Shillong, Aug 27: Meghalaya’s Nambie Jessica Marak is set to represent India on MasterChef Asia, marking another big step in her journey of taking the food and flavours of the Northeast to a wider audience.
Marak will be the only Indian contestant on the show to be held in Macao, China.
Her appearance comes after years of promoting the region’s traditional cuisine and telling its stories through food.
Marak shot to national attention after appearing on MasterChef India Season 8, where she finished as the first runner-up. During her time on the show, she introduced audiences across the country to Garo and Northeastern flavours, bringing ingredients and cooking traditions from the region into the spotlight.
But her culinary journey started much earlier. Marak is the creator of “Eat Your Kappa,” a YouTube channel where she documents traditional recipes from Meghalaya and other parts of the Northeast. The idea began when she was studying in Chennai and looking for recipes from home. She soon realised how little Northeastern cuisine was available online in English.
Over the years, her work has expanded beyond videos. She has ventured into indigenous food products, including homemade pickles, while promoting local ingredients and working with farmers. Much of her work has centred on preserving the food traditions she grew up with and creating opportunities around them.
Marak hails from Upper Rangsa in West Khasi Hills. Away from the kitchen, she and her husband have also been involved in reviving an abandoned village school at Nongrisan. The school, now known as the Sunbeam Foundation, was revived in 2022 and has grown from 19 students to around 85.
Her efforts to promote Meghalaya’s tribal cuisine have also earned recognition from the state government, which has described her as a culinary and cultural ambassador.
