Mumbai, Jan 20 (IANS): 'MasterChef India' contestant Suvarna Vijay Bagul shared about her interest in cooking and learning the craft from watching cooking shows and her interest in introducing people to a variety of Maharashtrian cuisine.

Suvarna, who is a home cook from Mumbai shared: "When I arrived at the auditions for 'MasterChef India', there was a long line, but I was sure my dish, Maha Thali which consisted of Maharashtrian flavours would be chosen. By God's grace, I was indeed chosen. I have never taken a professional cooking course; instead, I used to watch cooking shows on television and follow chef Ranveer Brar's recipes. I have twenty to twenty-five years of experience in the kitchen, so I believe this has all paid off."

While talking about presenting her Maharashtrian dishes on the show and how she tries to make them in a different way, she added: "When Maharashtrian cuisine is mentioned, most people think of Puran Poli and Vada Pav, but there is so much more to it than that. In Maharashtrian cuisine, a variety of food is prepared according to the seasons and festivals, and I want to demonstrate this on national television. I am grateful for this chance and will do my best to impart a Maharashtrian flavour to every dish I prepare so that anyone who eats it would recognise it as a Maharashtrian dish prepared by Suvarna."

She further added: "To date, what I've learned from the MasterChef kitchen is to be confident in your own flavours; experimentation is encouraged, but one shouldn't stray too far from their signature tastes. I also discovered that the fewer elements one uses, the more one can focus on their meal. Sometimes we believe we should add eight or nine elements to a dish, but because of these factors, we fail to balance the dish. Therefore, I believe keeping fewer elements and keeping the food flavorful will aid in presenting the dish well and eliminate confusion."

'MasterChef India' airs on Sony Entertainment Television.