MasterChef India’s first plant-based contestant Priya Vijan talks to us in an exclusive interview!

March 6th, 2023

Ever since Master Chef India 2023 started airing, Priya Vijan has become the talk of the country for being the first ever plant-based chef on the show. Though she may have been eliminated from the competition recently, the healthy plant-based dishes she whipped up on the show have inspired many people to explore the world of vegan cooking, including her fellow contestants. Priya also gave us several proud moments when she impressed the judges with her innovative veganized versions of popular dishes like Mushroom Polenta and Potato Pave. 

In a candid conversation with Priya, we spoke to her at length about her MasterChef journey as a plant-based chef, her best moments, favourite judges, behind-the-scenes gossip, future plans and a lot more. Here are excerpts from our chat:

Vegan First: When and how did you first become interested in cooking?

Priya  Vijan: So I am actually a commerce graduate. After finishing my education, I went on to work with a friend in an events production company. But after a few months, I realised that I wanted to do something on my own and started baking randomly, without any knowledge. Over that process, I did a lot of trial and error, and honed my skills slowly. Eventually in 2012, I launched my brand called Melted Down, under which I started selling basic confectionery from home. Things started rolling pretty quickly and my interest grew. I just used to have 4 items on the menu, but they kept getting sold out. When I started making fondant cakes for people’s special occasions and spreading happiness through it, I found a sense of purpose and there was no looking back. 

Priya Vijan during one of her challenges at MasterChef India 2023

Vegan First: Why did you adopt a plant-based lifestyle?

Priya  Vijan: For this answer, I'm going to rewind my life a little bit. As a child, I used to be mostly sick. I used to wake up with a runny nose, heavy head and chest congestion on a majority of days. I had to carry tissues and paper rolls everywhere, including to school and college. I started popping anti-allergic pills, went to all kinds of doctors, but none of the solutions worked permanently. After having dealt with it for years, in 2019, I decided to take a break from all the pills, from work and started studying nutrition. 

The nutrition course had one chapter on dairy that spoke about lactose intolerance and the bad effects of casein, which sounded very similar to the symptoms I had been having since childhood. So I started doing in-depth research on it, and went on a trial run for 21 days to go off dairy. My health issues had drastically come down and I was convinced to transition to a plant-based lifestyle. 

Coming from a Punjabi family, it wasn’t easy and I was consuming a few dairy products on and off. Also, I was beginning to look slightly fragile when I went on a plant-based diet initially, and my mom got very worried. But eventually, I introduced a variety of vegetables, grains and legumes into my diet. That's when I bounced back to the peak of my health. I wouldn’t say I am a vegan, I still cook eggs and dairy for my family when they want me to. But I don’t consume them anymore myself and am definitely plant-based.  

Vegan First: What was your experience like on MasterChef India as the first plant-based contestant? And, did you have to face any hurdles?

Priya  Vijan: I feel I was playing my own game. Because for every challenge, while others were discussing what they could do with eggs or milk, my mind does not work that way anymore. I was thinking - what can I do with coconut milk for this? No one else was thinking that way, and I was sure I wanted to make a mark in the healthy plant-based food space. I didn't go there to promote veganism, but I aimed to create more awareness on the health benefits of plant-based foods. So I created my own niche that way and I'm really grateful actually that they took into consideration my ideologies. 

Regarding challenges, right from the beginning, I had accepted the fact that if I am on such a show, which is not even a vegetarian format, there will be some hurdles. For instance, in one black apron challenge, I had to cook with eggs, and I was okay to do that as long as I didn't have to taste it. So obviously technical challenges come in there, because you can’t be sure of the taste and flavours without tasting. So I did as much as I could with my limitations.

The Potato Pave for which Priya received appreciation from the judges  

Vegan First: What’s the most memorable dish you created on the show?

Priya Vijan: Definitely the Mushroom Polenta, which I created as part of a team challenge under Priyanka’s (Biswas) captaincy. It got us a lot of appreciation from the judges, which made it very special. And it genuinely tasted bomb! Also, the Potato Pave I made at the Goa challenge was one of my highlight dishes. 

Vegan First: Who was your favourite judge on MasterChef India this season?

Priya Vijan: I won’t be able to pick one favourite, because all three of them are such lovely mentors in their own ways. Chef Ranveer (Brar) may be very critical and you might feel bad for that moment, but that also pushed us into putting more effort and to think differently. And, chef Garima (Arora) comes with a lot of experience in the kitchen and some very crucial inputs, which works wonders for our overall output. Chef Vikas (Khanna) is a total sweetheart. He's the most soft spoken, humble and down to earth person, and he gives us important feedback but in a very subtle way, without hurting anyone.

Vegan First: Can you share any funny anecdotes or behind-the-scenes stories that you remember?

Priya Vijan: I had a great time with Priyanka, because she was my roommate and we never had to shuffle rooms like other contestants, because we didn’t ever have issues with each other. We enjoyed each other's company very much and used to wake up with Pathan’s ‘Besharam’ song, which had been released around that time, and we used to go shopping together. I also had a wonderful time with Deepa (Chauhan) ma’am. She is a sweetheart and whenever she cooked something vegetarian without dairy, she used to come to me and say, “You know Priya, our dish had become vegan by default today.” And I am glad she is from Bangalore. So I will get to meet her more often. 

I also used to take the other contestants to vegan restaurants in Mumbai. They were open to trying plant-based dishes and their reactions were always positive. I remember Deepa ma’am, Priyanka and I thoroughly enjoyed the Mock Meat Pizza with cashew cheese at Rare Earth. Sachin Khatwani and I also loved the Jackfruit Taco at Greenr. And I feel like, through my stint on the show, the plant-based concept went out to unaware viewers in a very potent way. 

Priya interacts with MasterChef India judge chef Garima Arora

Vegan First: What ingredients or cuisines do you enjoy the most?

Priya Vijan: I love eating south Indian food in Bangalore. Most of the dishes are by default vegan. Since I am a Punjabi, I also love veganizing my Dal Makhani with cashew cream and melon seeds. And, I enjoy Kerala and Thai food because it has a lot of coconut. I like doing a lot of Italian too with cashew cheese. And I have developed immense love and respect for edamame, lotus stem and all kinds of greens. 

Vegan First: What are your biggest takeaways from MasterChef India?

Priya Vijan: I learnt a lot about ingredients, flavour pairings and I got introduced to a lot of equipment for the first time on the show. And initially, I used to suck on the plating aspect. I learnt how to work with colours better while plating. The experience will certainly help me a lot with my career ahead.

Priya Vijan at the MasterChef India 2023 studio

Vegan First: What’s next on your mind?

Priya Vijan: I will get into recipe development and am hoping to launch a book as well with some MasterChef recipes and a few others that I am going to create now. A restaurant as such doesn’t excite me so much. I enjoy teaching healthy cooking to people. I remember I’d gotten a huge response when I had conducted my first workshop. 109 people participated with various health concerns, ranging from dairy allergy to gluten intolerance. So I want to continue to do that, and help create food that is nutrient dense while still being a celebration for the palate.