Home in the wok

Masterchef Australia Season 9 winner Diana Chan shows her roots in her cooking, writes Bibi Nurshuhada Ramli

Masterchef Australia Season 9 champ Diana Chan frequently fuses Malaysian flavours into her dishes.

crossed my mind. The hard part was just trying to handle the pressure. Once I got past that, everything was fine.

HOW DO YOU WORK UNDER PRESSURE?

By staying calm. Knowing that it was going to be a 13-hour day of filming, I made sure to get enough rest. I had so much love and support back home. It didn’t matter how I went about the show as long as I had fun. I just cherished the moments.

WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST TAKEAWAY? The friendships that I made. Very rarely you get 24 foodies living in a house for seven months. You don’t really know one another but you get along because there’s one thing

that everyone loves: Food.

Plus, getting to know the judges, meeting some of the world’s most renowned chefs and working in some of the best kitchens are things money can’t buy.

WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE TO BEGINNER COOKS?

Go back to basics. Learn the simplest things, and build on them, create new dishes and enjoy the process. It’s not just about feeding but also understanding what you’re putting into your body.