Hi, thanks for visiting my website – You can also join me on facebook under ‘Nadia MasterChef NZ’ to get regular updates on what I’m up to. Thanks for dropping by!
Like many Kiwi’s these days I’m a bit of a mix of heritage – my Mum is a Kiwi, while Dad is Malaysian Chinese. For this I’ve been fortunate to have grown up with two very different cultures, not to mention taste buds! I discovered my natural flair for cooking at the age of 13years when I started holding ‘dinner parties’ for my young friends. Cooking has always come naturally to me, and is how I am my most creative. Although tempted to train as a chef, I instead opted to spend five years as a Scarfie at Otago University where I studied nutrition and dietetics, qualifying as a registered dietitian. For the last 3 years I’ve worked in diabetes, advising on diet and lifestyle to prevent and manage diabetes. Last year, upon a whim, I entered the second series of MasterChef New Zealand, and cooked my way to the top becoming NZ’s MasterChef. It was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done, but I learnt I can cope well under pressure and that I can actually cook! I’m now devoting my time to writing my first cookbook, working at Auckland’s acclaimed Euro restaurant, various cooking demonstrations and charity events, and planning how we can help tackle NZ’s growing diabetes epidemic.
"Cooking is one of the most important skills for our health and happiness, and with a few basics up your sleeve, anyone can become their own creative cook"