Diana Chan of 'MasterChef Australia' fame on latest visit to India, talking about street vendors & so on

MasterChef Australia has continued to be a phenomenon in India consistently, where the cooking reality show has now amassed a journey of airing for 15 years in India, currently having the 15th season being on-air.

Over the years, we have witnessed several chefs excel after their MasterChef stint, and one of them indeed is Diana Chan. A part of one of the most nail-biting finales, Chan defeated Ben Ungerrman in the Season 9 finale and won by just one point. Since then, the lady has gone on to expand her horizons and has been a part of multiple projects ranging from having shows, recipes, cookbooks and so on.

Having visited India earlier, Chan is now on a visit to India yet again and this time with a special purpose. Having had the chance to be in an exclusive conversation with her, I asked her about multiple things ranging from her recent visit to India, what makes MasterChef Australia so popular in India and much more.

Q. Having visited India earlier, you are now coming back after quite a while. With a pandemic that happened in between that period, what are you most looking forward to this time around in India, and what factor do you hope hasn't changed about the country?

I am really looking forward to visiting the city of Pune as it will be my first visit bringing a series of Malay-inspired dinners and a Masterclass with Conosh and Conrad Pune will be the highlight of this visit. I also love going back to the places I've been to before, so heading back to Bengaluru will be great. India is so rich in culture, and I hope that hasn't changed. I also hope that there are still street vendors selling things like chai, paan and pani puri. I just hope that the pandemic hasn't affected the smaller family-run businesses as well.

I hope that there are still street vendors selling things like chai, paan and pani puri. I just hope that the pandemic hasn't affected the smaller family-run businesses as well.

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Q. Apart from India being a huge market for vegetarian food, what makes you passionate towards the same, thus leading to this Veg Malaysian masterclass?

I think vegetables ought to be celebrated. I grew up eating plenty of veg, and naturally, I love it. I think there is a lot you can do with veg if you take the time and treat them with care. If you think about any dish, if you took out vegetables, the dish itself wouldn't be half as good. Veg plays an important role in elevating any dish and should absolutely be the main act.

Q. What is your dream when it comes to food in the big picture?

My dream is to have a travel show exploring different cuisines and cultures from all over the world. I would also like to showcase more Malaysian food to an international audience, and I’m thrilled to bring a taste of it to India via the Conosh dinners and Masterclass at Conrad Pune. It’s going to be a beautiful, complex saga of flavours, and I know India will love it.