The Home Chef Revolution: Slurrp Great Indian Cookout Closes Season 4 In Delhi
India’s most heartwarming home chef competition has wrapped up its fourth season with a triumphant four-city tour that reimagined street food as gourmet art. Slurrp Great Indian Cookout 4.0, presented by USHA and co-presented by Aashirvaad, with Associate Partner Foodies Only and Streaming Partner OTTplay, brought the ‘Gully to Gourmet’ theme to life across Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Delhi throughout November 2025.
The contest spanned across four cities with this season’s theme being ‘Gully to Gourmet’.(Sourced)
From a staggering 9,000 online entries, just three exceptional home chefs competed in each city. In unique challenges, they showcased their ability to elevate beloved street flavours through sophisticated culinary techniques for judge-in-chief Neha Deepak Shah, who toured all 4 cities, plus a line-up of top chefs who stepped in to help choose the winners. “What an incredible experience being the Judge-in-Chief at The Great Indian Cookout 2025! From the sizzling creativity to the sheer passion each participant brought to their dish, it was pure joy to witness India’s diverse flavours come alive. Every plate told a story of home, of heritage, of heart. Feeling inspired, grateful, and so proud to be part of a platform that celebrates food, talent, and the spirit of community,” said Chef Neha, speaking on her experience. The competition proved that innovation doesn’t mean abandoning tradition but honouring it in new ways.
Mumbai: Where It All Began
The journey commenced on 1st November at Bunts Sangha’s Ramanath Payyade College in Kurla, where Shobha Halkati emerged victorious with her stunning Beetroot Tart made with a Rasmalai Filling and Guava Gel inspired by Chef Neha Deepak Shah’s Chai-infused chocolate tart. The winning dish perfectly captured the essence of transforming India’s beloved rasmalai sweet into an unexpected, refined format. Celebrity chefs Akanksha Saigal and Amrita Raichand guided contestants through masterclasses, demonstrating how global and local flavours can harmonise whilst respecting both traditions.
Kolkata: The City of Joy Delivers
On 8th November, The Villa at Mandeville in Ballygunge witnessed Mithu Saha claim the title with her Sweet Potato Papdi Chaat and Soya Thecha made with the ingredients Chef Neha Deepak Shah used to create soya and mushroom galouti kebabs in her workshop. Her healthier reinterpretation of Kolkata’s famous alukabli captured the street food essence whilst adding nutritional value through sweet potato and soya thecha. Chefs Shaun Kenworthy and Doma Wang, the Momo Queen of Kolkata, brought their expertise to the stage, with Chef Shaun’s Spiced Chocolate Pudding in Paturi Style demonstrating how regional techniques can transform global ingredients.
Bengaluru: Innovation Takes Centre Stage
The Phoenix Mall of Asia hosted the third chapter on 16th November, where Chef Neha’s Rava Mushroom Pongal Risotto inspired Himanshi Bhardwaj to make Rava Tortilla with Mushroom Chhole, securing her victory. Remarkably, this was her first time cooking with mushrooms. Culinary anthropologist, Chef Shri Bala and Chef Kalyan Gopalakrishna showcased lesser-known regional cuisines, including Naati fare and multigrain kadubu, emphasising the importance of preserving authentic street food without compromising health.
Delhi: The Grand Finale
The tour concluded on 22nd November at Radisson Hotel Delhi MG Road with Neha Gupta emerging as the final champion with a take on Dilli-favourite momos in a kadhi-inspired sauce made with besan that was a creative twist on the kadhi chawal khowsuey Chef Neha had created in her session. The capital edition featured masterclasses from Chef Anahita Dhondy with her Methi Mathri Chaat and Chef Nishant Choubey’s Sweet Potato Chaat with Gochujang, perfectly embodying the city’s vibrant street food culture with refined presentations.
The Essence Of Slurrp GIC
Beyond the competition, the event series created a platform for culinary dreams to become reality. Each city witnessed interactive demonstrations of the wide range of innovative USHA products, with Sriram Sundaresan, President – Appliances of USHA, emphasising the company’s commitment to blending technology with tradition. Meanwhile, Anuj Rustagi, BU Chief Executive Staples, Foods Division, ITC Ltd., highlighted their pride in supporting home chefs’ creativity with quality ingredients. Associate partner Foodies Only lived up to their motto, ‘Come for the food, stay for the community’, through engaging games and challenges, while many attendees left with commemorative embossed wooden spice boxes.
What made Slurrp Great Indian Cookout special wasn’t merely the competition, it was the celebration of India’s culinary heritage and the talented home cooks who keep traditional flavours alive whilst pushing boundaries. As Avinash Mudaliar, Co-Founder and CEO of HT Labs, reflected, “GIC is more than a contest; it’s a celebration of India’s home-chef revolution.”
The four champions, Shobha Halkati (Mumbai), Mithu Saha (Kolkata), Himanshi Bhardwaj (Bengaluru), and Neha Gupta (Delhi), represent the thousands of home chefs across India who dared to dream. Their journey from anonymous entries to city winners proves that the future of Indian cuisine is simmering in home kitchens nationwide and will soon be streaming on OTTplay for you to follow their journey further.
