Shipra Khanna is a celebrity chef from Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India, and is also an author, TV host, food consultant, content creator, food critic, and social communicator. Shipra is famous for winning the second season of MasterChef India, which was aired on the popular Indian TV channel Star Plus in 2010, where she won the title of “India’s Youngest Female Celebrity Chef”.
Shipra won the second season of MasterChef in 2010
Wiki/Biography
Shipra Khanna was born on Wednesday, November 18, 1981 (42 years old; as of 2023) in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India. Her star sign is Scorpio. She attended Loreto Convent School in Upper Ketu, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India. She obtained a degree in Economics and Psychology from St. Bede’s College, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
appearance
Height (approximate): 5′ 6″
Hair color: Black
Eye color: Black
family
Parents and siblings
Her father Balween Khanna runs a jewelry store in Shimla. Her mother’s name is Radha Khanna. She has a brother Akshay Khanna who runs a jewelry store with his father in Shimla.
Husband and children
Shipra got married at a very young age. After marriage, she reportedly fell victim to dowry abuse from her husband and in-laws. She divorced at the age of 19. Shipra struggled for the custody of her children. Shipra has two children, a daughter named Yadavi Khattar (younger daughter) and a son named Himannk Khattar (older son).
Shipra Khanna and her children
Profession
As a celebrity chef, Shipra Khanna became a judge on many popular Indian food TV shows soon after she won MasterChef India Season 2 in 2010. These shows include “Pure Sin with Shipra Khanna” on Food Food and “K for Kids” on the same channel. Shipra also appeared as a celebrity chef on Britannia Star Chef with Saif Ali Khan. Along with this, she has hosted many Indian food TV shows and international food TV shows including “Flavors of Ramadan Season 3” on Star Plus in UAE and “Good Food Guide Season 2” on Star Plus in UAE.
Shipra hosts Indian food TV show
In 2013, Shipra opened her first business in Gujarat, named HOT-House of Taste. In 2017, she opened her second establishment, The Darzi Bar & Kitchen, in New Delhi. Shipra Khanna is considered the first Indian chef to win the Best TV Celebrity Cookbook Award at the 2007 World Gourmet Awards in China for her book Sinfully Yours.
Shipra made the following statement at the 2017 Faccia event in Chennai, where she participated in a workshop on vegetarian appetizers and desserts:
Of course, making a mark in a male-dominated industry! However, I firmly believe that the odds of success for women today are not as low as they were a few years ago. Before, there were a hundred Sanjeev Kapoors for every Tarla Dalal. Today, women are more determined and clearer about what they want to achieve. This is definitely a good thing.”
Travel giant Yatra had partnered with Shipra in 2017 to train chefs in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. She is excited to work with more restaurants to draft an exciting menu for tourists. She said-
The Andaman Islands have fresh produce and exciting ingredients that are sadly underutilized. I’m trying to work with restaurants there to compile an exciting menu for tourists… all the better reason to visit this undiscovered gem!”
In 2017, Shipra Khanna opened the first tandoor grill in Paris and demonstrated how to grill four dishes using the tandoor grill.
Shipra opens first tandoor restaurant in Paris
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- 2014: Awarded the title of Culinary Connoisseur by Tourism Australia and Cox and Kings
- 2017: SAARC Chamber of Commerce Women Entrepreneurs Council (SCWEC) Award for “Women Chefs Bringing Taste Beyond Borders”
- 2017: Gourmet World Cookbook Award for “Best TV Chef Book Outside Europe” for “Sinfully Yours”
- 2017: Ambassadors of Spanish Cuisine by the Spanish Ambassador to India
Favorite Things
- Food: French puff pastry, French gourmet, French croissant, Indian tandoori toast or English bread
- Chefs: Sanjeev Kapoor, Kunal Kapur and Vikas Khanna
Shipra Khanna and Chef Sanjeev Kapoor
- Food destinations: New York, London, Australia
Facts/Trivia
- Shipra’s cooking style is Indian.
- Doing yoga, meditation and traveling are Shipra’s hobbies.
- Shipra Khanna is an Indian street food enthusiast.
Shipra enjoying Indian street food
- In the final of the second season of the Indian version of MasterChef in 2010, Shipra, along with the last two finalists, had to prepare dishes for an audience of 100 people, who voted to declare Shipra the winner.
- Shipra Khanna likes to enjoy a glass of wine once in a while.
Shipra Khanna enjoying a drink at the party
- When Shipra was 19 and her marriage broke down, she took cooking classes as a way to relieve stress, and cooking eventually became her passion and inspired her to compete in the 2010 MasterChef India competition.
- According to Shipra, her mother was her biggest inspiration to win the MasterChef India season 2 competition.
- Shipra enjoys photography in her free time.
Shipra takes a photo with a DSLR camera
- Ms Khanna donated part of her winnings from MasterChef India Season 2 to special needs children in a local school in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
- As the winner of MasterChef India Season 2 in 2010, Shipra won a contract to host a cooking reality show on Indian television and was paid Rs 1 crore. She also received a free flight ticket to spend three nights and four days in London as a reward.
- Shipra follows a non-vegetarian diet.
- Shipra considers New York, London and Australia as her favorite foodie destinations. She said in an interview that these places are major foodie hubs. She said,
New York and London. Those are major foodie hubs where you can find anything you want to eat. Australia is the next foodie destination.”
- Shipra also loves to cook for her pet dog.
Shipra posts with her pet dog
- Shipra revealed her favorite food and drinks in an interview. She said-
I love wine, and Australia has its own wine and cheese that are different from the wines in France, South America, and South Africa. I look forward to tasting authentic wines in Australian wineries. I am also looking forward to tasting Australian ice cream, as they are famous for their dairy products. Each place has its own specialties of foods that we are familiar with. I can’t wait to try their burgers and steaks, which are very different from those in the United States. Their seafood is also outstanding – lobster, crab – I would love to try it. ”
- Shipra’s mentors are Chef Ajay Chopra and Chef Kunal Kapur.
- Shipra believes that cooking is an art and so is architecture. Shipra Khanna is an admirer of architectural wonders.
Shipra poses with an architectural wonder in Mumbai
- Shipra often participates in tree planting activities in India.
Shipra participates in tree planting activity
- Shipra loves to travel and frequently tours around the world in order to express and enhance her talent and skills in Indian cooking.
Shipra Khanna in Switzerland
- Apart from being a celebrity chef, Shipra Khanna is also known for her beauty and fashion sense and she often walks for various fashion designers.
Shipra Khanna attends a fashion show
- Shipra regularly practices yoga and meditation in the comfort of her own home. She often posts herself doing yoga poses on her social media accounts.
Shipra doing yoga poses in front of the camera
- Shipra has had a keen interest in cycling since her teenage years and she often posts pictures of herself riding a bicycle on various social media platforms.
Shipra riding a bicycle
- Shipra has judged several Indian and international beauty and fashion shows, including the 2019 Miss Russia Los Angeles pageant.
Shipra Khanna poses before entering the Miss Russia 2019 pageant in Los Angeles
- Shipra actively participates in live events and discussion shows on her social media platforms.
Shipra on Facebook Live Discussion
- Hiking, yachting and scuba diving are Shipra’s favourite recreational activities.
Shipra during a Scooba dive
- Many prominent Indian magazines and tabloids have featured Shipra Khanna on their covers, calling him a celebrity chef.
Shipra Khanna on the cover of a magazine
- Shipra often promotes various food brands through her various social media platforms.
- The Long Bar at Raffles Hotel Singapore invited Shipra Khanna to its Centenary Celebrations in 2015.
- On International Women’s Day in 2015, Shipra received a gift from Nature’s Basket – a wine bottle engraved with her photo.
- In 2015, Shipra actively promoted tourism in Madhya Pradesh.
Shipra Khanna promotes tourism in Madhya Pradesh
- In 2021, Shipra Khanna participated in a live event, “Indonesian Food Diplomacy” in Mumbai.
- To consolidate her culinary expertise, Shipra often attends various seminars and trainings related to culinary food variations.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education