In eight years, chef Sashi Cheliah has gone from winning Season 10 of MasterChef Australia to becoming one of the judges on Celebrity MasterChef Tamil this year, alongside Venkatesh Bhat and Shreeya Adka, which is hosted by Samantha Ruth Prabhu. Born and raised in Singapore, he even worked for the Special Tactics and Rescue (STAR) unit of the Singapore Police Force (SPF) before moving to Australia and eventually building a thriving career in the food industry.
“There’s definitely a lot more entertainment, fun and laughter woven into the Tamil show,” he exclusively tells Hindustan Times about being on the other side of the table. “But there’s also a lot of serious cooking, creativity and great food,” he adds.
Switching from law enforcement to food
Sashi recalls being only 13 or 14 years old when he would flip parathas or make mee goreng and nasi goreng at his mum’s cafe. But like most desi mothers, she preferred that he build a stable career, leading him to work in law enforcement for two decades. “I became a police officer and later worked as a prison officer in Australia,” says the chef, adding, “I started thinking, if I were to step away from law enforcement, what else do I really know and enjoy doing? And the answer was quite obvious.”
So when Season 10 of MasterChef Australia came along, Sashi applied, made it through auditions, entered the competition, and eventually won the show. “That completely changed the direction of my life. What started as something I had been doing since I was a teenager became my career and my passion, and yes, the rest, as they say, is history. I wouldn’t say there was one particular person or one particular idea that influenced me. I think it was the places I’ve been, the people I’ve met, and the different foods and cuisines I’ve experienced along the way, and those things have influenced my cooking,” he adds.
Low expectations to being impressed
Sashi recalls being offered Celebrity MasterChef Tamil and not having high expectations of contestants, given that they were celebrities with busy schedules. “Within the first week itself, they surprised me. They started producing food well beyond my expectations, and they really began challenging themselves,” he says, adding, “They want to prove to the world that they are more than just celebrities. They’re not one-trick ponies; they have multiple talents, and they’re here to prove to everyone, and to themselves, that they’re here for a reason. It’s been an amazing journey to watch and be part of as a judge.”
Being a judge is all the more special to the chef, as he remembers well the feeling of standing in a MasterChef kitchen while the clock ticks. “Now, as a judge, I get to see that journey from the other side and hopefully use my own experience to guide and encourage the contestants. So when I look back, it has been an incredible journey from being a contestant on MasterChef Australia, winning the competition, building my career in food and now becoming a judge on Celebrity MasterChef Tamil. I feel extremely fortunate and grateful for everything that has happened,” he says.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu bringing softness as a host
Samantha hosts Celebrity MasterChef Tamil with RJ Vijay. Sashi says that he believes the actor brings emotion to the show. “She has been very neutral and has really embraced the whole experience. She’s constantly interacting with the contestants, sharing her own experiences, and even sitting with us during the tastings and getting involved in the competition on that side. I think she brings a certain empathy and a softer emotional connection to the kitchen,” says the chef.
Explaining what he means, Sashi adds, “Remember, the contestants are under a tremendous amount of stress, so having someone who can connect with them on that human level is very important.” But the chef believes it’s Samantha’s own experiences with food and her knowledge of it that add a whole new perspective to the show. “We, as the chefs and judges, are looking at the food from a culinary perspective. Samantha brings that emotional and human connection. I think she brings a completely different dimension,” he rounds off.
Celebrity MasterChef Tamil airs on Sony VIZHA from Monday to Friday at 8 PM. It can also be streamed on Sony LIV.
