Rupchanda-The Daily Star Super Chef 2018 (Episodes 17 & 18)
With the rhythmic beats of the dhol commenced a two-episode long celebration of traditional Bengali cuisine at the Super Chef kitchen. Everyone, from the host to the judges to the participants, was proudly garbed in traditional Bengali attires to welcome the spirit of Bengali New Year 1425. What added to the festivity was the graceful presence of West Bengal's renowned cookery show host, Sudipa Chatterjee, as the guest judge in both episodes 17 and 18. Known for her charisma and brilliance as a TV show presenter, Chatterjee brought with her a unique essence to the kitchen that left the participants spellbound. “I have seen Sudipa Chatterjee in several culinary shows. But it was beyond our expectation to have her as a guest judge,” delightfully remarked Moinul Haq.
A fan of Bangladeshi food, Sudipa Chatterjee requested the participants to cook for her a meal that best represents Bangladesh. While Bengali cuisine was wanted in both the episodes, team challenge was also a popular feature there. Episode 17 saw Ripna Begum leading team Gollachut and Madia Sultana Tisha leading team Danguli. Only 50 minutes of team challenge and the food tasting table bore unending platters of Baishakh special dishes from both the teams. The food were all so delectable that the judges struggled to find any flaw. However, one always falls shorter than the other and hence, team Danguli prepared for the pressure test while team Gollachut breathed a sigh of relief.
All four promising cooks- Saika Yesmine, Duriatun Nur, Madia Sultana Tisha, and Shamsun Nahar appeared for the pressure cook-off where they each cooked a Bengali regional delicacy. Beef gravy with Shatkara from Sylhet, Elish Paturi from Barishal, Aloo Ghati from Naogaon, and Coconut Milk Pulao from Chandpur fragranced the Super Chef kitchen with their tantalizing aroma. But, unlike any other pressure test, this time there were no goodbyes. Even though Madia Sultana Tisha's Coconut Milk Pulao failed to make the mark, her immunity pin saved her from elimination.
The top 8 Super Chef cooks moved on for their next team challenge in episode 18. Teams Behula Lakahindar and Laili-Majnu with their respective leaders Moinul Huq and Nadia Natasha were set out to bring out the lost flavors of rural Bangladesh through their dishes. Special emphasis was given to food hygiene and presentation in this challenge. “The task wasn't difficult but finding the dishes to cook was a challenge,” commented Laili-Majnu team leader, Nadia Natasha. With shaky confidence but sturdy determination, the to-be chefs were giving their best efforts when a sudden setback befell team Behula Lakahinder. Their team member, Madia Sultana Tisha, was disqualified by judge, Nafiz Islam Lipi, due to her unhygienic cooking practices. Thus, the team completed their challenge with a member missing.
Whether it was their incomplete team that compromised their performance or if their competitors outdid their cooking, the four members of team Behula Lakahindar were found in the danger zone. Their challenge of survival was to present a lost Bengali dessert. Indeed survival wasn't so certain for any of them for their final dishes didn't fully satisfy the judges. Eventually leaning on the scores, the scoreboard fell light for Duriatun Nur. A sweet smiling young woman from Bogra, Duriatun Nur has performed exceedingly well so far but her stay has been cut short. She left the kitchen with loving memories, precious friendships, and enriched knowledge.
Another week of nerve wrecking challenges in the Super Chef kitchen ends here. More excitements await the participants as well as the viewers. Keep your eyes on ntv at 9 pm, every Saturday and Sunday, to know who takes home the 10 lac taka prize money and the esteemed title of Rupchanda-The Daily Star Super Chef 2018.
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