Food and culture are inseparable in Tamil Nadu — the spices, the regional techniques, the nostalgia-laced home cooking. When MasterChef Tamil launched, it promised to bring home cooks from Tamil homes into the spotlight, letting them showcase their culinary identity to a wider audience. As part of the MasterChef India franchise, the Tamil version combines the rigour of cooking challenges with emotional narratives rooted in Tamil culture. In this article, I will take you through the show’s theme & format, then share a table of winners, runner-ups, hosts and judges, and finally give season-by-season glimpses.
Show Format
MasterChef India – Tamil follows the broad template of MasterChef formats globally, while localising flavour, language, ingredients, and storytelling. Key elements include:
- Contestant selection & structure: The show typically starts with open auditions (or virtual/onsite auditions) across Tamil Nadu. From many aspirants, a select number of home cooks (14 in many seasons) are chosen to enter the main competition. The Tamil version’s Wikipedia page says the show “features 14 contestants (only commoner people)” in its typical configuration.
- Episode pattern & challenges: In Season 1, the weekend structure was: Saturdays often feature a cooking challenge (Mystery Box, Pair Challenge, or Team Challenge) using one or more core ingredients. The top performers are safe, while the weaker ones go into pressure tests. Sundays typically host the Pressure Test or elimination round, where the bottom three emulate a given recipe under time constraints, and at least one contestant is eliminated.
In Season 2, the show’s airing pattern changed: it reportedly became more frequent (daily) rather than just weekends. - Judges, host & mentorship: Each season has a panel of three judges—professional chefs—who taste, evaluate, critique, and decide eliminations. In addition, there is a host (emcee), who introduces challenges, interacts with contestants, and builds the narrative. For example, Season 1 had Vijay Sethupathi as host.
- Prize & rewards: The winner receives the MasterChef Tamil title, a trophy, often a chef’s coat, and a cash prize. In Season 1, the prize was ₹25,00,000 in cash (₹25 lakh) in addition to the fame and opportunity to possibly open or run a restaurant.
Also, the winner gains industry recognition, potential collaborations, and often media or brand opportunities. - Eliminations & progression: Contestants are gradually eliminated through rounds until finalists remain. In the finale, the top contestants present elaborate dishes (or multi-course menus), and judges decide the winner (sometimes supplemented by audience votes). The format encourages consistency, innovation, technique, presentation, and resilience.
Because this is a relatively new regional edition, some production details (e.g. number of episodes, audition cities) are less documented publicly.
MasterChef Tamil Winners, Runner-ups, Hosts, Judges
Below is a consolidated summary of available data (from Wikipedia and news sources) for MasterChef India – Tamil.
| Season | Year(s) | Host(s) | Judges | Winner | Runner-up | Notes / Additional Info |
| Season 1 | 2021 | Vijay Sethupathi | Aarthi Sampath, Harish Rao, Koushik Shankar | Devaki Vijayaraman | Nithya Franklyn (runner-up) | Top 14 finalists; first edition of Tamil version |
| Season 2 | 2024 | Koushik Shankar / Shreeya Adka / Rakesh Raghunathan (as hosts/judges roles overlapped) | Aarthi Sampath, Harish Rao, Koushik Shankar, Rakesh Raghunathan, Shreeya Adka | Akash Muralidharan | Praveen Kumar (runner-up) | Top 4 finalists included Zarina Banu, Vani Sundar, Pavithra Nalin |
MasterChef Tamil Season 1 (2021)
MasterChef India – Tamil Season 1 premiered on 7 August 2021 on Sun TV. It introduced the Tamil version of MasterChef, with Vijay Sethupathi anchoring as host. Judges for the season were Aarthi Sampath, Harish Rao, and Koushik Shankar. Over the course of weekend episodes, contestants faced mystery box, team challenges, pair challenges, and pressure test eliminations. In the finale, Devaki Vijayaraman from Trichy won the title, impressing judges with her balance of technique and regional authenticity. Nithya Franklyn (from Thoothukudi) was identified as runner-up. This season set the foundational benchmark for future Tamil MasterChef editions.
MasterChef Tamil Season 2 (2024)
Season 2 of MasterChef India – Tamil aired in 2024 (final announced in June). The show’s structure evolved — reportedly moving to more frequent (daily) episodes rather than just weekends. Judges and hosts had overlapping roles: Koushik Shankar served as judge and host, and the panel included Aarthi Sampath, Harish Rao, Shreeya Adka, and Rakesh Raghunathan. In an intense finale, Akash Muralidharan from Chennai claimed the trophy, showcasing creativity in rediscovering forgotten vegetables and sustainable cooking. Praveen Kumar was named as runner-up. Other top finalists included Zarina Banu, Vani Sundar, and Pavithra Nalin. This season strengthened the brand in Tamil kitchens and emphasized innovation, regional roots, and sustainable thinking.