Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who are you and where do you come from?
  • How did the whole MasterChef thing start?
  • How do you enter the competition?
  • What stages do you have to go through with the competition?
  • What happens when you get through to the television?
  • When do things happen?
  • Were you surprised when you got selected to go on the television?
  • Who were the judges for final?
  • What did you win?
  • What has happened since the final?
  • Would you recommend others to have a go?
  • So what next?
  • What did you cook?

  • Who are you and where do you come from?

    I’m originally from Auckland in New Zealand but have now settled in the UK since 1990. I’m married to Jayne and have one daughter, Georgina, who’s six. Of course I can't forget to mention our two lovely dogs - Wootton the bassett hound and Symi the Old English Sheepdog.  We all live in Upper Swainswick, which is just outside Bath.  I am the first New Zealander to have won the competition.

    How did the whole MasterChef thing start?

    My interest in cooking began when I was about 20.  I used to cook at the Auckland Technical Institue ski club for fun. I entered the MasterChef competition the previous year but didn’t get selected so I thought I’d try again - I first tried in the London region but this time I entered in Taunton and was successful!

    How do you enter the competition?

    If you are interested in entering the competition then application forms can be obtained by contacting:

    MasterChef
    PO Box 359
    Kerdiston
    Norwich,
    NR10 4UU

    What did you cook?

    (You will find some pictures and recipes if you follow the links)
     

    First Round

    Clear Gazpacho
    -o-
    Smoked Venison fillet with Liquorice & Game Jus, grilled Polenta, Morel Mushrooms, Runner Beans and Pears
    -o-
    Almond Sourdough Cake with Plum Compote and Orange Curd ice-cream

    The venison was smoked in New Zealand ti-tree, which dad sent over specially

    Semi-Final

    Roasted beetroot and goats cheese tower with potato wafers
    -o-
    Anchovy larded Blue Fin tuna with garlic mash, green beans and Wasabi vinaigrette
    -o-
    Orange scented Manjari Chocolate mousse wrapped in a stripped sponge with citrus fruit salad and chocolate and orange sorbets

    Final

    Olive oil poached tomatoes with peas and a veal jus
    -o-
    Fillet of pork, apple and fennel salad, fennel puree, apple chips, and mustard vinaigrette
    -o-
    Peanut Butter mousse wrapped in chocolate with raspberry jelly and chocolate sauce (with smiley face presentation)

    What stages do you have to go through with the competition?

    Basically there is - the entry form, non-televised regional cookoff, televised first round, semi-final and final.  There are 2000-3000 applicants to the competition every year which is narrowed down to 16 people for each of the nine regions who enter a non-televised ‘cook off’. This is where you cook a two-course meal at a local catering college for the judges who are usually local chefs and the programme’s producer, only three people are selected to go in the first round which is shown on TV.  An overview of it is here.

    What happens when you get through to the television?

    Once you know you’ve been picked, the TV crew come round to film your biography. You’re not allowed to list cooking as a hobby so you have to think up all these obscure interests that they can show you doing which is why everyone suddenly becomes a stamp collector or fitness enthusiast!  I listed skiing as another main interest, but sadly they didn't suggest we all go off to a suitable ski resort.

    You also have to put together the menus, a time-plan and complete recipes for the first two rounds of the competition and a menu for the final. The biggest dilemma is deciding whether to cook your best thing in the beginning so you get through to the semi or wait and use it then, it’s quite difficult. I had two months to submit my menus which meant trying out lots of different dishes and getting quite stressed.  Towards the end Jayne had had enough and went away and left me to it for a weekend!

    When do things happen?

    It’s a long process, there was over a year between sending in the application form and the final being televised. (Have a look at the detailed timeline.) The whole competition was filmed during July 1998 doing two shows a day. The sets are very expensive so they try and get the filming done as quickly as possible, which can be really difficult for some contestants. For instance the final was filmed on a Tuesday and one of the other finalists, Janine Lishman-Peat, had her semi-final the day before! Luckily my semi was on the previous Friday so I had a long weekend to prepare in.

    Were you surprised when you got selected to go on the television?

    I was hopeful that I may get selected to get on the television as I had learnt a lot from the previous year and knew the standard that was expected.  I never dreamed that I would get through to the final, let alone win!

    Who were the judges for final?

    The judges were Lord Lichfield and Gordon Ramsay. I didn’t really know what Gordon was like but he was fine on the day, very civil but you could see that he has very high standards. He wasn’t interested in chitchat and just asked about techniques and ingredients. I was the last one to be judged and he’d been quite disparaging about the other two contestants, saying things like "Stodgy" and "Over-cooked" so I got a bit nervous. But when he got to me he seemed to quite like it and even made a few favourable comments - he really tucked into the pork!

    What did you win?

    A food processor (all the contestants get one), a weekend at Hazlewood Castle in Yorkshire where the chef (John Benson-Smith) cooks my meal, a week at Alastair Little’s cooking school in Italy and £3000 to spend on a gastronomic holiday anywhere in the world. I’m going to use the money on a few holidays over the next couple of years and really make the most of it.

    What has happened since the final?

    Some of the highlights have been: And finally ...

    Would you recommend others to have a go?

    Definitely!!  It is a wonderful experience, hard work, but great fun - and you learn so much about cooking.

    So what next?

    I won't be opening a restaurant but if you would like to taste my food then I can cook for dinner parties,  special occasions,  do outside catering and cooking demonstrations.  If you are interested - please get in touch.  Alternatively come along to one of my future events.