“India has the best street food in the world,” MasterChef Australia’s famed Gary Mehigan

MasterChef Gary Mehigan praises India’s Culinary Heritage at ABP Network’s India @ 2047 Summit

·         “The idea of kitchens disappearing by 2030 is terrifying,” Gary Mehigan.

Chandigarh: Celebrity chef, author, and MasterChef judge Gary Mehigan captivated the audience at ABP Network’s India @ 2047 Summit with his passionate insights on food as a unifying force. Highlighting India’s global influence, he declared, “India has the best street food in the world.”

ABP Network, the country’s leading multi-language news network, had organised India @ 2047 Summit, a defining platform that sets the national discourse on India’s transformation into a Viksit Bharat by the centenary of its independence.

Sharing personal anecdotes and bold visions for India’s culinary future in the session Food as Unifier: The World on Our Plate, Mehigan celebrated the country’s rich food culture by expressing, “Food is a great unifier. When people ask me what’s special about food, the answer is really simple: food brings everybody together.” Recalling his childhood, he shared, “My mother cooked everything from scratch, and we always sat together as a family, which is very critical from where I come from. We may laugh, we may cry, but we do it together with a full tummy.”

Mehigan, a brand ambassador for Conosh, praised India’s culinary landscape, “Food is quite rightly the centre of any celebration in India. I love Holi, and love watching the story of Radha and Krishna while also enjoying a little bit of bhaang. The act of taking prasad in your hand is captivating and brings tears to your eyes, which is what food does to you.”

Reflecting on his MasterChef journey, Mehigan noted the series’ role in uniting families, “In India, 67 million people watched it for 11 years, and three of us (Gary alongside George Calombaris and Matt Preston) gave the show a little bit of magic. MasterChef brought families together because it is the perfect antidote for a chaotic world.” He contrasted the show’s approach with typical reality TV, saying, “We did it exactly opposite of what TV expected of us, for us, it was all about appreciation and glory.”

While addressing challenges like climate change and the rise of food supplements, emphasising the irreplaceable role of home-cooked meals, Mehigan reflected, “The idea of kitchens disappearing is terrifying, and dark kitchens replacing normal kitchens is scary. The most personal thing you can do for somebody is cook for them.” On climate change, he highlighted, “What we require of farmers is the willingness to change, we need to adopt, we need to change. If we look back at history, climate has always changed and nature has adapted.”

Looking ahead, Mehigan envisioned a vibrant future for India, “In 2047, farmers will be flourishing, new opportunities will thrive, exporting their produce all over the world. India has become a food lover’s dream, but we knew it always was.” He concluded the session with a symbolic chant of ‘Aum’, leaving the audience inspired.