Master Chef India 2016 - Masala Bay, Taj Lands End.

It was a normal afternoon a few years back when I had decided to start food blogging as a hobby. I had been a blogger for many years but food was a new niche for me. I remember myself as always being intrigued by good food and being turned on by food trends. If there was a new flavor of ice cream, I had to try it. New dish on the menu, had to try it. The passion was still unrefined and very suppressed. I remember watching Chef Sanjeev Kapoor's Khana Khazana and "Yan can cook" in the early 90s but that was all the gastronome background that I had.

As time progressed, I was enamored by MasterChef Australia and how they really took gastronomy to its zenith. I took baby steps into the food blogging universe by writing short Zomato reviews. Masterchef India was at this stage becoming bigger and bigger from where it started at Season 1 and both Masterchefs(Australia and India) filled me up with inspiration to the point where I could no longer contain it within me. I had to write out my feelings and my raw passion had finally refined into food blogging in the great cauldron of time.

Chef Vikas Khanna, Zorwar Kalra and Chef Kunal Kapur along with the head chefs at Taj

The nostalgia and these memories played in my head as I was included in a list of seven bloggers invited by Zomato, Star Plus India and most importantly Masterchef India for the exclusive premiere of Masterchef India 5. It allowed me to share the same table with culinary giants like Chef Vikas Khanna, Chef Kunal Kapur and superstar restaurateur Zorawar Kalra.

Within the premises of a special section inside Masala Bay at Taj Lands End, we were treated to the first episode of Masterchef season 5 a few hours before it was actually shown to the world. It is kind of thrilling to be a part of a premiere. Chef Amninder Sandhu of Masala Bay served us with a lavish North Indian fare comprising of Jhinga Kebabs, Galouti Kebabs, Butter Chicken , Dal Makhani, a Mutton Curry which was made using a family recipe and of course the desserts. She won the praise of not only the bloggers but also the Masterchef judges and one can be sure that the judges know their food well.

Masterchef season 5, Taj's amazing food and to be in the presence of stalwarts like Chef Vikas, Chef Kunal and Zorawar Kalra is a rare honor even for the best of food critics, bloggers and journalists. The euphoria was overwhelming. All this was brought together by the efforts of Zomato India and Star Plus India. Food Bloggers have come a long way into the industry which was once dominated by food journalists who viewed bloggers as easy to please outsiders.

This is partly due to Zomato which has transformed the food blogging scene completely. From a little known niche to a full blown industry. Zomato has been instrumental in transcending the food blogging scene beyond what one could imagine a few years ago. And Masterchef has been the ultimate source of inspiration for gastronomes in this side of the world. Ask any food blogger worth their salt about their favorite people and you will always hear answers like Vikas Khanna, Sanjeev Kapoor, Gary Mehigan - all Masterchef judges.

Masterchef Season 5 is a bit different from its previous installments. Its well paced, engaging, less on the decibel and more on the cooking. It brings Indian amateur cooks from all across the world this time for a Battle Royale like none other. Cooking is not just a hobby, it is a form of art that can be honed and channeled into something truly spectacular. Culinary masterpieces please more than one senses. The eyes, the nose and finally the tongue. Masterchef 2016 has just started. So who will win? Who will be India's next Masterchef? No one knows yet. Tune into Masterchef season 5 on Star Plus on weekend evenings. Lots of masala and lots of thrill, sometimes sweet and sometimes sour - This is an experience like none other.

The Tools of the Trade - Vinod Cookware

When people eat fine grub, they care the least about the way its cooked and the tools used to make it. But for me it was an interesting journey to know a bit about the instruments used in the craft. I must admit that I am a horrible cook myself, unable to make things beyond sandwiches and pre-made mixes/Do it yourself kits. So when I received an invite from Food Bloggers Association of India and Vinod Cookware about an informative session on Vinod Cookware's products, I was naturally intrigued.

Vinod Cookware had humble beginnings in 1963. And the current avatar was established in 1986. That definitely is not yesterday. It has survived from the times India had a socialist economy to present day which speaks a lot about the company's standing. It has always been a market leader providing fine cookware to suit the needs of millions of households and restaurants.

This meet began with a large number of food bloggers, Twitterati and the like.

I know very little about Pressure cookers apart from the fact that I must turn the heat off after a few minutes or whistles(after applying the nozzle on the lid). Pressure cookers are a staple for every Indian kitchen nowdays. Vinod's Cookers come with a sandwich bottom which is a first in India. This ensures uniform heat and that the food doesn't stick to the bottom. Its human friendly with a longer handle and better grip. Its made of stainless steel and makes an excellent meal.

The Tuscany range consists of frying pans, saucepans and casseroles. These are induction friendly and can be used to cook food as well as serve and store food. The elegant and shiny appearance works well for aesthetics too. These surely make a pretty part of any kitchen.

The Black Pearl Range owes its name to its shiny Melanite like appearance. Frying pans, Deep pans, Kadais, Serve pots with Glass lids, etc are made using the hard anodized technology. Hard Anodized technology was initially made by Russian scientists for space technology and strengthening aluminum. Now its used to make top of the line cookware that even a cooking beginner like me can use. The range in the pictures costs INR 2500 and even comes with a multi-year warranty.

The Zest Inducto Plus set comes with a Concave Tawa, Deep Fry pan and Deep Kadai. The set has a large longevity and durability. The set has a 3.0 mm thick Aluminum coating that ensures even cooking with no food sticking or burning at the surface. It also provides great mileage as it ensures efficient cooking and helps save gas and fuel. Its even easy to clean. This range costs about 1100 INR to 5745 INR with a year long guarantee.

Vito Health cookware supports oil free and waterless cooking. As the name says, its great to make healthy food. The range comes with a Thermo Knob at the top which allows one to control the temperature dynamically during cooking. The handles have ergonomic designs which maintain complete safety for the chef. The design ensures that nutrients are not lost during cooking. This set includes a Sauce Pan, Sauce Pot,
Fry Pan and the Health Skillet.

Finally, I heard a bit about the Vinod Signature plus range. This set consists of saucepans, saucepots and Kadais. It uses a multi-layered or a Tri-Ply structure to ensure world class cooking. The middle layer ensures even spread of heat and prevents sticking with lesser requirement of stirring. The outermost layer is made of a magnetic stainless steel alloy that supports induction cooking. The innermost layer imparts durability and ensures hygienic cooking. Due to the design, these instruments reduce as much as 20% of the cooking time. That is really something.

I learnt a lot of things in this small session. Not just from the product demonstrators but also from some fellow bloggers who had used these instruments and were far more knowledgeable than me in the matters of cooking. From amateur cooks(like yours truly) to renowned chefs. These top of the line tools are meant for everyone.

These instruments are available at most supermarts, online stores and also at Vinods website.
http://www.vinodcookware.com/

Captain : Lunch has been delayed today, where is the cook?

Crewmate : He went to attend some product demonstration, Cappy.

Captain : Barnacles. Looks like we will be heading to some restaurant on this island.

Crewmate : How will we find a restaurant out of the blue?


- I was invited by Food Bloogers association of India to attend this product demonstration and Lunch at Out of the Blue, Mumbai.-

-Pictures used in Inducto plus section and beyond were used from Vinod's website and are not mine-