Highlights
- Sydney-based Depinder Chhibber reaches top 10 in MasterChef Australia Season 13
- Indian-origin pharmacist migrated as a child with her family from New Delhi 20 years ago
- MasterChef Australia’s judges called her the 'queen of bold flavours'
Depinder [Kaur] Chhibber’s journey to the list of top 10 MasterChef Australia contestants this season was “exciting,” and she continues to cook her way through with a mix of new and traditional cooking skills.
The 29-year-old Indian-origin contestant says her dream came true when she was selected for MasterChef’s 13th edition after a round of auditions last year.
Unique yet traditional
The judges of MasterChef Australia are full of praise for her unique cooking and presentation skills.
“The queen of bold flavours, time and time again Depinder has shown her strengths across a spread of cuisines. From her deep, rich curries to delicate desserts (mille-feuille in 75 minutes?!) and perfect choux, Depinder has been one to watch from the get-go,” says a statement from by MasterChef Australia.
The short videos showcasing her green curry cake and a homestyle Indian bento box meal that featured chhole (chickpea curry), gobhi (cauliflower) parantha, pickles and salads have gone viral on social media.
Inspired by Indian family traditions
MasterChef Australia judges praised Depinder’sTiffin style Indian meal. Source: MasterChef Australia
Mrs Chhibber credits her success to her the members of her family who have helped her improve her cooking skills.
“What inspires me from my day-to-day life are the memories of food while I was growing up surrounded by family.
“For example, I try recreating dishes my late Naniji (maternal grandmother) would make for us. I regret why I never wrote those recipes down. I’m yet to make some of my dishes taste as good as hers.
“It’s the memories which inspire me to cook because that is the food I loved to eat which was simple yet delicious,” she adds.
Mrs Chhibber says she has always been a passionate cook who spent a lot of time hanging around the kitchen.
MasterChef Australia contestant Depinder Chhibber. Source: Supplied by Mrs Chhibber
“It was my curiosity which drew me towards the food I loved and enjoyed eating. I always asked my aunts, grandmothers and mum how to make certain dishes and how they make it taste a certain way,” she says.
As she grew older, her interest in food solidified watching a lot of cooking shows and videos, researching about old Indian culinary techniques and the dishes which fascinated her.
“I also started baking when I was in university and started making cakes and other desserts as I gained more confidence,” she adds.
Her biggest supporter is her husband Gurkirat Singh, who she married in 2018. Source: Supplied by Mrs Chhibber
“Food has always been my creative outlet and before I knew it, I found myself deep in the food world creating dishes I had never tasted before just because I found it so fascinating,” adds Mrs Chhibber.
She is grateful to her parents who helped her fulfill her dreams.
“Watching our parents struggle, work hard and give us what we have today is confronting but at the same time, makes us value their efforts and journey to a new country with two young kids to whom they wanted to give the best of the world,” she says.
The journey ahead
Born in New Delhi, Depinder Chhibber moved to Newcastle at the age of 11. Her family is now based in Sydney. Source: Supplied by Mrs Chhibber
After making a name for herself in MasterChef Australia, Mrs Chhibber now wants to see the “humble and ordinary” Indian cuisine get a special status in Australia.
“I always wanted to see Indian cuisine become mainstream in Australia, just like it is in the UK, and there is still so much work to do.
“I want to spread the word that Indian cuisine is not just limited to butter chicken or curry or naan. People should come out of this thinking and enjoy the great variety that is present across its simple and complex dishes.
“Like many other cultures, Indian food traditions also go back thousands of years. Rich in flavours, aromas, colours, texture and spices, they are very unique to different parts of India,” she adds.
Journey from India to Australia
Newcastle was the first home of her family which came to Australia from India’s capital city of New Delhi about 20 years ago.
Mrs Chhibber recalls her family’s initial struggle as new migrants in Australia.
“My parents were highly-qualified and well-to-do in their respective careers in Delhi, but they decided to do what most migrants did, i.e., move to Australia for a better quality of life. It was very hard initially because we were always on a tight budget and we had no family in Australia,” she says.
“I grew up in Newcastle where the Indian or Punjabi population was very small at the time, which made it harder for us. However, we were blessed with some friends who soon became family and made us feel at home.
“Today I call Newcastle my home because of the family and friends I grew up with and I’ll always remain a Novocastrian at heart,” Mrs Chhibber adds.
Mrs Chhibber has a dream to write a culinary book about the traditional as well as the new and different ways of cooking and showcase some ordinary as well as signature food items.
The top 10 contestants of MasterChef Australia 2021. Source: Supplied by MasterChef Australia
She says people should never leave their dreams behind and always look for opportunities that interest them the most.
“For all the budding home cooks who want to showcase their cooking on a platform like MasterChef Australia, there will never be a good time. I would say just go for it and the sky is your limit,” she says.
Click here to listen to the full interview with Depinder Chhibber (in Punjabi):
LISTEN TO
‘Indian cuisine is not just limited to butter chicken,’ says MasterChef Australia’s Depinder Chhibber
SBS Punjabi
25/06/202114:08
