From Gaurav Khanna’s ‘honey comb pavlova’ to Tejasswi Prakash’s ‘dosa bomboloni’; Top Celebrity MasterChef dishes of the finalists

From Tejasswi Prakash’s fusion bomboloni to Gaurav Khanna’s jaw-dropping pavlova, the Celebrity MasterChef finale week served up some of the most unforgettable culinary creations of the season. Each dish told a story, blending emotion with innovation. Here are six standout moments where finalists wowed the judges and etched their place in the show’s culinary history.

Tejasswi’s culinary creativity peaked with her innovative ‘Dosa Bomboloni’—a daring fusion of South Indian dosa and Italian doughnuts. The dish was not only a visual and flavorful delight but also a historic moment for the show. So impressed was Vikas Khanna that he added it to his New York restaurant, Bungalow’s menu, offering Tejasswi a share of the profits—a first in the competition’s history.

Gaurav’s honeycomb pavlova wasn’t just a dessert—it was art. Presented in a wine glass, syrup cascaded over a honeycomb-shaped pavlova with a ginger twist. The judges were speechless even before tasting it. Vikas Khanna dropped his spoon, Farah Khan blew a chef’s kiss, and Ranveer Brar tapped his spoon in awe. Social media dubbed it one of the most iconic dishes of the season.

Nikki Tamboli’s butter chicken b*mb exploded with flavor. Her buttery, aromatic sauce stunned the judges—Ranveer instantly gave a spoon tap, while Chef Kunal declared it among the best versions he’d tasted. Farah Khan suggested it be served in Kunal’s restaurant, and Nikki walked away with the coveted white apron, solidifying her place among the season’s top contenders.

In a Holi special episode, Rajiv stunned judges with his reinvented Khandvi. Despite struggling with the batter initially, he nailed the final dish by stuffing it with chimichurri, offering an unexpected burst of flavor. Farah Khan praised its “restaurant-level” presentation, while Vikas Khanna gave a spoon tap, calling it a dish full of “surprise and sophistication.”

Faisal Shaikh, aka Faisu, wowed everyone with his 007 Mutton Nihari, co-created with friend Adnan. The dish’s complexity and flavor made it a standout. Chef Zorawar Kalra was so impressed, he pledged to feature it annually on his Holi menu and even christened it with the now-iconic name. Faisu’s heartfelt tribute to Adnan added emotional depth to the achievement.

In Hina Khan and Rocky Jaiswal’s wedding menu special episode, Tejasswi created a dish named, ‘rishto ki machhi, hamari ladki sabse achhi’. The dish earned her Chef Ranveer Brar’s knife. Gaurav Khanna, who had been competitive, had been eyeing it as well. Ranveer had mentioned, “Every season one dish is outstanding and this season this knife is gone”. However closer to grand finale week, Gaurav created history by becoming the second contestant to win knife for his stunning blueberry cake, which he lovingly named dedicated to his wife Akanksha.