UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH SANDEEP PANDIT

Immunity pin or cook for Nigella

Immunity pin

One dish that you’re terrified of cooking Beef

Favourite dishes to cook for family For my son, chicken cooked on coals; for Mum, Muji chatin, a Kashmiri dish of Mooli ki chutney; my wife’s favourite dish is anything I cook!

Comfort food Dal chawal / Rasam rice

Judging Indian MasterChef or winning Indian Idol Judging Indian Masterchef

Biggest inspiration Myself as I learn from my mistakes, and both my divangat (late) grandmothers

That one dish you want ready for you when you get back home to India Tahaer, which is Kashmiri peelay chawal, cooked with mustard oil and spicy potato curry without onions, garlic or tomatoes. I cooked it for the audition on MasterChef.

Three people you’d like to cook for The late Dr. Abdul Kalam, India’s former President (I’d like to cook him his favourite Dum Aloo); and both my grandmothers (I’d cook something traditionally Kashmiri for them, like Roganjosh and Yakhni)

“After a time you forget there’s a camera around you. You are conscious for 3-4 days but then you just get used to it. So, the stuff that you saw, like the judges barging in and announcing something, was real. We never knew what was in store for us till we got to set.”

No prizes for guessing who his favourite judge is. “Gary has play a very important role in bringing Indian cuisine to the forefront,” he observed. “On a personal front, he encouraged me a lot as I battled my back problem.”

Asked whether it’s time we had a woman host, Sandeep noted that Billy and Poh almost co-host the show. “Gender doesn’t matter, as long as the hosts have a demonstrated passion for, and devotion to, the art of cooking.” strong a contestant Tessa has been, and revealed that Dee would have been tough competition had she stayed on.

The anecdotes from the MasterChef kitchen continued as he spoke about singing Hindi songs to relax, even as nobody understood what he was singing. “Nushi (Anushka) once asked me whether I know the song Jimmy Jimmy Aaja Aaja… and I said of course, Nushi!” he laughed.

Singing is another pet passion for Sandeep, who tried out for Indian Idol 2007. (Yes, he could tell you a thing or two about the differences in reality shows on Indian and Australian TV).

Was reel life different from real life?

Looking to the future, Sandeep discussed his plans for an upcoming website which would be a collection of authentic Kashmiri recipes, as well as introducing his own line of garam masala and blended spices. (“Indian cuisine is such that every dish has a set recipe. But the garam masala is something that differs in every household and it really makes the difference!”) He is also looking for collaborations to host pop-ups across Australia and work on travel and food shows like Netflix’s Street Food or Raja, Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaniya. Plans are in the pipeline also for a restaurant Barbeque and Biryani in Melbourne.