, for me, the kokum
is not working. For both of us, I think.
It's too much like a jeera-goli
ice-cream.
The inside of this cake
is outstanding.
The strawberry,
- Chocolate ganache. - the banana,
- The banana caramel. - The banana caramel is outstanding.
It's too good. But this sorbet feels like
I'm eating jeera-goli ice-cream.
That is the only thing that is not working.
Otherwise it's beautiful, artistic,
all that.
Actually, it has a lot of chocolate in it overall.
There's too much chocolate.
And it tires one out.
She made this and this,
it's all chocolate. There are so many expressions of chocolate,
it tires one out.
The only breathing space, the only break is the sorbet.
I also think it's a very good dessert.
- It is a good dessert. - I feel
if the proportion of sorbet
was reduced,
it wouldn't have been overwhelming.
The sourness of the sorbet balances the chocolate
but when the caramel is overly sweet, the sourness of the sorbet...
The sorbet is too much.
If it was half the quantity,
it would've been nice.
It would've been more like a cleanser.
But she has taken a risk.
And it is important to take risks.
- At least today. - Yes.
It's quite an emotional moment for us
when we all work so hard for so long
just for one result.
One announcement.
This is a sacred moment for all of us
to appreciate
all that you've learnt and taught us here.
You've worked so hard. Won some, lost some.
We wish you all the best.
Whatever happens in the next few minutes,
you guys are winners for us.
All of you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you to everyone
for giving us beautiful dishes,
beautiful moments,
and beautiful memories.
And we'd like to thank you for that.
Look, all of you
came here as winners.
When MasterChef happens,
this is the starting step for many people.
But you had scaled heights
before coming to this platform. It's a huge risk.
People judge you.
"What will they even do here?"
But you showed them
what you can do and much more.
And let me tell you,
you can do so much!
You will do such great things!
Whatever you do, in whichever field you choose,
you will win.
- All the best. - God bless you.
Oh!
And now, one last time.
It is time for results.
[cheering]
[laughing and cheering]
Thank you very much.
Before we announce the results,
we'd like to thank you.
Thank you so much for coming.
Thank you so much.
Celebrity cooks,
it was a pleasure to meet you all
and be a part of your journey.
I will have to leave now because I have an emergency
to deal with in New York.
But I wish you all the best.
I have handed my results to these two judges.
Who I think should win.
And who will be the first and second runner-ups.
I have to go. Work is calling.
[emotional music]
Guys, big round of applause for Chef Vikas.
[applause]
We've been telling you since day one,
one of you will become India's first Celebrity MasterChef.
We've come to the point where we say again,
one of you will become India's first Celebrity MasterChef.
And will win
the chef coat, which has its own grandeur.
Firstly, we'll tell you
who the second runner-up is.
[tense music]
Meaning rank number three.
The competition was very tough.
The second runner-up
of Celebrity MasterChef is
Tejasswi!
[cheering]
[applause]
Congratulations, Teju!
[applause]
Tejasswi, in your first course,
there was a courage and a boldness
to try a salt bake fish.
Cooking such a huge fish
with your eyes closed
was a huge risk.
That risk paid off.
Your dessert had an interesting balance
of sweet and sour.
It had the story of black swan
which translated really well.
And you finally got your pebbles right as well.
They were memorable dishes.
Absolutely.
And your dream
to open your own restaurant,
- never give up on that. - Never.
- You have my card. - Yes, chef.
It's time to reveal
the first runner-up.
Meaning rank number two.
[tense music]
The first runner-up of Celebrity MasterChef is
[tense music]
Nikki!
[cheering and applause]
Congratulations!
Nikki, while you were standing there,
you were saying something to yourself.
Something like a prayer. What were you saying?
I don't know who's going to win.
I'm the winner. I said this.
- You are the winner. - Wow, Nikki.
Definitely, you are.
[applause]
Nikki, congratulations! You are
Celebrity MasterChef's first runner-up!
[cheering]
[applause]
Rajiv, Faisu, or Gaurav.
Who will be the first Celebrity MasterChef?
[tense music]
Everyone wants to know who will become
India's first Celebrity MasterChef.
[tense music]
Firstly, I am very happy
that we have three men in front of us.
[tense music]
I have seen this change.
Sir, you brought this change.
You haven't seen it.
[tense music]
It is time.
Let's not make India wait. Let's not make you wait any more.
Do one thing. Close your eyes.
[tense music]
And see your dreams with your eyes closed.
Because India's first Celebrity MasterChef
who will be announced now,
his name is...
[tense music]
- On three, - Three,
two,
- one. - One.
- Gaurav! - Gaurav!
[cheering]
[laughing]
[cheering]
[applause and cheering]
This is happening!
Go, Gaurav!
[applause]
Thank you.
[cheering]
[whistling]
[cheering]
Celebrity MasterChef Gaurav Khanna,
congratulations!
Thank you so much. Thank you!
Gaurav, congratulations! Your hard work has paid off.
Absolutely, chef.
This is sweet!
- Brilliant. - Unexpected.
From Sony Entertainment Television,
you receive Rs 20,00,000!
[cheering]
[laughing]
[applause]