Behind the curtains

This week we can take a peek at what went on behind the scenes during the second and third episode of Rupchanda-The Daily Star Super Chef 2015. The shooting at FDC started early every morning and given the volatile political conditions at the time, journeying to and from the venue was the first challenge. With fewer spots left to fight for, the participants had more than one reason for trepidation. Soon enough, all the participants reached the venue and the lights were turned on. Without delay, the camera began rolling and the entire set came alive. 

The sight of the kitchen completely removed any slumber still left in the participants. They knew they had to be ready. Both the episodes were going to be tough for them. The challengers seemed willing and ready to go. The judges soon arrived and briefed the participants on what they were to do. It was the same instruction as the day before: go to the pantry, choose your ingredients and cook your dish in 30 minutes. The time limit would be the reason behind the downfall of more than one participant. Al-Bari, a PhD graduate seemed confident and ready to go. “I stayed abroad for years and used to cook for myself all the time. That's how I learned to cook and everyone praised my cooking,” Bari said. But as Bari went up to the judges, he was in for a heart-break. It seemed Bari's dish was not up to the mark. “It wasn't cooked properly and secondly it is not an impressive dish in itself,” chef Tazammul Huq Tareq informed. Another dish that really got to Chef Tareq was when one of the participants presented the judges with chicken lollipop. “The dish is too simple. You cannot expect to make a name for yourself in a competition this big by making chicken lollipop,” he observed. 
Soon the monotony caught up with the judges. As the tension built, tempers frayed. But there was to be a change and something special was about to happen. You could feel it in the air. Saniat Hossain, the creative director asked everyone to keep their eyes on the numerous screens in the editing panel. Next up, SM Shakib was going up to the judges to have his food judged. Dubbed the only man to leave 9 government services because of the corruption there, Shakib, hailing from Jessore, was an enigma. His background was shrouded in mystery and there was desperation in his eyes. He was here to win and he would do anything to achieve it. “I have no savings. If I am disqualified, then I don't even have the money to go back home,” he said. But Shakib had nothing to worry about. His dish was declared the best dish of the day and he was instantly handed the apron. His dish was remarkable, a concoction that he himself came up with, impressing the judges even more. 

Photo: Rabby Islam

Following Shakib's success, the other participants gained hope as well. They too realised once again that they could get the apron. But the judges wanted to be absolutely careful about their selection. “Once a decision is made, we cannot change it,” Mrs. Shaheda Yesmin said, explaining the reasoning behind setting up a waiting list. This list would comprise of those who deserved a chance but did not perform to their full potential. They would be given another chance to prove themselves and earn a top spot. Mehnaz and Sabrina Khan, favourites from last year both came with plenty of hope but both of them found themselves in the waiting list. Both were equally distraught. “I don't know what went wrong,” Sabrina said, at a loss for words for not getting an apron immediately, Latifa Akther though got an apron again through genuine innovation with her Chicken and Cheese dish, winning the judge's hearts. Others followed suit but these were the ones who set the benchmark for these episodes. What did the judges have to say for those that have already gotten an apron? Find out next week, as we dig deeper into what goes on behind the curtains of the Rupchanda-The Daily Star Super Chef 2015. Tune into Ntv every Sunday and Friday night at 9:00 pm to catch the full show. 

Photo: Rabby Islam