How many professional chefs do you know who can handle both a crockpot and a firearm? Probably none, right? Sashikumar Cheliah, or Sashi Cheliah for short, is a former correctional officer who surprised the world by winning MasterChef Australia.
Not that he didn’t deserve it, but because there aren’t a lot of officers who can accomplish what he did.
For more on Sashi Cheliah’s net worth, wiki-bio, wife, and more personal info, be sure to read till the end.
Table of Contents
Who is Sashi Cheliah?
Sashi Cheliah is a celebrity chef and former unit of the Special Tactics and Rescue Unit in the Singapore Police Force. Having been raised there, he took up the police job and wore the badge with honor for 12 good years. There isn’t a military operation he hadn’t undergone from rescue operations, kidnappings, anti-terrorism acts, and protection to high-profile clients.
It wasn’t after the year 2012 when he relocated to Adelaide in South Australia. While here, he tinkered with the idea of becoming a professional chef and applied as a contestant in MasterChef.
After six months of brutal tests and being separated from his wife and family, he did the unthinkable. Cheliah won by setting a record of 93 points out of 100.
Sashi Cheliah Net Worth.
As customary for any winner of the MasterChef Australia series, the company awards them $250,000 to do whatever they please. Sashi Cheliah secured the bag when he walked away with the sum as well as other major deals.
He secured a position with Australia’s leading food magazine, Delicious, to publish a monthly column of whichever dish he desired.
The prestigious title of MasterChef also came with its many advantages. He scored several television interviews and made guest appearances on different networks that paid him.
Moreover, his reputation preceded him when he decided to open up a line of restaurants. Clients from all walks of the earth made reservations in advance to secure seats at his tables.
With that said, Sashi Cheliah’s net worth is still under review since his businesses are still on the rise. Some sources, however, have pinpointed his net worth at between 350K to 500K. More updates will follow on that as the news comes in.
Restaurants.
Again, as customary for almost all MasterChef winners and runner-ups, Sashi Cheliah also opened up his very own food joints. In 2018, he named it Gaja by Sashi, located in the central business district of Melbourne. The strategic location at the hub of the city makes it ideal for several high billing clients. It’s also known for serving Singaporean-specific dishes.
A year later, the MasterChef star also opened a similar joint also named Gaja, but this time in his hometown, Adelaide. It pretty much a mirror of the main restaurant with servings of Singaporean menus.
Internal sources, however, claim that the culinary star might try something different by opening a fusion restaurant with a blend of Indian and South Asian dishes. As for its location, we still have no idea where he might place it. However, common sense dictates it should be close to home for smooth operations.
Sashi Cheliah Wife and Kids.
As a guy who rarely talks about his personal life, Sashi is a husband and father of two. He married his wife, Rabicca Vijayan, back in 1997 while they were still living in Singapore.
His wife is Asian and identifies as a nurse by profession. You’ll rarely find pictures of them together, but as a man who grew up with a sense of responsibility, family means everything to Sashi.
It’s unclear whether his wife still practices upon their move to Melbourne. Their two sons, Marcus and Ryan, are currently teenagers aged 15 and 13, respectively.
His youngest, Ryan, is a chip off the old block. Last year, he participated in season three of Junior MasterChef Australia. Unfortunately, he got eliminated on the 13th of October 2020.
Sashi Cheliah Wiki Bio, Age, Parents, Family
Cheliah is Singaporean by birth and Australian by nationality. He was born on 10th June 1979, as the oldest of seven children. Having a large family like that also meant feeding them was a hassle.
However, it was pretty much easy for his mother, who ran a café at the time, to nurture the entire family. In fact, the 41-year-old often credits his mother and aunties for his love for cooking and their recipes.
While growing up, young Sashi attended the Swiss Cottage Secondary School in Bukit Batok, Singapore. Upon graduation, he later enrolled at ITE College to further his studies. It’s unclear how he wound up into the special operations unit, but with his skills, he fit right in.
One interesting revelation about Cheliah is that he identifies as a Christian, despite his diverse cultural heritage.
