# MasterChef India – Hindi season 7

Season 7 of the Indian Hindi-language competitive reality TV series MasterChef India – Hindi premiered on Sony Entertainment Television on 2 January 2023. The winner of this season was Nayanjyoti Saikia. The first runner-up was Santa Sarmah.The second runner-up was Suvarna Bagul.
Vikas Khanna and Ranveer Brar returned as one of the judges for the show while Vineet Bhatia was replaced by Garima Arora.
This season marked Khanna's sixth consecutive season serving as a judge on the show and Brar's third season. Similar to the past seasons, Amul remained the title sponsor of the show. The Masterchef India season 7 was announced on 14 August 2022 on Sony Entertainment Television channel and audition rounds were conducted in 4 cities across the country- Kolkata (24 September), Delhi (1 October), Hyderabad (8 October) and Mumbai (15 October). The shown ended with grand finale on 31 March 2023. The winner was Nayanjyoti Saikia, a student from Tinsukia, Assam and got the prize money of ₹25,00,000 while the first runner-up was Santa Sarmah, a homemaker from Guwahati and second runner-up was Suvarna Bagul, a homemaker from Mumbai, both got the prize money of ₹5,00,000.
Masterchef India-Masterclass- an extension of the show, featuring the same contestants and judges as 7th season but instead the judges will cook for the contestants, teaching them skills and recipes started on 2 April 2023 and ended on 8 April 2023.

## Top 16

A large number of home cooks appeared at the nationwide auditions, of which 36 cooks were selected by MasterChef India judges and welcomed at the MasterChef Kitchen. They competed in a cook-off to win the final 16 spots. The top 16 contestants were revealed on 6 January 2023.
| Contestant | Age | Hometown | Occupation | Status |
| Nayanjyoti Saikia | 26 | Tinsukia, Assam | Student | Winner; 31 March |
| Santa Sarmah | 34 | Nagaon, Assam | Homemaker | Runner-Up; 31 March |
| Suvarna Bagul | 41 | Mumbai, Maharashtra | Homemaker | Third; 31 March |
| Aruna Vijay | 36 | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | Digital Creator | Eliminated; 29 March |
| Kamaldeep Kaur | 40 | Ludhiana, Punjab | Homemaker | Eliminated; 28 March |
| Gurkirat Singh | 24 | Haryana | Lawyer | Eliminated; 28 March |
| Sachin Khatwani | 22 | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh | Cloud Kitchen Owner | Eliminated; 17 March |
| Priyanka Biswas | 32 | Kolkata, West Bengal | Cake Artist | Eliminated; 10 March |
| Deepa Chauhan | 52 | Bangalore, Karnataka | Entrepreneur | Eliminated; 24 February |
| Nazia Sultana | 33 | Guwahati, Assam | Homemaker | Withdrew; 16 January Returned; 30 January Withdrew; 13 February |
| Priya Vijan | 34 | Bangalore, Karnataka | Nutritionist | Eliminated; 10 February |
| Avinash Patnaik | 32 | Bhubaneswar, Odisha | PhD Student-Horticulture, Food Consultant | Eliminated; 3 February |
| Vineet Yadav | 23 | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh | Mehndi Artist | Eliminated; 27 January |
| Yashu Verma | 19 | Kolkata, West Bengal | Student | Eliminated; 20 January |
| Dyuti Banerjee | 32 | Kolkata, West Bengal | Professor, Lawyer | Eliminated; 20 January |
| Urmila Jamnadas Asher "Baa" | 78 | Mumbai, Maharashtra | YouTuber | Eliminated; 13 January |

## Elimination Table

| Place | Contestant | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode |
| Place | Contestant | Week 2 | Week 2 | Week 2 | Week 2 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 3 | Week 3 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 4 | Week 4 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 5 | Week 5 | Week 5 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 6 | Week 6 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 7 | Week 7 | Week 7 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 8 | Week 8 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 9 | Week 9 | Week 9 | | Week 10 | Week 10 | Week 10 | Week 10 | Week 10 | | Week 11 | Week 11 | Week 11 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 12 | Week 12 | Week 12 | Week 12 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 13 | Week 13 |
| Place | Contestant | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13/14 | 15 | 16 | 17/18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24/25 | 24/25 | 26 | 27/28 | 29 | 30 | 31/32 | 31/32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38/39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43/44 | 45 | | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | | 51 | 52/53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62/63 | 64/65 |
| 1 | Nayanjyoti | WIN | IMM | IMM | IMM | IMM | WIN | IN | WIN | IMM | IN | LOW | WIN | IMM | IN | IN | WIN | WIN | IMM | IN | LOW | WIN | IMM | WIN | WIN | LOW | WIN | IN | WIN | IN | BTM | PT | TOP | IN | IN | TOP | | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | | IN | LOSE | PT | IMM | IN | IN | IN | TOP | IN | TOP | PT | IN | WINNER |
| 2 | Santa | IN | IN | LOW | BTM | PT | WIN | IN | LOW | PT | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | IN | IN | BTM | BTM | PT | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | LOW | LOW | NOT | IN | IMM | LOW | TOP | WIN | IMM | TOP | IN | TOP | IN | | IN | TOP | WIN | IMM | IMM | | IN | WIN | PT | PT | IN | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | TOP | RUNNER UP |
| 3 | Suvarna | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | IMM | WIN | IN | LOW | PT | IN | LOW | BTM | PT | LOW | WIN | BTM | BTM | PT | IN | LOW | BTM | PT | LOW | LOW | NOT | WIN | IN | LOW | IN | BTM | PT | IN | TOP | LOW | NOT | | BTM | NOT | NOT | NOT | PT | | IN | WIN | PT | PT | IN | IN | IN | IN | TOP | PT | PT | IN | THIRD |
| 4 | Aruna | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | IMM | WIN | IMN | WIN | IMM | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | TOP | IN | BTM | BTM | IMM | WIN | IMM | IMM | IMM | LOW | LOW | NOT | WIN | IN | WIN | IN | WIN | IMM | IN | IN | IN | IN | | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | | IN | LOW | PT | PT | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | PT | TOP | ELIM | |
| 5 | Kamaldeep | TOP | IN | LOW | WIN | IMM | WIN | IN | WIN | IMM | IN | LOW | BTM | PT | IN | IN | BTM | BTM | PT | WIN | IMM | IMM | IMM | LOW | LOW | NOT | WIN | IMN | LOW | IN | BTM | IMM | TOP | IN | IN | TICKET TO FINALE | TICKET TO FINALE | TICKET TO FINALE | TICKET TO FINALE | TICKET TO FINALE | TICKET TO FINALE | TICKET TO FINALE | TICKET TO FINALE | TICKET TO FINALE | TICKET TO FINALE | TICKET TO FINALE | TICKET TO FINALE | IN | TOP | IN | IN | IN | PT | ELIM | | |
| 5 | Gurkirat | IN | IN | LOW | WIN | IMM | WIN | IN | WIN | IMM | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | WIN | IMM | IMM | IMM | IMM | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | LOW | LOW | NOT | IN | IMM | WIN | IN | WIN | IMM | IN | IN | IN | IN | | IN | IN | LOW | BTM | PT | | TOP | LOW | PT | IMM | TOP | IN | BTM | NOT | NOT | PT | ELIM | | |
| 7 | Sachin | IN | IN | LOW | BTM | PT | IN | NOT | LOW | PT | IN | LOW | BTM | PT | IN | IN | BTM | BTM | PT | IN | LOW | BTM | PT | WIN | WIN | LOW | IN | IMM | WIN | IN | BTM | PT | LOW | NOT | NOT | NOT | | BTM | NOT | NOT | NOT | PT | | IN | WIN | PT | ELIM | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Priyanka | IN | IN | LOW | BTM | PT | WIN | IN | LOW | PT | WIN | LOW | WIN | IMM | IN | IN | BTM | BTM | PT | IN | LOW | WIN | IMM | WIN | WIN | LOW | WIN | IN | LOW | BTM | NOT | PT | IN | IN | LOW | NOT | | IN | IN | LOW | BTM | ELIM | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Deepa | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | IN | NOT | WIN | IMM | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | IMM | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | LOW | LOW | NOT | IN | IMM | LOW | IN | BTM | ELIM | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Nazia | WIN | IMM | IMM | IMM | IMM | WDR | | | | | | | | IN | IN | BTM | BTM | PT | IN | LOW | BTM | PT | WDR | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Priya | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | IN | NOT | LOW | NPT | WIN | WIN | IMM | IMM | IN | IN | BTM | BTM | PT | IN | LOW | BTM | ELIM | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Avinash | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | IN | NOT | WIN | IMM | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | LOW | IN | BTM | BTM | ELIM | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Vineet | IN | IN | LOW | BTM | PT | WIN | IN | WIN | IMM | IN | LOW | BTM | ELIM | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Yashu | IN | IN | LOW | BTM | PT | IN | NOT | LOW | ELIM | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Dyuti | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | IMM | IN | NOT | LOW | ELIM | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Baa | IN | IN | LOW | BTM | ELIM | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | VIS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
    (WINNER) The cook won the competition.
    (RUNNER-UPS) The cooks finished in the second and third place.
    (WIN) The cook won the Mystery Box challenge, or any other individual / pair challenge.
    (WIN) The cook was on the winning team in the Team Challenge and directly advanced to the next round.
    (TOP) The cook was one of the top entries in the individual challenge.
    (IMN) The cook won an Immunity Pin in a given challenge.
    (IMM) The cook didn't participate in the challenge as he/she already advanced to the next week.
    (IN) The cook wasn't selected as a top or bottom entry in an individual / pair challenge.
    (PT) The cook competed in the Pressure Test in elimination round, and advanced.
    (LOW) The cook was on the losing team in the Team Challenge.
    (LOW) The cook was one of the bottom entries in an individual challenge.
    (BTM) The cook was one of the bottom entries in an individual challenge and had to compete in the upcoming elimination challenge.
    (NOT) This cook did not participate in the challenge(s) as he/she had won Ticket to Finale or was disqualified.
    (WDR) The cook withdrew from the MasterChef Kitchen.
    (ELIM) The cook was eliminated from the MasterChef Kitchen.
    (VIS) The cook returned to MasterChef Kitchen as Visitor Appearance and participated in a challenge.
* ↑ Avinash and Suvarna were given the black aprons after the challenge due to being the weakest contestants.
* ↑ Even though she won the previous challenge, Suvarna had to compete in this challenge and did not advance for next week because of previously having the black apron.
* ↑ Aruna used her previously won Immunity Pin to spare herself from the elimination challenge in this episode.

## Controversies

The season was marked by a series of controversies, including:
* The season first landed in controversy when home cook Aruna Vijay, who is a vegetarian, was allowed to cook paneer as a substitute for fish. Audience termed this move as biasedness and favoritism towards Aruna.
* Homecook Aruna Vijay's dish was selected in Top 3, wherein she had made "Appam Stew". Netizens alleged that it was a 'plain looking' dish and saw this as an act of biasedness and how it appeared as though the show was fixed.

## Episodes

| No. | Title | Directed by | Original release date |
| 1 | "India Ka Swaad" | Neeraj Shetty | 2 January 2023 (2023-01-02) |
| 2 | "Home Cooks Ka Passion" | Neeraj Shetty | 3 January 2023 (2023-01-03) |
| 3 | "Dil Ki Awaaz" | Neeraj Shetty | 4 January 2023 (2023-01-04) |
| 4 | "Passion Se Pehchaan" | Neeraj Shetty | 5 January 2023 (2023-01-05) |
| 5 | "Hindustan Ke Haatho Ka Jaadu" | Neeraj Shetty | 6 January 2023 (2023-01-06) |
| 6 | "First Challenge For Top 16" | Neeraj Shetty | 9 January 2023 (2023-01-09) |
| 7 | "Taste, Innovation And Presentation" | Neeraj Shetty | 10 January 2023 (2023-01-10) |
| 8 | "A Cook's Kingdom" | Neeraj Shetty | 11 January 2023 (2023-01-11) |
| 9 | "The Iconic Mystery Box Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 12 January 2023 (2023-01-12) |
| 10 | "On Par With The Best" | Neeraj Shetty | 13 January 2023 (2023-01-13) |
| 11 | "Naya Hafta Naye Challenges" | Neeraj Shetty | 16 January 2023 (2023-01-16) |
| 12 | "MasterChef Ka Brahmastra" | Neeraj Shetty | 17 January 2023 (2023-01-17) |
| 13 | "First Team Service Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 18 January 2023 (2023-01-18) |
| 14 | "Essence Of Being A Chef" | Neeraj Shetty | 19 January 2023 (2023-01-19) |
| 15 | "Bouncing Back From Pressure" | Neeraj Shetty | 20 January 2023 (2023-01-20) |
| 16 | "Home Cooks Pohche Goa" | Neeraj Shetty | 23 January 2023 (2023-01-23) |
| 17 | "Team Challenge In Thalassa" | Neeraj Shetty | 24 January 2023 (2023-01-24) |
| 18 | "Preparing Meals Under High Pressure" | Neeraj Shetty | 25 January 2023 (2023-01-25) |
| 19 | "Republic Day Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 26 January 2023 (2023-01-26) |
| 20 | "Black Apron Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 27 January 2023 (2023-01-27) |
| 21 | "Bachpan Ki Yaadein" | Neeraj Shetty | 30 January 2023 (2023-01-30) |
| 22 | "Precision And Perfection" | Neeraj Shetty | 31 January 2023 (2023-01-31) |
| 23 | "Muhavaron Se Cooking" | Neeraj Shetty | 1 February 2023 (2023-02-01) |
| 24 | "French Meringue Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 2 February 2023 (2023-02-02) |
| 25 | "Ande Ka Funda" | Neeraj Shetty | 3 February 2023 (2023-02-03) |
| 26 | "Importance of Culinary Knowledge" | Neeraj Shetty | 6 February 2023 (2023-02-06) |
| 27 | "The Food Truck Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 7 February 2023 (2023-02-07) |
| 28 | "Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi" | Neeraj Shetty | 8 February 2023 (2023-02-08) |
| 29 | "Cooking By Ear" | Neeraj Shetty | 9 February 2023 (2023-02-09) |
| 30 | "Unexpected Swap" | Neeraj Shetty | 10 February 2023 (2023-02-10) |
| 31 | "Blind Relay Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 13 February 2023 (2023-02-13) |
| 32 | "Closer To The Immunity Pin" | Neeraj Shetty | 14 February 2023 (2023-02-14) |
| 33 | "Face Off Against A Professional" | Neeraj Shetty | 15 February 2023 (2023-02-15) |
| 34 | "Immunity Pin Jeetne Ka Dusra Mauka" | Neeraj Shetty | 16 February 2023 (2023-02-16) |
| 35 | "Destiny Of The Menu" | Neeraj Shetty | 17 February 2023 (2023-02-17) |
| 36 | "Going Organic" | Neeraj Shetty | 20 February 2023 (2023-02-20) |
| 37 | "75 Years of Taste of India" | Neeraj Shetty | 21 February 2023 (2023-02-21) |
| 38 | "A Sweet Surprise" | Neeraj Shetty | 22 February 2023 (2023-02-22) |
| 39 | "Cooking With Love" | Neeraj Shetty | 23 February 2023 (2023-02-23) |
| 40 | "Agni Pariksha Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 24 February 2023 (2023-02-24) |
| 41 | "Swad Aur Sehat Ka Balance" | Neeraj Shetty | 27 February 2023 (2023-02-27) |
| 42 | "Desi Twist Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 28 February 2023 (2023-02-28) |
| 43 | "Holi Special" | Neeraj Shetty | 1 March 2023 (2023-03-01) |
| 44 | "Flavours of festivity" | Neeraj Shetty | 2 March 2023 (2023-03-02) |
| 45 | "Ode to the millets of India" | Neeraj Shetty | 3 March 2023 (2023-03-03) |
| 46 | "A Treat of Arab Street" | Neeraj Shetty | 6 March 2023 (2023-03-06) |
| 47 | "Waqt ka Khel" | Neeraj Shetty | 7 March 2023 (2023-03-07) |
| 48 | "A Culinary Experience at the Ferrari World" | Neeraj Shetty | 8 March 2023 (2023-03-08) |
| 49 | "Pizza Showdown" | Neeraj Shetty | 9 March 2023 (2023-03-09) |
| 50 | "Skill of the Grill" | Neeraj Shetty | 10 March 2023 (2023-03-10) |
| 51 | "Liquid To Solid Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 13 March 2023 (2023-03-13) |
| 52 | "India Ki Rooh" | Neeraj Shetty | 14 March 2023 (2023-03-14) |
| 53 | "Honouring the Dabbawalas" | Neeraj Shetty | 15 March 2023 (2023-03-15) |
| 54 | "Triple Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 16 March 2023 (2023-03-16) |
| 55 | "Dessert Special Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 17 March 2023 (2023-03-17) |
| 56 | "Double Trouble for the Home Cooks" | Neeraj Shetty | 20 March 2023 (2023-03-20) |
| 57 | "Biryani Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 21 March 2023 (2023-03-21) |
| 58 | "Dahi Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 22 March 2023 (2023-03-22) |
| 59 | "The Last Mystery Box Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 23 March 2023 (2023-03-23) |
| 60 | "Barter Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 24 March 2023 (2023-03-24) |
| 61 | "100 Steps Challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 27 March 2023 (2023-03-27) |
| 62 | "Reimagining the Street Foods of India" | Neeraj Shetty | 28 March 2023 (2023-03-28) |
| 63 | "The Cook Along Continues" | Neeraj Shetty | 29 March 2023 (2023-03-29) |
| 64 | "3 course meal challenge" | Neeraj Shetty | 30 March 2023 (2023-03-30) |
| 65 | "The Flavorful Finale" | Neeraj Shetty | 31 March 2023 (2023-03-31) |