Chennai : FameBox, a multi-channel talent platform for digital media, has announced the launch of India’s first web-based talent hunt for the best amateur chef in the country. The online reality show on www.youtube.com/user/FameboxWebchef will be hosted and judged by Vir Sanghvi, a renowned journalist and talk-show host. The talent hunt will invite participation from across the country and India’s best “Web Chef” will be crowned after three rounds of intensive competition spanning a total of six weeks.

The winner could emerge as the next Webstar by setting-up a YouTube channel to showcase their talent and will be awarded a grand prize of one lakh. Additionally, FameBox will also award the winner an opportunity to set-up, manage and monetise their independent YouTube channel.

“As a country we are passionate about our food and we can boast of a diverse culinary pedigree. There’s a star cook in every home across the country, nurturing family recipes and secret ingredients that have been passed through the ages. At FameBox we wanted to draw out the hidden talent and bring the rich cuisine of India into the limelight – and, what better way to do this than the Web. Web Chef stays true to our vision of finding and grooming webstars. With digital platforms growing in popularity and the increasing demand for video content, a web-based show about food is just what Indian audiences have been craving!” said Dhruvank Vaidya, Head – Business Development & Finance, Four Cross Media and Business Head – FameBox.

 To participate, contestants will have to upload a short video of them cooking a complete dish to www.fameboxwebchef.com on or before 15th January 2014. The entries will be judged on creativity in conceptualising and preparing the dish as well as how the entire video is packaged and presented. The top entries shortlisted by FameBox in consultation with Vir Sanghvi will be uploaded to the Web Chef channel.

As the competition progresses to shortlist the top five contestants, their popularity will also be adjudged based on viewer votes. The top five contestants, chosen based on the combined scores of judges and viewers will move into the final round. In the grand finale scheduled at ITC Grand Chola, Chennai the top five amateur cooks will face-off in an ultimate cooking challenge where they will be judged by a panel of esteemed experts and industry veterans, to emerge as the country’s best Web Chef.