From Law to Pastry Chef: Gurkirat Singh's Inspiring Journey to MasterChef India Season 7
Gurkirat Singh's inspiring journey from struggling with mental health issues and studying law to becoming a top 6 home cook in MasterChef India Season 7 showcases the importance of following one's passion and never giving up on one's dreams.
Grishma Bhatia
Gurkirat Singh, a resident of Haryana, has made it to the top 6 home cooks of MasterChef India Season 7. Gurkirat's passion for cooking started in eighth grade when he was inspired by the show MasterChef. Since the first season of the show, Gurkirat wanted to participate, but due to his age, he was not eligible to apply for auditions. Therefore, he started experimenting with cooking and recipes. Although his father is a lawyer and wanted Gurkirat to follow in his footsteps, Gurkirat was not interested in law and dreamed of running his own bakery shop and making desserts. Gurkirat's passion for cooking led him to focus on watching cooking videos and improving his cooking skills.
Despite giving auditions for season 5 and 6 of Masterchef India, Gurkirat Singh was not selected. However, he considers himself fortunate as he believes that season 7 was the best one for him. Through this season, he was able to meet people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, which allowed him to become more culturally tolerant. He thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this season and is grateful for not being selected in the previous seasons.
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Following his audition in season 5, Gurkirat discovered his interest in baking and sweets, which he found particularly comfortable with. He also noted the similarities in his cooking style and interests with Chef Kirti, the winner of Masterchef season 5.
According to Gurkirat, his life took a complete turn after participating in MasterChef. Prior to the show, he was struggling with depression, anxiety, and a few other mental health issues. He was unsure about his future and was studying law, even though he knew he did not possess the qualities of a lawyer. Despite completing his law degree in 2020, his father pushed him to practice law, but he did not have any interest in it and would go to court daily just to comply with his father's wishes.
Gurkirat Singh was eagerly waiting to participate in MasterChef as he had always been interested in cooking. He spent four months there and found his personality during that phase. It was his biggest dream, and he had already imagined his life after MasterChef. He is now receiving love from all corners of India, with his followers growing from 782 before the show to over 57k followers now. Gurkirat feels that his life can be divided into three phases: before MasterChef, during MasterChef, and after MasterChef. His favourite phase is when he was a contestant on the show, and he describes himself as a fun-loving, extroverted person.
When asked about his future plans, Gurkirat shared that he is actively seeking opportunities and exploring potential collaborations with Nayan Jyoti, the winner of the season whom he considers a close friend. He also expressed his desire to stay connected with his audience and engage with them through social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram reels. He hopes to continue being on screen and pursue his passion for cooking for the rest of his life.
Gurkirat Singh sees himself as a pastry chef, as he mostly focused on making desserts during his MasterChef journey. He has a particular interest in French desserts and would like to create something unique by combining French and Indian dessert flavors. His ultimate goal is to open his own bakery shop. Some of his signature dessert dishes were highly appreciated by the judges of MasterChef India Season 7, namely Vikas Khanna, Garima Arora, and Ranveer Brar.
His signature dishes are:
Chai tiramisu
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Qatayef with cinnamon tea
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Orange and olive cake
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Butternut squash tart with hazelnut praline cremeux
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Strawberry and rabdi mousse entremet
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He believes that inspiration plays a crucial role in his cooking. He draws inspiration from various chefs and ingredients and uses them in his own unique way. According to him, creativity is important in cooking, and he enjoys experimenting with different techniques and equipment. One of the most challenging moments in his MasterChef journey was during the black apron challenge in Abu Dhabi. It was the first time he received the black apron and felt disheartened, even shedding a few tears. Despite this setback, he managed to perform well in the challenge.
His story is an inspiring journey that showcases the importance of following one's passion. Cooking is a vast and wide area of profession, and people can start their own home bakeries and pursue their interests. According to Gurkirat, success comes only to those who are determined to achieve it. He advises new, young chefs to stay consistent in their work and not give up on their dreams. India is a huge country full of opportunities, and Gurkirat's journey is a testament to what can be achieved by pursuing one's passion.
