Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor is no stranger to the MasterChef franchise, having served as a judge on MasterChef India Seasons 3 and 4. But his latest association with the globally popular cooking competition took him much farther from home. The chef recently travelled to Australia for a guest appearance on the currently airing season of MasterChef Australia. "I had never travelled such a long distance for a single episode, and it was a fun experience," Chef Sanjeev said. In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor spoke about his time on the sets of MasterChef Australia, highlighting what differentiates it from MasterChef India.
Sharing his first-hand experience, Chef Kapoor said, "At MasterChef Australia, everyone is very professional in the way they manage everything."
He also pointed to the discipline on set, adding, "More importantly, they said they would begin at 'this time' and finish at 'that time', and they did... which does not happen in shows in our country. That was very heartening and very good to see."
He further noted that the show strikes a rare balance between competition and warmth. "The contestants were completely immersed in what they were doing. It was exciting to see because, in terms of competitive cooking on television, if there is one show that has cracked the code for keeping it competitive yet very likeable and loveable, I think MasterChef Australia tops the chart," he said.
Summing up his view of the show's global influence, Chef Kapoor added, "I think they lead, and the rest follow."
Also Read: Aloo Bonda Gets Contestant Immunity Pin By Chef Gordon Ramsay On MasterChef Global
Apart from MasterChef India, Sanjeev Kapoor is best known for hosting Khana Khazana, Asia's longest-running television cooking show, for 19 years. He also launched FoodFood, India's first 24-hour Hindi-language cooking channel.
MasterChef Australia airs on Sundays at 7 pm and Monday to Wednesday at 7:30 pm on Network 10 and 10 Play. In India, viewers can stream the latest season on JioHotstar. Sanjeev Kapoor appears as a guest judge on Sunday, July 5.