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Mumbai witnessed culinary magic this weekend as Bunts Sangha's Ramanath Payyade College of Hospitality Management Studies in Kurla transformed into the epicentre of India's most heartwarming home chef competition. On 1st November 2025, the city kicked off the first leg of Slurrp Great Indian Cookout 4.0, presented by USHA and co-presented by Aashirvaad, with Associate Partner Foodies Only and Streaming Partner OTT Play.
The fourth season returned with a bold new vision, launching a four-city tour under the theme 'Gully to Gourmet'. This edition celebrates the legendary native flavours and street food of each city, challenging home chefs to elevate these humble dishes to gourmet excellence. Home chefs from across Mumbai, Pune, and beyond converged at Kurla to witness this gastronomic extravaganza.
From 9,000 Entries To The Final Three
Abhinanan Singh, the host for the day filled the audience in on the journey the three finalists took to be on the stage this day. From over 9,000 entries received during the online rounds, only three exceptional home chefs earned their spot on the final stage. Arpita Shah arrived with her innovative Stuffed Misal Mastani, Prayag Das brought his creative Gujarati Patra Bites, and Shobha Halkati impressed judges with her Mille-Feuille-inspired Sindhi Dal Pakwan. Meanwhile Chef Neha Deepak Shah, who will preside over all four editions of Slurrp GIC 4.0 shared, "I’m most excited to see how India’s streetside soul translates into elevated, modern cuisine at GIC Mumbai. The dish I’ve chosen is deeply rooted in gully-style nostalgia but interpreted with global finesse which is exactly what Gully to Gourmet means to me. Preserving emotion while elevating experience."
Each dish perfectly captured the essence of 'Gully to Gourmet' which means taking beloved street flavours and reimagining them with sophisticated culinary techniques. These three finalists represented not just their own culinary journeys, but the dreams of thousands of home chefs across India who dared to compete.
Chef Akanksha Saigal in workshop mode
Celebrity Chefs Set The Stage
The day began with Chef Akanksha Saigal demonstrating her Bombay Heat Taco, a brilliant fusion that married Mumbai's fiery thecha with Mexican street food. "Usually we try not to burn things whilst cooking, but today, we're going to!" she quipped to the captivated audience, explaining how a light char on chillies transforms the entire flavour profile.
Her tacos, made with Aashirvaad Wholewheat Atta, showcased the goodness of traditional ingredients in a contemporary format. The dish proved that global and local flavours can dance together on the same plate, creating something entirely new whilst respecting both traditions.
Chef Amrita Raichand followed with her show-stopping Pav Bhaji Fondue, as she described before her cook, "My Pav Bhaji Fondue perfectly embodies the ‘Gully to Gourmet’ theme; it takes one of India’s most loved street foods and gives it an elegant twist, without losing the comfort and chaos that make it so special.". As she cooked, she shared insider tips from her daily routine, captivating the audience with practical hacks that home cooks could actually implement. Her fondue featured a rich, cheesy pav bhaji served with crispy pav croutons and Indian-style nachos made from Aashirvaad and whole wheat flour. The demonstration showed how comfort food can be elevated whilst retaining its soul, a lesson that resonated deeply with the competing home chefs.
The Mystery Box Challenge With A Twist
The semi-finale brought the real test of skill and creativity. In true competition fashion, the three finalists faced a mystery box challenge. When they lifted the covers, they discovered their hero ingredient, besan, courtesy of Aashirvaad. This humble ingredient, found in every Indian kitchen, became the canvas for extraordinary innovation. The challenge required the home chefs to create dishes that showcased besan in unexpected ways, moving beyond the familiar pakodas and kadhi into gourmet territory.
Form Arpita Shah's creative reinterpretation of Khandvi Circle Stuffed with High-Protein Tikki Served with Avocado Mint Chutney and Khajur Imli Chutney and Shobha Halkati's take on a Healthy Sprout Tikki to Prayag Das' ode to paneer and potatoes, the three finalists used their 5 minutes of pantry time to the fullest and cooked with vision and precision to bring their ingredients a special personal touch. But after their hard work came the even harder task of judging the winners. After intense deliberation, the judges selected the top two Arpita Shah and Shobha Halkati to advance to the finale, where they would work under the guidance of celebrity chef Neha Deepak Shah. Though Prayag Das didn't advance to the final round, his dreams of advancing his cooking career remain unchanged as he plans to build his cooking channel, and as he says "I didn't win today, but there's always a chance for the future."
Masterchef Neha Deepak Shah shared her wisdom with contestants
Partners Share Their Vision
The success of Slurrp Great Indian Cookout 4.0 owes much to its partners' commitment to celebrating Indian home cooking. Sriram Sundaresan, President of USHA, shared his enthusiasm saying, "At Usha, we believe innovation is meaningful only when it enhances the consumer's everyday experience. Our appliances go beyond convenience to infuse joy, creativity, and ease into the kitchen. The Slurrp Great Indian Cookout is a wonderful platform to connect with our consumers, celebrate India's rich and diverse cuisines, and showcase how we use consumer first approach to blend our products and technology with tradition and togetherness."
Anuj Rustagi, BU Chief Executive Staples at Aashirvaad, added, "At Aashirvaad, we have always believed in being part of our consumers' cooking journeys, helping them create dishes filled with authenticity, trust, and love. We are truly delighted to be a part of Slurrp's Great Indian Cookout, a platform that celebrates India's incredible diversity of flavours and home-grown culinary talent. As a co-presenting partner, we are proud to support home chefs as they bring their creativity to life using Aashirvaad products, showcasing how the right ingredients can elevate every meal."
Arpita Shah's Pantry Run
The Finale - A Test Of Innovation And Technique
Chef Neha Deepak Shah took centre stage for the finale round, demonstrating her elegant Chai-Infused Orange Chocolate Tart. The dessert was a masterclass in flavour layering—whole wheat shortcrust pastry infused with orange zest, filled with luxurious dark chocolate ganache spiced with chai masala and cinnamon, and garnished with pista slices, dried rose petals, candied ginger and orange, edible flowers, and delicate gold leaf.
The challenge was clear, the two finalists had 45 minutes to create their own unique recipes, drawing inspiration from the demonstration while showcasing their individual creativity and technical skills. The pressure was immense, but both contestants rose to the occasion with grace and determination.
Shobha Halkirat takes the win for Mumbai
The Winning Moment
After 45 minutes of intense cooking, tasting, and deliberation, Chef Neha Deepak Shah and Chef Yogesh of RPH announced their verdict. Shobha Halkati emerged as Mumbai's champion and the first Slurrp Great Indian Cookout star for 2025 with her stunning Beetroot Tart with Rasmalai Filling and Guava Gel.
The winning dish perfectly embodied the 'Gully to Gourmet' theme—taking the beloved Indian sweet rasmalai and presenting it in an unexpected, refined format. The combination of earthy beetroot, creamy rasmalai filling, and bright guava gel showcased technical skill, flavour balance, and creative vision.
Arpita Shah secured the position of first runner-up for an inspired Kalakand and coconut dessert made with Aashirvaad Sehori Atta, which. But perhaps the most touching moment came when both finalists expressed their mutual respect and camaraderie. "We're both winners today, because of this experience," said Shobha. Arpita agreed, adding, "Today it doesn't matter if it's her or me."
This spirit of camaraderie, even in competition, highlighted what makes the Slurrp Great Indian Cookout special. It's not merely about winning, it's about celebrating India's culinary heritage and the talented home cooks who keep traditional flavours alive whilst pushing boundaries with innovation.
In the experience zone, people explore new ingredients and appliances.
Beyond The Competition - A Celebration Of Food
The event wasn't solely focused on the competition. Attendees enjoyed interactive games and live demonstrations of USHA products throughout the day, with opportunities to taste dishes prepared right at the counter. The atmosphere was electric, filled with food enthusiasts eager to learn, taste, and celebrate. Meanwhile, associate partners Foodies Only were living their message of 'Come for the food, stay for the community' as they brought people together through fun games and challenges to guess spices and understand their many uses. Thanks to their generosity, many attendees for the event also left with something to remember their win and achievements in the form of a beautiful embossed wooden spice box.
Setting The Benchmark For Season 4
As the first city edition of Season 4, the Mumbai event has set an impressive benchmark for the tour ahead. From the creativity displayed in the kitchen to the stories that celebrate India's rich food culture, this edition proved that home chefs across the country possess the skill, passion, and innovation to compete at the highest levels.
The success of the event is a testament to the collaborative efforts of sponsors USHA and Aashirvaad, partners Foodies Only and OTTplay, and venue partner Bunts Sangha's Ramanath Payyade College of Hospitality Management Studies. Their support has created a platform where culinary dreams can become reality.
The winning dish, beetroot rasmalai tart
What's Next?
Shobha Halkati's journey from one of 9,000 hopefuls to the Mumbai city winner is inspiring. Her beetroot tart proved that Indian flavours can hold their own in any culinary format, and that innovation doesn't mean abandoning tradition,t means honouring it in new ways.
As the Slurrp Great Indian Cookout 4.0 continues its journey across India, the Mumbai edition has shown what's possible when passion meets opportunity. The competition will move to other cities, where more home chefs will get their chance to shine, to learn from master chefs, and to prove that India's culinary future is bright.
For food lovers who missed the Mumbai edition, keep an eye out for announcements about upcoming city editions. If the Mumbai event is any indication, each stop on this tour will be a celebration of India's incredible culinary diversity, the home chefs who preserve and innovate traditional recipes, and the community that supports them.
The future of Indian cuisine is simmering in home kitchens across the nation, and platforms like Slurrp Great Indian Cookout are giving these talented cooks the stage they deserve. From gully to gourmet, the journey continues.
If you're interested in attending the upcoming editions of Slurrp Great Indian Cookout in Kolkata (8th November), Bengaluru (15th November) or Delhi (22nd November), drop us a message on Instagram for more details.
