It may have been a harder decision to appear on MasterChef this year compared to her reality debut in 2020, but Depinder Chhibber has no regrets about returning to the popular cooking show franchise.
The Newcastle-based cook is one of 24 returning MasterChef contestants on the all-stars season called MasterChef Australia: Back To Win. Leaving her children back home with her husband, the mother-of-two is more determined than ever to make an even greater mark in the MasterChef kitchen. And, within the two weeks since the show premiered on Channel 10, Depinder has done just that.
Particularly known for creating exquisite desserts and showcasing Indian flavours, Depinder combined her two strengths in the first episode when she whipped up a delicious carrot halwa parfait during a group service challenge. Working alongside several co-stars and team captain Sarah Todd, Depinder put her hand up to serve a stunning sweet treat that drew on her heritage, but had a contemporary twist.
Listen to our podcast interview with Depinder Chhibber below:
“It’s definitely really nice,” Depinder tells Draw Your Box about the positive reactions she received from viewers of the show, particularly South Asian audience members who resonated with the dish.
“Gajar ka halwa for me – the carrot halwa – it’s like a warm hug to me,” she says. “I grew up in the north of India. I was born in Delhi. So for me, carrot halwa is like a wintery, like a warm hug that you have… every wedding that you go to in winter, everyone’s house you go to in winter, there will be gajar ka halwa. You can’t have a dinner party and not have that over winter. It’s just like masala chai.”
Speaking about the process of putting together the menu, Depinder says it was a collective effort. “It might sound like it was all me, but it wasn’t. It was a team effort,” she says.
In addition to this dessert, Depinder has also cooked other traditional dishes this season. Her first individual cook was Aslam Butter Chicken, which she descibes as “a North Indian street style snack originating from the streets of old Delhi”.
Another Indian dish this season? “I grew up eating in a Thali, my grandfather always ate in a Thali…it was mesmerising,” she wrote on Instagram, referring to a selection of homestyle North-Indian dishes including Rajma (kidney beans), Dhaba Chicken, Shahi Paneer, Raita, salad, papad and cumin rice.
“I do love cooking Indian food, obviously, because I really like the authenticity… you know that the unapologetic nature of Indian cuisine,” she tells Draw Your Box. “And there’s so much to Indian food, so I’d like to showcase more [on the show] for sure. But without giving too much away, I think you’ll have to watch [more of this season] to find out,” she teases.
After appearing on MasterChef in 2020, the qualified pharmacist has collaborated with brands on social media, started her own supper club series called ‘Ghar’, and wait for it… been a guest judge on MasterChef India. Of course, tasting the subcontinental dishes was a sheer delight, but Depinder was equally as excited to see judges Vikas Khanna, Ranveer Brar and Garima Arora in the flesh in 2023.
“I think MasterChef Australia, for me, is like the godfather of MasterChefs all around the world,” she claims. “Going onto Indian MasterChef, I was most excited about meeting the judges.
I met Vikas Khanna, Ranveer Brar and Garima Arora, and all three of them are up there for me, like that was the highlight for me,” she continues, adding, “they are so humble”.
Depinder shares that when she met Vikas, “he literally grabbed my hand, and he said, ‘We are so proud of you. Thank you for putting Indian food [on the map]. And this is coming from a Michelin-star chef who’s already put Indian food on the American, North American map. He’s done so well for himself. He’s continuing to do so well around the world, and I was just like, ‘I can’t believe you’re saying this to me’.”
One of the defining aspects of the Indian series was the reception she received, because “the hospitality that you have in India, I think it’s unbeatable”.
“I can’t pick which one’s better – Master Chef Australia or Master Chef India, because they’re so different!” says Depinder.
“You’ve got people doing authentic Indian cuisine there [on MasterChef India], and they’re elevating that. Then, MasterChef Australia is so multicultural… we’ve got people from all over the subcontinent and all over the world.
“I feel like we’re really blessed on MasterChef Australia, which is probably why people over in India love it so much. They get to see a whole array of techniques, a whole array of skill sets. There’s no limit to how skilled people are, and I think this current season is testament to that.”
Depinder is one of 24 cast members on MasterChef Australia: Back To Win alongside: Alana Lowes (Season 3), Andre Ursini (Season 1), Audra Morrice (Season 4), Beau Cook (Season 4), Ben Macdonald (Season 6), Callum Hann (Season 2, Season 12), Cath Collins (Season 15), Darrsh Clarke (Season 16), Declan Cleary (Season 15), Jamie Fleming (Season 6), Jimmy Wong (Season 8), Laura Sharrad (Season 6, Season 12), Matt Hopcraft (Season 7), Pete Campbell (Season 13), Rhiannon Anderson (Season 15), Rue Mupedzi (Season 15), Samira El Khafir (Season 5), Sarah Todd (Season 6, Season 14), Savindri Perera (Season 16), Snezana Calic (Season 16), Steph de Sousa (Season 11), Theo Loizou (Season 15) and Tim Bone (Season 11).
The judges are Andy Allen, Poh Ling-Yeow, Jean-Christophe Novelli, and Sofia Levin.
MasterChef Australia: Back To Win continues at 7:30pm on Channel 10 and 10 Play.
Top image source: Channel 10
Leave a Reply