Former New Zealand Barista and Latte Art Champion Sam Low is now a MasterChef Champion.
After an intense battle in the kitchen again Elliot McClymonth, Sam was crowned MasterChef NZ Champion on 17 July after winning his three-course menu of Paua congee, steamed blue cod and a sea dessert that wowed judges Nadia Lim, Vaughan Mabee and Michael P. Dearth.
“As funny as it sounds, going through MasterChef NZ was my coming of age moment, feeling proud of who I am, the type of food I cooked and the people I was able to share those stories with has meant I can mark a full stop on the thoughts on ‘If I am enough’ and move onto the next chapter in my life,” Sam says.
Over seven weeks, viewers have watched 16 of the country’s best cooks battle-it-out in the Queenstown Vingard MasterChef NZ kitchen, with contestants eliminated weekly.
In the end, it was Sam who won the judges over with his dishes that showcased his flair for creating innovative, modern Asian cuisine.
“From the start of the competition, Sam stood out – he had something special in the way he cooked. I can see myself going to eat crispy spicy Chinese style pork belly and unusual but delicious dumplings at a cool unique restaurant venue in Auckland,” says MasterChef NZ judge Vaughan Mabee.
Aside from the coveted title of MasterChef NZ 2022, Sam wins a cookbook deal from Allen and Unwin, six months of groceries from New World, $6000 worth of NEFF appliances and a Kenwoord Chef Patissier XL Stand Mixer.