Ashiq hails from Mangalore and is not a stranger to the MasterChef stage. He tried his hand last season but did not manage to qualify.
Throughout the competition, Ashiq’s goal was to plate up the flavours he grew up relishing, with a twist. Since it is a coastal town, a lot of my dishes were made with seafood. He also extensively used the red chilli, which is very symbolic of the town, and curry leaves as well. Over the course of the show, he presented dishes like Custard apple and tender malai panna cotta with pistachio crumble and ‘Crispy Paradise’ that got the praise of the judges.
For his final dish, he presented ‘Ocean View,’ a platter with crab mousse, prawn podi, poached crab leg, prawn and blue pea foam with smoked fruits and a kokum sauce. The judges of the show, chefs Vikas Khanna, Pooja Dhingra, and Ranveer Brar appreciated the overall thought process that went into plating the dish and for balancing out the flavours of each component.
Before he re-entered the MasterChef kitchen, Ashiq ran a juice stall in Mangalore known as Kuluki Hub, and he attributes this experience for being able to balance the flavours in his creations.
Ashiq’s culinary journey began right after he completed schooling and led him to develop an interest in cooking. After his father lost his job, he started selling snacks to make money. These were just simple fried eats like samosas, but my customers would rave about how they tasted. Then he started considering a future in food.
During his stint at Masterchef, he has learnt from world-renowned chefs and even had the opportunity to cook for chef Marco Pierre White. Each challenge was a lesson. I was also the contestant to take part in the most number of black apron challenges and learned to cook under pressure through this.
While Ashiq fulfilled his passion for culinary exploration through this transformative experience, he now aspires to extend support to aspiring chefs lacking the means to enrol in culinary institutes. He wants to set up a studio where he can teach people how to cook. They will be able to learn in person and online. He is also planning to open a restaurant in Mangalore that will showcase the flavours of the town.
