An apple puff pastry pie with cardamom whipped cream was New Jersey native Hetal Vasavada’s ticket to earn the coveted white apron in the 6th season of MasterChef US. Vasavada, 28, who currently lives in San Francisco, will compete with 21 other contestants from across the country, and will be judged by Judges Gordon Ramsay, Graham Elliot and Christina Tosi. Over the course of season (which includes the series’ 100th episode), the contestants will visit an amusement park; cook for jugglers, magicians and dancers in Las Vegas; visit a cattle ranch and even take part in the restaurant takeover. The winner will receive a cookbook deal and $250,000. Vasavada is said to be the reality show’s first Hindu and first vegetarian contestant.
According to her MasterChef bio data, Vasavada enjoys making desserts with traditional Indian spices such as turmeric, cumin, coriander and garam masala, to create something uniquely Indian and American.
Vasavad’s interest in cooking was piqued while studying at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, where most of the students were Indian and longed for good, home-cooked meals. Inspired, she began cooking for the other students in her dorm. She would like to start her own cookie business and conduct consultations regarding different recipes and their potential for success in business ventures, she said.
Vasavada currently works as a recipe curator and tester at PlateJoy, a San Francisco-based startup that recommends recipes for every meal of the day based on a customer’s family size and dietary restrictions and delivers the food within 24 hours. At PlateJoy, Vasavada creates and tests vegetarian recipes for customers, her LinkedIn profile says. She is also the founder of PrettyPolymath.com, a food, travel and culture blog with more than 4,000 monthly views. Through the blog Vasavada shares her recipes, new product reviews, and travel stories.
A former financial analyst, Vasavada graduated from the University of Sciences in Philadelphia with a degree in biochemistry as well as the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. “My parents came to New Jersey from being farmers in India — that’s where my love of food came [from],” she told MasterChef.
“People who know me, would say that I am knowledgeable and passionate about a million different things,” she says on her blog. “Fashion, food, travelling, social media, science, and the list is forever growing and changing. I’m someone who is forever curious and always ready to share my new tricks, tips, and ideas.”
Aside from Vasavada’s natural affinity for pastries and desserts, the she is also said to prepare a variety of dishes like Aloo Gobi Matar, Italian style Pesto Pappardelle with Artichoke Hearts & Peas, West African Peanut Soup and Thai Green Curry Noodles, to name a few.
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