Q & A with Ray McVinnie
We catch up with MasterChef New Zealand judge Ray McVinnie to talk about the past 13 weeks of television and the finalists Brett and Kelly.
How has the MasterChef experience been for you?
Great! Very interesting, I learnt a lot about TV and about
what I think about cooking.
What did you learn from the contestants?
It made me think about how people cook.
Which dish of all of those from the top 12 finalists did
you enjoy the most?
Brett's Thai surf and turf salad
Which finalist do you wish we'd maybe seen a bit more of
in the kitchen?
Christine
Turning to the final two, what was it about Brett which
made him stand out?
Natural talent with flavours
He had his moments where he faltered in the kitchen -
how greatly did those factor in your final decision?
Not at all, you are only as good as your last dish
What do you think lies ahead for his future?
Who knows? Whatever he makes of it.
You've both had some time in the spotlight throughout
your career, what's the best piece of advice you can offer the
winner - and the second placed finalists?
Always be prepared to keep learning.
What was it about Kelly which made her stand out?
Her can-do fearless attitude and natural ability as a
cook
Again, Kelly had her moments where she didn't quite make
the grade - did those factor into your decision?
No
How tough was the final decision to make?
Quite hard, it needed careful weighing up of each
contestants performance on the day.
What's next for you?
I already have a very busy life as Cuisine Food Editor,
lecturing, teaching, writing travelling etc etc, so I'll continue
with that.
