Before diving in, here’s an important clarification: China’s official licensed MasterChef adaptation — branded “顶级厨师” (Dǐngjí Chúshī, “Top Chef”) — aired just two seasons on Dragon TV in 2012–2013, and was never renewed beyond that. It’s distinct from various other Chinese cooking competition formats that have since emerged. Here’s everything confirmed about both seasons.
Quick Reference: MasterChef China Winners (Season 1–2)
| 季度 (Season) | 首播 (Premiere) | 结束 (Finale) | 冠军 (Winner) | 亚军 (Runner-up) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 July 2012 | 14 October 2012 | 魏瀚 (Wei Han) | 顾晓光 (Gu Xiaoguang) |
| 2 | 16 January 2013 | 4 April 2013 | 赵丹 (Zhao Dan) | 洪宏星 (Hong Hongxing) |
MasterChef China: Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Chinese Title | 顶级厨师 (Dǐngjí Chúshī) |
| Network | Dragon TV (东方卫视) |
| Sponsors | Joyoung, Zwilling |
| Production | Shine Group, Boxtop Studio |
| Format Basis | Original British MasterChef |
Season 1 (2012): Wei Han
MasterChef China premiered on Dragon TV on 29 July 2012, running for 11 episodes until 14 October 2012 — China’s very first officially licensed adaptation of the global cooking format, following the network’s earlier success importing China’s Got Talent.
Wei Han, a 25-year-old French-language tour guide from Chengdu, was crowned the show’s very first champion, impressing the judging panel with three distinctly Chinese dishes in the grand finale. His win earned him the title “China’s first Top Chef” and a dream contract reportedly worth over one million yuan.
Judges: Cao Kefan (host and “professional eater”), Jonathan Lee (Taiwanese musician), Steven Liu (Executive Chef of the Peace Hotel, Shanghai)
Season 2 (2013): Zhao Dan
Season 2 ran considerably longer, airing 24 episodes from 16 January to 4 April 2013. In the grand finale, runner-up Hong Hongxing presented three dishes — a seafood cocktail, salmon, and a milk and purple sweet potato jelly — but it was Zhao Dan, a woman born in the 1980s, who ultimately claimed the Season 2 title.
Zhao Dan’s win became a genuine media sensation across China, with her story spreading rapidly and earning her the widely used title of “China’s Top Chef” in popular press coverage following her victory.
Judges: Cao Kefan, Steven Liu, Jereme Leung (chef, replacing Jonathan Lee this season)
MasterChef China Judges
- Cao Kefan — popular host and self-described “professional eater” from Wuxi, serving as the show’s main host across both seasons
- Steven Liu — Executive Chef of the historic Peace Hotel in Shanghai, the show’s main culinary authority
- Jonathan Lee — acclaimed Taiwanese musician, judged Season 1
- Jereme Leung — respected chef, replaced Jonathan Lee for Season 2
How the Competition Worked
Contestants from across China competed through weekly elimination rounds and team-based challenges, with amateur cooks given the opportunity to prepare their signature dishes for the judging panel in the show’s early rounds, narrowing down to a final head-to-head cook-off for the title.
Don’t Confuse It With: Other Chinese Cooking Competition Shows
China has produced several other food-competition formats that are sometimes mistaken for MasterChef:
- 星厨驾到 (Star Chef) — a separate celebrity cooking competition on Jiangsu TV, based on the Celebrity MasterChef UK format rather than standard MasterChef, won in its first season (2014) by actress Qu Ying (瞿颖)
- 厨艺大师 — the Chinese-language name commonly used to refer to the original American MasterChef (Fox), not a separate Chinese production
FAQs
How many seasons did MasterChef China have? Just two — Season 1 in 2012 and Season 2 in 2013, both airing on Dragon TV.
Who won the first season of MasterChef China? Wei Han, a 25-year-old tour guide from Chengdu, won Season 1 in October 2012.
Who won MasterChef China Season 2? Zhao Dan won in April 2013, becoming a major media sensation afterward.
Who were the judges of MasterChef China? Cao Kefan and Steven Liu judged both seasons, with Jonathan Lee (Season 1) and Jereme Leung (Season 2) rounding out the panel.
Is there a Celebrity version of MasterChef China? Not exactly — China instead produced a separate, related celebrity cooking show called Star Chef (星厨驾到), based on the Celebrity MasterChef UK format.