Pankaj Bhadouria
Chef and teacher who won the first MasterChef India
- Age
- 55 yrs
- Birthday in 252 days
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Pankaj Bhadouria is a chef, author and television presenter who won the first season of MasterChef India in 2010, after leaving her job as a schoolteacher in Lucknow. She now runs a culinary academy and hosts cookery shows.
Biography
Teacher
Pankaj Bhadouria taught English at a school in Lucknow for many years, cooking for her family as a passion.
MasterChef
She left her job to compete in the first season of MasterChef India in 2010 and won, becoming one of the first home cooks in India to turn a television contest into a culinary career.
Career
She founded the Pankaj Bhadouria Culinary Academy in Lucknow, has hosted cookery shows on television and YouTube, and written cookbooks.
Inspiration
Her story is often cited as an example of a mid-career change, and she encourages home cooks, especially women, to pursue food professionally.
Timeline
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1971
Born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
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2010
Wins MasterChef India
Did you know?
-
1
She was an English teacher before becoming a chef.
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2
She won the very first MasterChef India.
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3
She runs a cooking school in Lucknow.
Connections
Related people
Frequently asked
Who is Pankaj Bhadouria?
Pankaj Bhadouria is a chef, author and television presenter who won the first season of MasterChef India in 2010, after leaving her job as a schoolteacher in Lucknow. She now runs a culinary academy and hosts cookery shows.
How old is Pankaj Bhadouria?
Pankaj Bhadouria is 55 years old, born on 14 July 1971 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
Where is Pankaj Bhadouria from?
Pankaj Bhadouria was born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
What is Pankaj Bhadouria known for?
Pankaj Bhadouria is best known for Winning MasterChef India (2010); her culinary academy in Lucknow; television cookery shows.
References
- Pankaj Bhadouria — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Pankaj Bhadouria — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Official website. www.pankajbhadouria.com. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Pankaj Bhadouria (Q20177407) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Pankaj Bhadouria”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 2 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Pankaj Bhadouria.” TrackFame, last updated 3 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/pankaj-bhadouria
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