From down under to India

Sarah Todd, former Masterchef Australia contestant was in the country recently to get a taste of Indian food

October 23, 2014 08:31 pm | Updated May 23, 2016 07:38 pm IST

Sarah Todd

Sarah Todd

Indian viewers of Masterchef Australia will know of Sarah Todd. The former Masterchef contestant was after all favourite to win the title and almost had two shots at it after returning to the show following her first elimination. However, Sarah was eliminated a few weeks after her return and was unable to realise the dream. But, the Australian, who got her first taste for fine food during a long and successful modelling career, kept her dream of working in food alive. Since returning from the Masterchef kitchen, Sarah has worked as an apprentice at a top Australian restaurant, started her blog and is in works to complete her first cookbook – Down to Earth .

Sarah was recently in India, touring across the country looking for Indian flavours and sharing her knowledge with other food lovers.

Excerpts from her interview…

What brings you to India?

The food and the culture. I’ve come to experience it first-hand. Masterchef has a huge connect here and I’ve been recognised quite a few times too.

What have you been up to so far?

I’ve been to the old Delhi market and eaten at the traditional restaurants. I’ve also sampled the street food and been to the spice market. In contrast to the world of old Delhi, I fine dined at the restaurant Indian Accents. I’m now snacking on a round, Bengali sweet. Do you know it? It’s soft and juicy?

Is it a rasgulla?

(Laughs)… I don’t know what it’s called. But, I’m absolutely enjoying the diversity of food here. For instance, I’ve been alternating between dosa and parantha for breakfast. I’ve been exploring both south Indian and north Indian food. I’ve had the lamb biryani, keema, saag, aloo gobi… there’s just so much to try!

You’re not unfamiliar with Indian food. Your partner is of Indian origin. Do you make Indian food often?

My partner loves to cook and we like to experiment in the kitchen. We make Indian food couple of times in a week. And, whenever we’re making something else, there’s always a hint of it. We used Indian spices when we’re cooking our meats.

What do you think makes Indian food special?

I think people are so scared of spice. Spice really does enhance a dish. And, Indian food, when cooked the right way can be both tasty and healthy. I am constantly asked about how I stay thin and Indian food is a great way to stay fit. My book, Down to Earth , will be out in a year’s time and is about wholesome eating, fresh produce and beautiful ingredients.

Tell us about your experience in the Masterchef kitchen. What did you learn about yourself?

I think the Masterchef experience left me with confidence in myself. I wasn’t really expecting the judges to say nice things about my food. It was really nice to receive that kind of positive feedback.

Do you feel bad about not winning the competition?

No, not really. I think apart from the prize money, every contestant receives the same kind of opportunities. The competition has been an excellent springboard into the industry. I think I’ve won in many ways.

Who were your best friends in the Masterchef house?

Kiera, Sam and I were like three peas in a pod. We still talk all the time. And, Brent and I have grown strong as friends, since after the series.

Tell me, were all of you as nice to each other as we saw on TV? Masterchef is reality television, after all.

(Laughs)… All of us in the house, genuinely got along. We shared our knowledge. I even taught all of them to make roti bread. Towards the end, of course, there was a lot of pressure and the responsibility to do well, hinged entirely on oneself.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.