Pankaj Bhadouria
Early Life
Born on 14 July 1971 in New Delhi to Vinod Khanna and Priya Khanna, Pankaj is the elder of their two children with one younger brother. She lost her father at the age of 13 years and her mother when she was 22. She did her schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya, New Delhi, and finished her higher education in Lucknow. She did her bachelor's degree in English, master's degree in English literature from Lucknow University, and then she also did her bachelor's degree in education from Lucknow University to prepare herself for her chosen career. She is married to Charu Samarth and has two children, a daughter, Sonalika Bhadouria, and a son, Siddhant Bhadouria.
TV Shows
- MasterChef India Season 1 -Star Plus (2010)
- Chef Pankaj Ka Zayka - Star Plus (2011)
- Rick Stein's India, Episode 6 -BBC2, TLC, Discovery (2012)
- Sales Ka Baazigar - ETV (2013)
- Kifayati Kitchen - Zee Khana Khazana(2014-2015)
- Rasoi Se - Pankaj Bhadouria ke Saath ETV (2015)
- 3 Course with Pankaj - Zee Khana Khazana (2015)
- Just Like That - Living Foodz (2015)
- Health In 100 - Living Foodz (2016)
- Dream Kitchen – Living Foodz (2017)
Pankaj Bhadouria Culinary Academy
Pankaj started her culinary academy in Lucknow on 16 August 2012. It offers Professional Courses and Certificate Courses for amateur chefs. As she was a teacher before MasterChef, this academy is a success.
Endorsements
Pankaj's passion for cooking has made her a personality of choice for many a brand.
Pankaj is a part of the Microsoft Lumia 535 Digital Campaign where along with Kangana Ranaut and Saina Nehwal, she encourages people to follow their dreams in an inspiring film titled "Ashaiyen"
Pankaj is also the face of the Brand Knorr- Cup a soup, Soups and Noodles and has shot an extensive TV Campaign and Print Campaigns for Knorr.
She is also the Brand Ambassador for MasterChef Travels Cox and Kings Worldwide.
She also endorsed Eastern Masalas, a leading Spice Brand in Southern India.
She was also the face of Taaza Tea, HUL, activity- Huunar Apka, Pehchaan Hamaari, an effort to recognize the hidden talents in women from small towns in Uttar Pradesh.
Pankaj Bhadouria is chosen by the Spanish Government as an Ambassador for the promotion of Olive Oil in India for the campaign called Olive Oil Revolution.
Her other Brand Associations include Samsung Smart Oven, Kent Juicer & Pasta Maker, Sensodyne, Reliance Fresh, Kelloggs, and Tefal.
Awards and recognition
- MasterChef India Winner (Season 1)
- Featured in the list of 9 People Who Made It Big After Participating In Reality Shows -by Indiatimes
- Rated as one of the few TV Chefs with a great deal of integrity for her thoughtful and meticulous recipes on TV shows - Indian Express
- Co-hosted the Knorr (brand) Master Class, with MasterChef Australia Judge Chef Gary Mehigan at the World on a Plate Food Festival, Bangalore, June 2016
- Winner of Outlook Social Media Award - OSM Kitchen King/Queen of the Year Award by Outlook Magazine, 2016
- Felicitated by the Honorable President of India, Shri R. N. Kovind as ‘First Ladies’ – an award given by the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Govt. of India.
Charity work
- Training "Railway Children" in skill development -Bakery, in association with NGO - Ahsaas.
- Cooking 3.0- A Fund Raising Cookery Workshop for Make A Difference at Radisson Blu, New Delhi
- Created Lucknow's Largest Community Kitchen for the Under Privileged Children on 14 August 2016 at the Pankaj Bhadouria Culinary Academy, Lucknow. The event was created in association with the Child's Right Commission, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh.
Bibliography
- MasterChef Cookbook(2011) - ISBN 978-8184973976
- Barbie- I am a Chef
- Chicken From My Kitchen: The Indian Way(2014) - ISBN 978-9382951506
- Uttar Pradesh a Cultural Kaleidoscope by Times of India Group and UP Government
- The Secret’s in the Spice Mix(2017) - ISBN 978-0143428497
