Chennai
The aromas of cooking native Tamil dishes like ‘Tirunelveli Paagam’, ‘Aadi Kummayam’, ‘Koola Urundai’ and ‘Tiruvadharai Kali’ wafted from contestants’ workstations at the finals of The Hindu’s Our State Our Taste culinary contest.
After three months of prelims, season 3 of the flagship culinary talent hunt reached a pointy end with its grand finale at Sundaram Studios at Poonamallee in Chennai on Saturday.
The contest was conducted at 20 locations across Tamil Nadu, in search of the next Master Chef. This season saw over 10,000 registrations and more than 6,000 participants. Sixty contestants were selected for the finals, and were asked to prepare a dish with the vegetables they got in the ‘surprise basket’.
“Season 3 was top notch! It was a learning experience for me as many undiscovered native Tamil dishes were prepared. Every dish reflected the culture and tradition of its respective region. Participants made sure their dishes had the native touch to them. We tasted around 8,000 dishes, and to be quite honest, it was challenging for us to judge as each one was unique,” Chef Damu, the contest’s judge, said.
Sixty-three-year-old G. Sasi from Coimbatore, who secured the first place, said, “Ever since this season started, I travelled to around six to seven locations, prepared food and got the judge’s feedback. My original intention was not to impress them and get an edge over the others but to listen to what they say about my work, make friends and talk about food with food lovers. Winning the contest is definitely a great recognition for me.”
M. Kavitha Kumar and K. Marudhu Pandian from Thanjavur were the 1 st and 2 nd runner-up, respectively.
Sundaresan S., Vice-President, Advertisement of The Hindu Group, said, “We are stunned by the response we got - from homemakers, cuisine connoisseurs, students and even children - the profile of the participants was vast. Solid participation was seen from Gen Z and millennials. This is the ethos o f The Hindu - to take our culture and traditions to the younger generation and keep them alive.”
Nambi Rajan, Chief Finance Officer of The Hindu Group, said, “We are not just a news production company. We strive to bring you carefully curated events, conversations and discussions that will provide readers with insights and nudge dialogues. The success of this show is proof that we have the best of the audience, who constantly engage with us and show their love and support for all our creative endeavours.”
Vidiem Kitchen Appliances is the presenting partner, Savoritand Madhuram Rice are powered by sponsors. RKG AgmarkGhee and Cardia Advanced are in association with partners.
Asafoetida partner is LG; Associate partner Naga; Spice partner Everest; Divinity partner Mangaldeep; Banking partner Karur Vysya Bank; Knowledge partner Chef Dr. Damu; Media partner Hindu Tamil Thisai; Magazine partner Aval Vikatan; CEC partner Kalaignar TV; and News channel partner Kalaignar Seithigal.
