by The Black Apron Challenge took place in Episode 15 of MasterChef India Season 9, where all five pairs of contestants in the danger zone prepared unique dishes in a task set by Chef Kunal Kapur. By the end of this episode, two contestants bid an emotional goodbye to the MasterChef kitchen forever.
The three respected Indian chefs (Ranveer Brar, Vikas Khanna, and Kunal Kapur) judged the dishes prepared by all five pairs during this tense Black Apron Challenge. If you’re curious to know who made the best dish and which pair was eliminated, read on.
The episode began with the five pairs in the danger zone (Anshmeet & Prabhdeep, Vishnu & Harshani, Kanchana & Raksha, Simran & Himanshi, and Anju & Manju) entering the MasterChef kitchen wearing their black aprons. They were warmly welcomed by the judges, after which Chef Kunal Kapur announced the details of their Black Apron Challenge.
Rules for the Black Apron Challenge
- Each pair of contestants had to choose between more ingredients or more time.
- If they chose more time, they would get 90 minutes to cook but could only pick one ingredient from MasterChef’s World-Class Pantry.
- If they chose more ingredients, they would have 60 minutes to cook and could pick a maximum of 20 ingredients from the pantry (with at least five ingredients being mandatory).
- The MasterChef Support Pantry remained open for everyone.
- Contestants could cook any dish of their choice.
- The pair that prepared the weakest dish would be eliminated from the show.
Contestants’ Choices for the Black Apron Challenge
- Anju Pradhan & Manju Ojha – Maximum 20 ingredients, 60 minutes
- Vishnu Purohit & Harshani Purohit – One ingredient, 90 minutes
- Anshmeet Singh & Prabhdeep Kaur – One ingredient, 90 minutes
- Kanchana Devi & Raksha Devi – Maximum 20 ingredients, 60 minutes
- Simran & Himanshi – Maximum 20 ingredients, 60 minutes
After deciding their approach, the pairs who chose the one-ingredient, 90-minute option (Anshmeet & Prabhdeep and Vishnu & Harshani) entered the pantry first to collect their ingredients and begin cooking.
Once 30 minutes had passed, the remaining three pairs (Simran & Himanshi, Anju & Manju, and Kanchana & Raksha) went to the MasterChef pantry to select their ingredients and start preparing their dishes.
Dishes Served by Each Pair
When time ran out, all five pairs presented their creations to the judges:
- Simran & Himanshi – Kashmiri Burrito Bowl
- Anshmeet & Prabhdeep – Five Ways of Pumpkin
- Anju & Manju – Open Shoe Mughlai Paratha
- Kanchana & Raksha – Madhra Risotto
- Vishnu & Harshani – Mawa Cake
Best and Weakest Dishes of the Challenge
- Best Dish: Simran and Himanshi
- Weakest Dish: Kanchana Devi and Raksha Devi
As Kanchana and Raksha’s dish was declared the weakest, they became the first pair to be eliminated from MasterChef India Season 9.
Episode 16 Preview: In Episode 16 (scheduled to air on January 26, 2026), Bollywood icon Karishma Kapoor will visit the MasterChef kitchen as a special guest with an exciting new challenge for the remaining 11 pairs of contestants.
Stay tuned for more episode updates from MasterChef India Season 9! If you have any queries about Episode 15, feel free to drop a comment below.
