Pay Me More Than Akshay Kumar: Why Sanjeev Kapoor Rejected MasterChef India Multiple Times Before Saying Yes

Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor has revealed that he turned down MasterChef India several times before eventually agreeing to join the hit cooking reality show. His decision, however, came with a firm condition, he wanted to be paid more than Bollywood star Akshay Kumar.In an interaction with Vir Sanghvi on his podcast, Kapoor recalled how the makers repeatedly approached him to be a judge on MasterChef India, but he was not convinced initially. “I refused the show many times. I said, ‘If you want me, you have to pay me more than Akshay Kumar,’” Kapoor said.According to Kapoor, the reason behind his demand was never about competing with film stars but about recognising expertise within a particular field. “This is my field. If an actor comes into

my field, why should he be paid more than me?” he said.

Kapoor argued that professionals who have spent decades building credibility in their respective industries deserve to be valued accordingly, especially when a show is centred on their area of expertise. During the conversation, Vir Sanghvi also asked whether the demand stemmed from an ego issue. Kapoor responded by explaining that it was more about the principle of assigning value to specialised knowledge and experience.The chef revealed that the producers had first approached him for the inaugural season of MasterChef India. When they declined to meet his condition regarding remuneration, he chose to walk away from the project. “I am not coming. I will not do it,” Kapoor recalled telling the makers.However, the situation changed a few years later. Kapoor said that by the time the third season came around, the producers were eager to bring him on board and were willing to meet his demands. “Third season, they actually said, ‘It’s not working. We need you. If MasterChef fails in this country, we are doomed,’” he recalled.

According to Kapoor, the makers eventually agreed to pay him more than everyone else associated with the show — a condition he described as non-negotiable. The veteran chef went on to become one of the most recognisable faces of MasterChef India, with his presence playing a key role in the programme’s popularity among viewers. Over the years, Kapoor’s authority, experience and reputation in the culinary world helped establish the show’s credibility and connect it with aspiring home cooks and professional chefs alike.Widely regarded as one of India’s most influential culinary personalities, Sanjeev Kapoor has built an expansive career spanning television, publishing and hospitality.