Following months of intense cookoffs and a night of culinary artistry, 33- year-old home-based F&B business owner Inderpal Singh has been crowned winner of MasterChef Singapore Season Four! Pitted in a three-way showdown against fellow finalists business manager Mandy Kee and administrative officer Tina Amin, Singh’s culinary finesse and elevated renditions of Punjabi cuisine dazzled the judges, earning him the most coveted cookery title in Singapore’s culinary scene.
In recognising the stellar calibre of this season’s participants, the latest season of MasterChef Singapore once again deviated from the traditional two-contestant setup for the finale, a shift first introduced in Season Three.
And while all three finalists competed under the banner of Team Audra in team battles led by judges and Chefs Audra Morrice, Bjorn Shen and Damian D’Silva, the final showdown was centred solely on individual prowess.
The brief appeared deceptively simple at the start: finalists were tasked to create a spectacular three- course menu for the judges, with a maximum score of 30 per course. While contestants were free to showcase their signature dishes for the first two courses, a twist laid in wait at the desserts round.
As Singapore’s “Queen of Desserts” Janice Wong dropped into the MasterChef kitchen unannounced, the home cooks faced a surprise pressure test to replicate her original creation – the Super Tree Growth. Inspired by Singapore’s gardens, the visual spectacle comprised ten distinct layers of chocolate, mousse and a lava core assembled together through repeated dipping in liquid nitrogen, demanding meticulous precision in timing and technique.
As the dramatic three-round duel came to an end, Singh clinched the win with an impressive score of
76.6 out of 90, besting runner-up Tina by 3.6 points and second runner-up Mandy by 8.1 points. In their assessment of Singh’s prowess, the judges praised his outstanding flavour profile across dishes that delivered surprises in taste and texture with every bite, and which showcased his heart and soul on a plate.
As champion, Singh received a rich bounty of prizes, including $10,000 in cash; a collection of Luzerne tableware; a staycation package at Resort World Sentosa (RWS)’s Hotel Ora; and a three-month internship at one of RWS’ speciality restaurants. Singh and runner-up Amin will also share a treasure trove of homewares and appliances from Kraton, KitchenAid and Global Knives, in addition to all three finalists taking home a Thermomix each.
Singapore’s newly minted MasterChef Inderpal Singh said, “Proud doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel at this moment. I have dreamt of this moment so many times – and have given myself a reality check that many times, too – but having the trophy in my hands shows that dreams do come true, and gives me the validation that I can become a culinary personality. The love and support I have received from family, and the friends and connections whom I have made on this journey will be the fire that fuels my culinary dreams going forward. One day when my daughter reads this, I hope it is as an origin story of how our chain of restaurants started!”
Angeline Poh, Chief Customer and Corporate Development Officer, Mediacorp said: “In opening the doors for a diverse slate of home cooks to realise their culinary dreams, the latest serving of MasterChef Singapore tested alliances, spotlighted friendships, and unravelled the depths of Singapore’s culinary landscape, showcasing the culinary threads that bind our communities into a vibrant mosaic.”
Added Ms Poh: “Our heartiest congratulations to Inderpal on clinching the MasterChef title! Your skills and passion shone brighter than ever tonight, setting a benchmark for aspiring home chefs. Tina and Mandy, your unwavering determination and zeal throughout the competition has been deeply inspiring, and you should be very proud of yourselves. We cannot wait to witness how your culinary adventures will unfold! To our judges, sponsors, and partners, thank you for joining us in bringing such a delectable season to our audiences.”
Season Four of MasterChef Singapore was an ode to Singapore’s unique multicultural heritage and the nation’s collective fondness for food. In its ongoing quest to celebrate and elevate local cuisine, the 10- episode season also spotlighted homegrown ingredients and sustainability matters, such as the importance of reducing food waste. The casting call attracted applicants in the hundreds from all walks of life, including a spice mixer, a shipbroker, an engineer and a legal trainee, among others – each with unique stories that add depth and flavour to their culinary creations.
Created by Franc Roddam, MasterChef first launched in 1990 in the UK and was later revived in 2005, where it remains a number one hit for the BBC. In 2017, MasterChef was officially crowned the Most Successful Cookery Television Format by Guinness World Records and celebrated its 500th series globally in 2021. An international ratings hit, drawing in audiences in major markets including the UK, US, Brazil, Australia, Italy and Spain, the MasterChef format and finished programmes are represented internationally by Banijay. GroupM Motion Entertainment, part of GroupM, a leading media management company, has acquired the rights to produce and broadcast MasterChef Singapore from Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of Banijay. Fera Rosihan-Robinson, Managing Director, INCA and GroupM Motion Entertainment, GroupM, was the Executive Producer of MasterChef Singapore Season Four.
Banijay has recently announced several new iterations for the MasterChef format including Young MasterChef in the UK, MasterChef: Young Talent which is coming soon to Denmark and Norway, and MasterChef: Dessert Masters launching in Australia in 2023.