MasterChef India Season 7 marked a major turning point for the franchise — its first season on Sony Entertainment Television after years on StarPlus, and the season that introduced a fresh, all-new judging panel. Here’s everything you need to know about the winner, runners-up, judges and the journey to the finale.
MasterChef India Season 7: Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Channel | Sony Entertainment Television |
| Streaming | SonyLIV |
| Premiere | 2 January 2023 |
| Finale | 31 March 2023 |
| Episodes | 65 |
| Winner | Nayanjyoti Saikia |
| Runner-up | Shanta (Santa) Sarmah |
| 2nd Runner-up | Suvarna Bagul |
| Prize Money | ₹25,00,000 |
| Judges | Vikas Khanna, Ranveer Brar, Garima Arora |
Who Won MasterChef India Season 7?
Nayanjyoti Saikia, a young student from Tinsukia, Assam, was crowned the winner of MasterChef India Season 7 on 31 March 2023. He took home the MasterChef trophy, the title, and a cash prize of ₹25,00,000.
Nayanjyoti’s journey to the trophy began when his plating skills impressed judge Vikas Khanna during auditions, earning him a spot among the top 36 contestants. A strong cook-off performance then pushed him into the top 16, and he consistently stood out throughout the season for his technical precision and creative use of regional Assamese flavors blended with global techniques.
Runners-Up: Shanta Sarmah & Suvarna Bagul
The Season 7 finale was a three-way showdown:
- First Runner-up: Shanta (Santa) Sarmah — a homemaker from Guwahati, Assam, who won ₹5,00,000. Santa had shared an emotional moment during the competition, describing how eight years of cooking out of necessity turned into her true passion.
- Second Runner-up: Suvarna Vijay Bagul — a homemaker from Mumbai, who also won ₹5,00,000. Suvarna impressed judges early on with a Maharashtrian thali during auditions and remained a consistent top performer throughout the season.
MasterChef India Season 7 Judges
Season 7 introduced a completely refreshed judging panel:
- Vikas Khanna — the veteran judge who has been a constant presence across nearly every season of MasterChef India since Season 2
- Ranveer Brar — celebrity chef and food storyteller, returning from earlier seasons
- Garima Arora — India’s first Michelin-starred female chef, making her MasterChef India judging debut this season
Together, the trio pushed contestants through demanding pressure tests, mystery box challenges, and offsite cook-offs — including a memorable Goa-themed week where contestants had to work with the region’s four signature sauces.
Notable Contestants of Season 7
Beyond the top three, the season featured several standout home cooks who built strong fan followings:
- Urmila Jamnadas Asher (“Gujju Ben” / “Baa”) — an inspirational cook known for her own YouTube channel
- Sachin Khatwani — from Lucknow, known for his fusion dishes like a crab-based “Crab Shack Shack”
- Priyanka Kundu Biswas — from Kolkata
- Aruna Vijay — a strong advocate for South Indian cuisine, from Chennai
- Gurkirat Singh, Kamaldeep Kaur, Deepa Chauhan, Nazia Sultana, and Avinash Patnaik — all part of the competitive Top 12–16 lineup
What Made Season 7 Different?
- Network switch: This was the first season to air on Sony Entertainment Television instead of StarPlus, with simultaneous streaming on SonyLIV
- New judging trio: A complete judging panel refresh with Garima Arora joining Vikas Khanna and Ranveer Brar
- Spin-off show: Following the finale, Sony launched MasterChef India – MasterClass, featuring the same Season 7 contestants and judges — but this time, the judges cooked for the contestants to teach skills and recipes
FAQs
Who won MasterChef India Season 7? Nayanjyoti Saikia, a student from Tinsukia, Assam, won ₹25,00,000.
Who were the runners-up? Shanta Sarmah (1st runner-up) and Suvarna Bagul (2nd runner-up), each receiving ₹5,00,000.
Who judged MasterChef India Season 7? Vikas Khanna, Ranveer Brar, and Garima Arora.
When did Season 7 air? From 2 January 2023 to 31 March 2023 on Sony Entertainment Television and SonyLIV.