MasterChef India Season 6 marked the show’s much-awaited comeback after a three-year hiatus, bringing regional Indian cuisine — especially the flavors of Odisha — into the national spotlight. Here’s the complete breakdown of the winner, contestants, judges and everything else you need to know about this season.
MasterChef India Season 6: Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Channel | StarPlus |
| Premiere | 7 December 2019 |
| Finale | 1 March 2020 |
| Episodes | 25 |
| Contestants (Top 15) | 15 |
| Winner | Abinas Nayak |
| Runner-up | Oindrila Bala |
| Prize Money | ₹25,00,000 |
| Judges | Vikas Khanna, Ranveer Brar, Vineet Bhatia |
| Title Sponsor | Amul, with Sleek Kitchens by Asian Paints as co-sponsor |
Who Won MasterChef India Season 6?
Abinas Nayak, a 27–28-year-old IT analyst-turned-chef from Berhampur, Odisha, was crowned the winner of MasterChef India Season 6 on 1 March 2020. He took home the title and the ₹25,00,000 cash prize.
Abinas was widely praised throughout the season for his artful desserts and his ability to give traditional Odia dishes a modern, fine-dining twist. His finale menu was a love letter to his home state — featuring chingudi (prawn), ada mangsa (ginger mutton), and ending with the celebrated Odisha dessert chhena poda. His win was especially significant for putting Eastern Indian regional cuisine, long underrepresented on the show, firmly in the national spotlight.
Interestingly, this wasn’t Abinas’s first culinary accolade — he had already won the MasterChef Lokicooks Fellowship Competition in 2019 and was named “Hungry For Haldiram” in 2018, before his MasterChef India win.
Runner-Up: Oindrila Bala
Oindrila Bala, a 35-year-old former tax consultant from Kolkata, West Bengal, finished as the runner-up of Season 6. She was one of the season’s most consistent performers throughout the competition.
MasterChef India Season 6 Host & Judges
Unlike many entertainment reality shows, MasterChef India does not have a separate, dedicated host — the three judges themselves guide contestants through the competition and host the show. For Season 6, the judging/hosting panel was:
- Vikas Khanna — the most consistent judge in MasterChef India’s history, returning for yet another season
- Ranveer Brar — celebrity chef known for his storytelling and mentorship style
- Vineet Bhatia — making his MasterChef India debut this season, notably the first Indian chef to ever receive a Michelin star
This trio guided contestants through demanding mystery box challenges, pressure tests and elimination rounds across the 25-episode season.
MasterChef India Season 6: Full Top 15 Contestants List
| Contestant | Age | Hometown | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abinas Nayak (Winner) | 27 | Berhampur, Odisha | IT Analyst |
| Oindrila Bala (Runner-up) | 35 | Kolkata, West Bengal | Former Tax Consultant |
| Smrutisree Singh | 26 | Angul, Odisha | Hotel General Manager |
| Priyanka Biswas | 27 | Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh | Dentist |
| Nandini Diwakar | 33 | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh | Chef Consultant |
| Natasha Gandhi | 25 | Mumbai, Maharashtra | Entrepreneur |
| Ulka Santra | 21 | Kolkata, West Bengal | Salesperson |
| Akanksha Khatri | 30 | Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh | Former Flight Attendant |
| Prince Sharma | 23 | Amritsar, Punjab | Food Industry Trainer |
| Aakash Sonkar | 27 | Delhi | Telecom Distributor |
The Top 15 were selected from an initial pool of 30 contestants chosen through nationwide auditions. Judges directly handed aprons to 10 contestants during auditions, while a further 11 hopefuls competed in a cook-off for the remaining 5 spots.
What Made Season 6 Special
- The comeback season: Season 6 ended a three-year gap since Season 5 (2016), making it a much-anticipated return for the franchise
- First Michelin-starred judge: Vineet Bhatia’s addition to the panel brought international fine-dining credibility
- Regional cuisine spotlight: Winner Abinas Nayak’s win helped popularize lesser-known Odia dishes and ingredients on a national stage
- Pandemic timing: The finale aired on 1 March 2020, just before COVID-19 disruptions began affecting Indian television production
FAQs
Who won MasterChef India Season 6? Abinas Nayak, an IT analyst from Berhampur, Odisha, won ₹25,00,000 on 1 March 2020.
Who was the runner-up of Season 6? Oindrila Bala, a former tax consultant from Kolkata.
Who hosted MasterChef India Season 6? There was no separate host — judges Vikas Khanna, Ranveer Brar and Vineet Bhatia hosted the show themselves.
When did MasterChef India Season 6 air? From 7 December 2019 to 1 March 2020 on StarPlus.
How many contestants competed in the Top 15? Fifteen finalists competed, chosen from an initial pool of 30 contestants.