Akshay Kumar puts home chefs to the test

How about a couple of amateur cooks catering to a real big fat Indian wedding in record time? How about whipping up a recipe under extreme conditions? How about amateur chefs catering to a wedding? All of this and more is dealt with on a new television show beginning today.

On MasterChef India, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar return to his past as a chef, getting ordinary people to pass the litmus test in cooking new recipes and managing extreme situations. The programme airs on Star Plus at 9pm UAE time tonight and has been described as a platform to acknowledge and encourage the culinary skills of passionate cooks and groom them to become the ultimate professionals of the art.

As of Saturday, the show will identify 12 contestants who will compete with each other, with Kumar joined by chefs Kunal Kapoor and Ajay Chopra to judge their efforts.

It is the first time the popular show is being recreated for Indian audiences. The show has already broken ratings’ records in the UK, where it features Michelin-star chef Michel Roux.

“Bringing the format to South Asian viewers, where diverse cuisines exist, was only a natural choice. With Akshay Kumar at the fore and larger-than-life cooking challenges we hope to unearth the best talent with this show,” says Sumo Dutta, Country Head for Star Middle East, Pakistan and Africa.

Kumar, who worked as a chef in Thailand before he became an actor, said: “I am very happy to be returning to my roots after so many years. My two favourites – cooking and camera or entertainment are coming together and I am excited to be a part of it.”

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