Key Points
- Sydney-based Sumeet Saigal, 46, is one of the top 12 contestants in the ongoing Season 16 of MasterChef Australia.
- A sales manager and mother of twins, Saigal migrated to Australia in 1998 at the age of 21.
- Known as the 'sauce boss' by the judges of MasterChef Australia, she says love for food runs deep within her Punjabi heritage.
A video clip of Saigal teaching the judges of MasterChef Australia how to eat pani puri, an Indian street food, recently went viral, garnering millions of views across social media channels.
Saigal's gesture garnered praise online with many watchers claiming it made them feel 'seen'.
"Finally South Asian food getting the spotlight it deserves," one user commented under a video posted on the show's official Instagram account.
Others pointed out the unifying power of the dish, which is called by different names (gol-gappa, phuchka, pani puri) and goes by different flavours (mint, tamarind, yoghurt) across India.
"United by gol-gappas," one wrote.
The 46-year-old home cook is one of the 22 contestants from across Australia currently participating in the hit reality cooking show.
The winner of the show will receive AUD $250,000.
In an exclusive interview with SBS Punjabi, the Sydney mum of twins said she hoped to make Indian food more accessible to all Australians.
I want to break the stereotypes surrounding Indian food. Many people still believe that Indian food is hard to cook, it is very complicated or too spicy or too heavy.
"Being a Punjabi, food is embedded in my DNA," she said.
Sumeet Saigal with her twin kids. Credit: Supplied
'I dream of becoming a sauce boss'
Affectionately known by the MasterChef judges as ‘sauce boss’, Saigal said she hoped to one day build on this reputation by making her own simplified Indian sauces which can become part of everyday meals.
"It would be great to see Indian flavours and versatile meals being incorporated as part of regular Australian family weekly planning," she said.
‘Rise above self-doubt’
Saigal said she had to overcome self-doubt to make her MasterChef "dream come true".
“The Indian and Punjabi communities have so much talent. They are all such good home cooks but not everyone is able to get the opportunity to showcase their skills or learn on such a platform. It is a privilege, an honour and a blessing to be on the show,” she said.
"We all have dreams and aspirations, but we limit ourselves by self-doubt."
I had to break the barrier of self-doubt. I asked myself, if others can do it, then why can’t I?Sumeet Saigal
"I hope other Indian women when faced with such situations can use that as a moment of self-reflection and I think if I could inspire even just one person I would feel my job is done," she said.
Overcoming hardships
The kitchen is not the only place where Saigal is breaking the glass ceiling. She has also overcome hardships in her personal life.
Saigal first came to Australia in 1998 at the age of 21. She was a young bride at that time and the marriage did not work out.
"Hailing from a protective Punjabi upbringing, I had to rebuild myself all over again in a foreign land after coming out of a bad marriage, and it taught me so much resilience," she said.
I learnt to be self-reliant through my initial migrant experiences and now when I look at it, I think of it as a gift.Sumeet Saigal
“You do not even know own how much strength you have till you go through something and I believe that everything is always working towards a bigger plan,” Saigal said.
These days she describes her husband, Gurvinder, as her biggest supporter.
Sumeet Saigal with her husband Gurvinder. Credit: Supplied
A mix of flavours
Saigal’s family hails from Amritsar, a city in India’s northern state Punjab, but she said her cooking is also equally inspired by being raised in Bangalore, Karnataka, in the country's south.
"After living in Australia for nearly three decades, I am also acclimatised to flavours of Australia and I call my cooking a melting pot of different cultures and food influences," she said.
Her daarji, or paternal grandfather, however, remains the biggest influence on her.
Saigal says her grandpa, who was a food lover, remains her biggest influence. Credit: Supplied
"My grandpa, a former freedom fighter who loved cooking and experimenting in the kitchen, gave me my first ever cookbook," she said.
“You can take a Punjabi out of Punjab but cannot take Punjab out of a Punjabi.”
Calling spices her "superpower", she said she has a tradition of cooking chicken tikka on Saturday nights with her husband and children. She also loves to bake as a family.
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