MasterChef New Zealand first hit TV One screens in 2010, later switching networks for its final season before the franchise went on a lengthy hiatus. Across six seasons, the show crowned six very different champions — from a first-ever winner who nailed a lamb dish, to a future celebrity chef who became one of New Zealand’s most famous food personalities. Here’s the complete winners list.
Quick Reference: All MasterChef New Zealand Winners (Season 1–6)
| Series | Year | Winner | Runner-up | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010 | Brett McGregor | Kelly Young | TV One |
| 2 | 2011 | Nadia Lim | — | TV One |
| 3 | 2012 | Chelsea Winter | Ana Schwarz | TV One |
| 4 | 2013 | Aaron Brunet | Paula Saengthian-ngam | TV One |
| 5 | 2014 | Karena & Kasey Bird (duo) | — | TV One |
| 6 | 2015 | Tim Read | Leo Fernandez | TV3 |
Series 1 (2010): Brett McGregor
MasterChef New Zealand launched on TV One on 3 February 2010 and ran for 13 episodes until 28 April 2010. Brett McGregor became the country’s very first MasterChef champion, beating runner-up Kelly Young in the final showdown.
The decisive moment came down to a lamb challenge, where McGregor scored an impressive 34 points to Young’s 28, despite some last-minute re-plating drama. His win earned him $25,000, a cookbook deal, and valuable professional kitchen experience — a genuinely transformative moment for amateur home cooking on New Zealand television.
Judges: Simon Gault, Ross Burden, Ray McVinnie
Series 2 (2011): Nadia Lim
Nadia Lim won Season 2, and her story became arguably the most successful post-show career of any MasterChef New Zealand contestant. She went on to become one of the country’s most recognizable celebrity chefs, co-founding the hugely popular meal-kit company My Food Bag, publishing multiple bestselling cookbooks, and eventually returning to the franchise years later — not as a contestant, but as a judge for the 2022 revival season.
Judges: Simon Gault, Ross Burden, Ray McVinnie
Series 3 (2012): Chelsea Winter
Season 3 aired from 21 February to 12 June 2012 and expanded the contestant pool from 12 to 16, with episode counts rising accordingly. Chelsea Winter, a 27-year-old marketing executive from Auckland, won the season, beating runner-up Ana Schwarz, a 39-year-old stay-at-home mom from Waiheke Island, by a score of 77 to 72 points.
Like Nadia Lim before her, Chelsea went on to build an enormously successful food media career, becoming one of New Zealand’s best-selling cookbook authors.
Judges: Simon Gault, Ross Burden, Ray McVinnie
Series 4 (2013): Aaron Brunet
Season 4 premiered on 21 February 2013, with the judging panel of Simon Gault, Ray McVinnie and Josh Emett returning. Aaron Brunet won in a nail-bitingly close finale, narrowly beating runner-up Paula Saengthian-ngam by a single point — 75 to 74.
Judges: Simon Gault, Ray McVinnie, Josh Emett
Series 5 (2014): Karena & Kasey Bird
Season 5 introduced a completely new format — instead of individual contestants, the competition was reimagined around pairs, similar to Australia’s My Kitchen Rules. This season was won by the Maketu sisters, Karena and Kasey Bird, who dominated the competition as a duo throughout the series.
Judges: Josh Emett, Ray McVinnie (and others on rotation)
Series 6 (2015): Tim Read
Following TVNZ’s decision to axe the series after five seasons, MasterChef New Zealand found a new home on TV3 for Series 6, which aired from 26 July to 28 September 2015. The judging panel was also refreshed, with Al Brown and Mark Wallbank joining Josh Emett, replacing Ray McVinnie and Simon Gault.
Tim Read, an Auckland physiotherapist, was crowned the winner, defeating runner-up Leo Fernandez, a Canterbury pig farmer of Filipino descent, across three decisive final challenges: a replication dessert, an invention test, and a high-end menu creation.
Judges: Josh Emett, Al Brown, Mark Wallbank
What Happened After Season 6?
MasterChef New Zealand went on an extended seven-year hiatus after Season 6. The show was eventually revived in 2022 on Three, featuring a brand-new judging panel of Nadia Lim (the Season 2 champion, now a judge), Vaughan Mabee, and Michael P. Dearth. The revival season began with 27 diverse contestants and was ultimately won by Sam Low, who impressed judges with an innovative three-course finale menu built around New Zealand ingredients.
MasterChef New Zealand Judges Timeline
- Series 1–3: Simon Gault, Ross Burden, Ray McVinnie
- Series 4–5: Simon Gault, Ray McVinnie, Josh Emett
- Series 6: Josh Emett, Al Brown, Mark Wallbank
- 2022 Revival: Nadia Lim, Vaughan Mabee, Michael P. Dearth
Fun Facts About MasterChef New Zealand
- Most successful alumni: Both Nadia Lim (Season 2) and Chelsea Winter (Season 3) built major food-media careers after the show, becoming household names in New Zealand
- Full-circle moment: Nadia Lim returned as a judge for the 2022 revival, nearly a decade after winning as a contestant
- Format twist: Season 5 was the franchise’s only duos-based season, inspired by Australia’s My Kitchen Rules
- Network change: The show moved from TV One to TV3 for its sixth and (at the time) final season
FAQs
Who won the first season of MasterChef New Zealand? Brett McGregor won Season 1 in 2010, taking home $25,000 and a cookbook deal.
Who is the most famous MasterChef New Zealand winner? Nadia Lim (Season 2) is by far the most recognizable, having built a major career through her company My Food Bag and multiple cookbooks.
Was any season different from the standard format? Yes — Season 5 (2014) switched to a duos format, pairing up contestants rather than having them compete individually.
Is MasterChef New Zealand still airing? The original run ended after Season 6 in 2015, but the show was revived in 2022 on Three, with Nadia Lim returning as a judge.
Who won the MasterChef New Zealand revival season? Sam Low won the 2022 revival season.