Sashi Cheliah Reflects on Journey from ‘MasterChef Australia’ Winner to Judge on ‘Celebrity MasterChef Tamil’

Mumbai, November 1, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)

Sashi Cheliah, who won ‘MasterChef Australia Season 10’ in 2018, has reflected on his journey from competing in the popular cooking reality show to becoming one of the judges on ‘Celebrity MasterChef Tamil’.

Speaking exclusively to IANS, Sashi described the journey as fantastic and unexpected, recalling how he entered the Australian competition without anticipating that he would win.

“When I first went into ‘MasterChef Australia’, I never imagined that I would actually win the competition. I went in simply wanting to challenge myself, learn, and see how far I could go. But as the competition progressed, I started winning challenge after challenge, and that gave me a lot of confidence. Eventually, I went on to become the Season 10 winner, which was an incredible moment in my life. I also achieved the highest score of 93 in the history of ‘MasterChef’, along with a couple of other records, so there were many milestones along the way that I’m extremely proud of,” he told IANS.

Sashi said returning to the show as a judge felt like a homecoming, although he was now experiencing the competition from a completely different perspective.

“When I was a contestant, I knew exactly what it felt like to stand in that kitchen, with the clock ticking, the pressure building, and the judges watching every move you make. 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,” he said.

Reflecting on his wider culinary career, Sashi said the journey from competing in ‘MasterChef Australia’ and winning the title to building a career in food and becoming a judge on ‘Celebrity MasterChef Tamil’ had been incredible.

“I feel extremely fortunate and grateful for everything that has happened.

“Most importantly, I’ve been very lucky to receive so much love and support from people around me and from the audience throughout this journey. That support has meant a lot to me, and I’m genuinely thankful for it,” he added.