Who is Masterchef: The Professionals 2020 finalist, Santosh Shah?

Introducing Santosh Shah, one of 32 contestants taking part in the MasterChef: The Professionals 2020 competition airing on BBC One for six weeks from November 10th until the final on Thursday 17th December. 

Santosh is the head chef of Vivek Singh's The Cinammon Collection. He has consistently impressed judges Monica Galetti, Marcus Wareing and Gregg Wallace throughout the competition.

His food went down a treat with critics Grace Dent and Tom Parker Bowles in the quarter-finals, and Michelin-starred Andrew Wong loved his take on the Chinese classic Dim Sum in the semi-finals challenge.

Santosh is among the final four chefs in MasterChef:The Professionals 2020.

Who is in the MasterChef: The Professionals 2020 final?

Santosh will be returning to our screens alongside chefs Philli Armitage-Mattin, Alex Webb, and Bart van der Lee on Wednesday, 16th December. 

1) Full name

Santosh Shah

2) Nickname

Santosh Shah

3) Age

35

4) Where are you from / where do you live?

I am from a village in Nepal called Karjanha in the Siraha District. I live in Charlton, London.

5)Are you married/in a relationship/do you have any kids?

Single, never married. 

6) What type of a chef are you?

I am modern, innovative Nepalese/Nepali cuisine chef.

7) Do you have a favourite type of cuisine?

I like modern French and modern Asian cuisine.

8) How did you become a chef? (e.g. formal training, apprenticeship, self-taught)

I started working as kitchen porter when I was 15 years old in India, I got chance to work as chef after 3 months in the job. I finished my hotel management course while I was working in hotel as chef. Within 7 years of experience, I became the executive chef of a 5-star resort in India. I seized on the chance to work in Montenegro as in 2009, I moved back to India in 2010, and at the end of 2010 I came to the UK.

9) Where have you worked?

Spicy Affair Croydon, Dishoom Covent Garden, Brasserie Blanc, Benares, The Cinammon Collection, The Lalit Hotel and I have since returned to The Cinnamon Kitchen as head chef.

10) Who are your mentors/role models/people you look up to, in your professional and/or personal life?

Chef Vivek Singh is will be always my role model. and my mentor for professional and personal life. Another is chef Bella Geordimaina from Malta; I don’t think I would be where I am today without her guidance.

11) What is your guilty pleasure dish (not necessarily cheffy, cheesy baked beans on toast is a perfectly respectable reply!)?

Burger king- smoked steak burger :-)

12) What is the best thing / worst thing about being a chef? 

The best think is that it makes me happy becouse I like cooking and exploring new food in the world, I haven't experienced the worst yet.

13)  How did it feel to step onto the set of MasterChef: The Professionals?

It has changed my life. I always wanted to promote and put Nepalese cuisine onto the world culinary map and I am doing this on MasterChef: The Professionals. The judges loved my food, even the food critics were wowed by my Nepalese food. Hopefully I will go far in this competition and showcase more Nepalese dishes and ingredients. 

14) How did 2020 compare you what you thought it would be this time last year?

Apart from Covid-19, my year has been exactly as I had envisioned it a year ago.