Masterchef judge shocks Indians with his statement about Chicken Tikka Masala

Image by Tina Smigielski

Glasgow-born former chef and TV star Jock Zonfrillo, who is currently appearing on television as a judge on ‘Masterchef Australia: Fans & Favourites’ recently made headlines when he revealed that Chicken Tikka Masala, one of the most popular Indian dishes the world over, was invented in Glasgow.

In an interview with India’s popular magazine and news website, India Today, Zonfrillo said, “For me, I grew up eating (Chicken) Tikka Masala. I think it was invented in Glasgow in the early 70s. Obviously, its origins are derived from India, but it’s definitely a favourite as I grew up eating it. Also, Bengali food is really really big in Glasgow.”

He added, “ “I don’t fully understand the cultural settlement of Indian people in Glasgow, but in terms of cuisines, there was a lot of Kashmiri, Punjabi and Bengali food predominance in Glasgow. So, those are the ones I was drawn to more.”

India Today published the interview with an interesting headline which said: “MasterChef’s Jock Zonfrillo reveals Chicken Tikka Masala was invented in Glasgow. Wait, what?”

Zonfrillo’s statement about Chicken Tikka Masala, which he said while explaining his love for Indian food, is a common knowledge among the people in Scotland’s biggest city, but took many in India by surprise.

The beloved curry was originally made by British Pakistani chef and owner Ali Ahmed Aslam after a customer at his restaurant Shish Mahal complained that the meat they were served was too dry. Aslam then mixed some spices and threw in tinned tomato soup, a recipe that he used for himself while he was recovering from a stomach ulcer. However, it is still a matter of debate as there is no conclusive evidence on who originally invented the curry.

The interview quickly became viral on social media and a trending topic on Twitter with many expressing their surprise as they did not know the world-famous dish does not belong to India.

Vancouver restaurant Vaades noticed the trend and posted on Twitter writing, “Did You Know? One of our most favoured dishes, Chicken Tikka Masala, although Indian at heart, is not actually an Indian dish! It originated in a restaurant in Glasgow, Scotland by a British Pakistani chef who improvised a sauce from yoghurt, cream, and various spices.”

Another website, Delicious Food, tweeted, “MasterChef’s Jock Zonfrillo reveals that Chicken Tikka Masala was invented in Glasgow. Wait a minute?”