MasterChef Maroc brought the global cooking format to Moroccan television on 2M TV (Deuxième Chaîne) starting in December 2014, quickly becoming a ratings sensation — the first season reportedly drew over 5.5 million viewers, capturing 60% of the audience share. Here’s the complete breakdown of the show’s first two champions.
Quick Reference: MasterChef Maroc Winners (Season 1–2)
| الموسم | السنة | الفائز/ة | المدينة | النقاط |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2014–2015 | حليمة موريد (Halima Mourid) | كانت تقطن بإسبانيا (Spain-based) | — |
| 2 | 2015–2016 | “السيمو” سعيد (Simo Sajid) | الدار البيضاء (Casablanca) | 166 نقطة |
MasterChef Maroc: Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Network | 2M TV (القناة الثانية / Deuxième Chaîne) |
| Premiere | 30 December 2014 |
| Prize Money | ~400,000 Moroccan dirhams (40 million centimes) |
| Additional Prize | Professional training courses at top hospitality institutions |
| Total Seasons | 5 (as of its original run, 2014–2019) |
Season 1 (2014–2015): Halima Mourid
MasterChef Maroc’s very first season premiered on 30 December 2014, immediately becoming a massive hit — drawing more than 5.5 million viewers across Morocco and capturing a remarkable 60% audience share. Halima Mourid, a contestant who had been living in Spain at the time, was crowned the very first MasterChef Maroc champion.
Season 2 (2015–2016): “Simo” Sajid
Season 2 launched on 13 October 2015, airing nightly at 9:45 PM on 2M TV. This season featured 15 contestants with wildly diverse professional backgrounds — including engineers, financial executives, and even a fashion model — each hoping to turn their cooking passion into a professional career through the competition.
The title ultimately went to “Simo” Sajid, a 40-year-old DJ from Casablanca, who won the grand finale with a score of 166 points, narrowly edging out runner-up Hanane from Agadir, who scored 165 points — a razor-thin one-point margin. Simo’s win came with a cash prize of 40 million centimes (approximately 400,000 Moroccan dirhams).
How the Competition Worked
- Entry pool: Open to amateur cooks of all ages and professional backgrounds from across the Kingdom
- Prize package: Cash prize of roughly 400,000 dirhams, plus professional training sessions at some of Morocco’s top hospitality and culinary institutions
- Format: Standard MasterChef-style elimination rounds, including high-heat cooking tests designed to push contestants’ endurance and skill under pressure
MasterChef Maroc vs. Related Arab Cooking Shows
It’s worth noting that Morocco’s culinary competition landscape includes a few similarly-named but distinct shows:
- MasterChef Maroc — the officially licensed Moroccan adaptation, airing on 2M TV since 2014
- Top Chef (المغرب نسخة عربية) — a separate pan-Arab format airing on MBC1, in which Moroccan chef Essam Jaafari (عصام جعفري) won the very first season, a frequently confused but entirely different show and franchise
- MasterChef Algérie — Algeria’s own adaptation, airing since 2016 on Echorouk TV, a separate national version
What Came After Season 2?
MasterChef Maroc continued for a total of five seasons, running through 2019, and later spawned a MasterChef Maroc Celebrity edition featuring well-known Moroccan public figures competing in special “Celebrity Prime” episodes.
FAQs
Who won the first season of MasterChef Maroc? Halima Mourid, a contestant based in Spain at the time, won Season 1, which premiered in December 2014.
Who won MasterChef Maroc Season 2? “Simo” Sajid, a 40-year-old DJ from Casablanca, won with 166 points, narrowly beating runner-up Hanane from Agadir.
Which channel airs MasterChef Maroc? 2M TV (القناة الثانية), one of Morocco’s leading national broadcasters.
How much prize money do MasterChef Maroc winners receive? Approximately 400,000 Moroccan dirhams, along with professional culinary training opportunities.
Is MasterChef Maroc the same as Top Chef Arabia? No — these are two separate, distinct shows. MasterChef Maroc is Morocco’s own national adaptation, while Top Chef is a different pan-Arab franchise broadcast on MBC1, even though a Moroccan chef (Essam Jaafari) also won that show’s first season.