Earlier professional cooking wasn’t seen as a career for men: Kunal Kapur

After a few years away from the MasterChef kitchen, Kunal Kapur has returned to the judging panel — a return he describes not as a comeback, but as a continuation. “MasterChef India, since its inception, has been a part of my journey. Coming back is like coming back to my own home. This kitchen has seen my journey grow, and returning after many years brings a sense of gratitude. The show has evolved, the contestants have evolved, and so have I. It feels less like returning and more like continuing a conversation that never really stopped.”

With each new season, conversations around format changes and heightened drama resurfaces. The chef, however, does not see this as a dilution of the show’s essence. “Not at all,” he says, when asked whether MasterChef has drifted from its culinary roots. “The core of the show has always been cooking under pressure. What changes is the format, not the foundation.”

Reflecting on his early years, Kunal says, “Growing up, cooking was never the plan. Like most middle-class families, the focus was on a safe career. Becoming a chef wasn’t a childhood dream — cooking was simply something that made me happy. Over time, I realised that whenever I was stressed, confused, or celebrating, I found myself in the kitchen. There was no dramatic turning point, just small moments — food bringing people together, smiles after a meal — that slowly turned interest into conviction.”

He adds, “Early in my career, professional cooking wasn’t seen as a career for men. The comments shook me initially, but I soon understood that food doesn’t care about gender. A good dish doesn’t ask who cooked it — only how honestly it was made. That taboo didn’t stop me; it pushed me to be better, stronger and undeniable.”