Produced by Endemol Shine India, the show captures a heartfelt moment as the actor revisits a cherished school-day memory through the taste of Durga Hotel’s iconic thayir vadai.
CHENNAI, India — Some memories come rushing back with just a taste. On Celebrity MasterChef Tamil, Samantha Ruth Prabhu finds herself transported to her school days as a conversation about a beloved local eatery brings back memories she holds close to her heart.
“In Pallavaram, Durga Hotel—the thayir vadai there, that was another core memory,” says Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
When she is asked to close her eyes and imagine travelling back to her school days, walking straight into Durga Hotel, the memory proves too powerful to keep at a distance. Samantha tears up, visibly moved as she revisits a simpler time through the taste of a dish she has never forgotten.
The moment captures the deeply personal relationship between food and memory: how a familiar flavour can bring back a place, a time and the people who made it special. Beyond recipes and culinary techniques, food carries the stories of our lives, connecting us to our roots in ways that words often cannot.
Produced by Endemol Shine India, Celebrity MasterChef Tamil brings together familiar faces from the Tamil entertainment industry, challenging them to step out of their comfort zones and enter the kitchen. The celebrity contestants take on a series of culinary challenges that test their creativity, cooking skills and ability to perform under pressure, while celebrating the flavours and food traditions that are intrinsic to Tamil culture.
The show features Samantha Ruth Prabhu as celebrity judge, alongside chefs Venkatesh Bhat, Sashi Cheliah and Shreeya Adka, with RJ Vijay as host. The series premiered on 19 October 2026 on Sony VIZHA and is also available to stream on Sony LIV.