MasterChef India To Go Completely Vegetarian In Upcoming Season

According to STAR Plus, the decision was made with the goal of "celebrating vegetarianism."

STAR Plus has announced that the upcoming season of Amul and Adani-sponsored MasterChef India will be fully vegetarian, which is a global first for the franchise.

STAR Plus / Via apne.tv

The popular cooking show which is broadcast by the STAR network and is hosted by Sanjeev Kapoor will convert to cater to it's vegetarian viewers for its season 4 return.

The Economic Times reported that at least one sponsor of the show was "in favour" of a MasterChef that keeps non-vegetarian food out.

MasterChef India's host Sanjeev Kapoor defended the show's switch to vegetarianism, arguing that the competition seeks to test its contestants' ability to perform under pressure, not their memorisation of recipes. "We are primarily a vegetarian country," he said. "Globally too, the trend is to go vegetarian. It is more challenging to prepare vegetarian dishes. And it is said that for every non-vegetarian dish available across the globe, there is a vegetarian option prepared in our country.

Some aspiring contestants might find this updated MasterChef to be a challenge.

instagram.com

ET reports that globally, less than 20% of Master-Chef culinary creations are vegetarian and that all three winners of previous Indian MasterChefs created non-vegetarian dishes. Popular dishes from the contestants in previous seasons have been primarily non-vegetarian, including dishes like like chicken pulao, tandoori chicken pate and desi sushi.

The official announcement about the new direction of the show states that this switch is "celebrating vegetarianism, which is getting popular all over the globe, and giving an opportunity to vegetarian-only cooks." STAR Plus insists there was no pressure from Amul or Adani Wilmar.

Regardless of the producers' official stance, India's Twitterati of course had their own theories and suggestions:

Rohan @mojorojo

They should also not show episodes of Masterchef India on Tuesdays and special upvaas days

Tue Nov 18 06:21:32 UTC+0000 2014

ranjona banerji @ranjona

They could also have a "Jain Only" #Masterchef India and ban all root vegetables. Aspiring chefs must be challenged to be creative.

06:00 AM - 18 Nov 2014

Salil @sa_lil

When someone said Masterchef India couldn't get worse, those chaps took it as a challenge.

04:56 AM - 18 Nov 2014

Bemused @make_itpossible

Masterchef India adopted Gujarat model.

06:48 AM - 18 Nov 2014

Phulei Jhia @CocktailAmma

I anyway did not watch Masterchef India.Now I have absolutely no reason to. #GoVegetarianOrGoHomeSyndrome

06:50 AM - 18 Nov 2014

The Zooter @BluntBong

The Indian cricket team improves the rankings of the opposition.Masterchef India will now do the same for other Masterchefs! #VegMonologue

06:51 AM - 18 Nov 2014

We Are Outrage @IndianIdle

Now the next step would be not allowing bachelors in MasterChef and make it feel like a Gujarati society.

06:24 AM - 18 Nov 2014

ranjona banerji @ranjona

And then a "Nuts Only" #Masterchef India to cater to the few viewers they will have left at the end...

06:01 AM - 18 Nov 2014

Martin A. K. @crazytwism

Australian PM: 'What concessions do you want?' Our PM: 'We want to make a vegetarian Masterchef' :P

07:00 AM - 18 Nov 2014

Welp. This should be interesting.

Via masterchefus.tumblr.com