Pankaj Bhadouria, the first-ever winner of MasterChef India, has revealed that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
The celebrity chef shared the news through social media on May 28, posting a photograph from a hospital bed in which she was seen wearing a patient gown with medical wires attached. Alongside the image, she wrote, “I have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Need your prayers and support,” followed by a folded hands emoji.
Rose to fame after MasterChef India win
Pankaj Bhadouria became a household name after winning the inaugural season of MasterChef India in 2010, a show hosted by Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar.
Before entering the cooking reality show, she worked as an English teacher in Lucknow for 16 years. Despite having a stable teaching career, cooking remained her passion, and she eventually chose to audition for the competition — a decision that transformed her life.
Left teaching career to follow her dream
Over the years, Pankaj has often spoken about the difficult choice of leaving a secure job to pursue her dream in the culinary world.
In an emotional social media post shared last year, she recalled being told, “Either you quit the show, or you quit your job,” before deciding to take the risk and move to Mumbai for the competition.
She described herself as one among 40 hopeful contestants with no certainty of success, but said winning the show proved that dreams can become reality with courage and determination.
Built a successful culinary career
Following her MasterChef victory, Pankaj went on to host several cooking programmes, including Chef Pankaj Ka Zayka, Kifayati Kitchen, and 3 Course with Pankaj.
She also launched her own cooking institute in 2012 to train aspiring chefs and has authored multiple cookbooks.
Fans, celebrities, and followers have since flooded social media with prayers and messages wishing her strength and recovery.