Anurita, 30, is a fashion and textile artist. Born and raised in India, she moved to the UK five years ago and now lives with her husband in Bristol.

How would you describe your style of cooking?

My mum is my biggest inspiration, she never follows a recipe and cooks the best food in the world. I used to help my mum in the kitchen and seeing her cook amazing dishes made me develop an interest in cooking. I have been cooking for about 20 years now and most of my dishes are vegetarian. To me, cooking comes from the heart. To emulate the complex flavours and to understand the distinct taste and aroma each ingredient brings forward, is a work of art.

What is your earliest cooking memory?

My parents and my brother taught me how to cook who are amazing home cooks and enjoy experimenting, creating and trying out new dishes. My earliest memory of cooking is with my family during festivals where we would come together and make Indian delicacies for any festival such as Holi and Diwali.

Why did you enter MasterChef?

Cooking has been my passion since I was a little girl. I always wanted to eat something nice, try out new dishes and make my own versions of it. Whenever I have travelled to different places, the main highlight is to try out the new local cuisines and learn about the food and culture of the place. I have watched MasterChef for many years now and have always wanted to participate and explore my true potential.

What is your food dream?

I want to open an authentic Indian street food chain so that nobody misses out on the real Indian chatpata food.