Renowned chef Sanjeev Kapoor revealed he repeatedly declined MasterChef India until his demand for professional expertise to be valued equally, or more, than celebrity hosts was met. He insisted that his years of experience in the culinary field warranted greater recognition than actors on a food-based show. This condition was eventually accepted in the third season, solidifying his prominent role.

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor revealed he initially rejected MasterChef 1 due to pay disputes, demanding more than Akshay Kumar. He later joined for the third season.

Sanjeev Kapoor has revealed why he turned down MasterChef India, saying he wanted to be paid ₹1 more than Akshay Kumar on the cooking show.