Local MasterChef cooks up a recipe for success

From starring in MasterChef NZ to running her own events company - The Ponsonby News sits down with local, Amy Calway, to talk about her experience on the show and how her life has changed since the series:

MasterChef is an incredible show and a household name, so I thought why not? and went for it. I was nervous, but excited to see where the show (and life after the show) would take me.

Where was the series filmed?
The set was filmed in a huge warehouse out on the wet, west coast of Auckland. However, the huge villa which housed all 16 contestants - the main cast - was right here in Ponsonby.

What was the biggest lesson learned? I’ve heard you joined Jenny Craig after the competition - has that changed the way you cook or think about food?
Aside from learning lots about food and cooking techniques, the biggest ‘take away’ I had from the show was how much weight the camera adds. Personally, I felt very confronted by my size, which was discussed in an article published by a women’s magazine. The article illustrated how much weight I had put on through the series with the constant cooking and eating. I have always struggled with my weight and being aware of how many people had read that article - more than half a million - and how many people watched the show, brought me to tears.

I made a decision to turn that frustration into action and vowed never to be that size again. The next week I met with Lani from Jenny Craig who has helped me make changes to take control of my weight.

I was a bit scared of the food - being a massive foodie - but it was fantastic and so far I have lost just over 15kg, with no plans of stopping just yet.

What didn’t you like about being in the series?
Living with so many people was a massive challenge - especially while sharing one kitchen. Filming also happened during winter and given we were all living under one roof everyone shared a nasty cold; 16 people living under one roof with a cold is not a pretty sight.

What are you doing now? Still cooking?
Of course I still cook. Mostly healthy meals for my children and myself - though the food from Jenny Craig has meant I don’t do as much cooking for myself anymore. Much of my time is taken being a single mother to my beautiful children, running my events business, Events Horizon, with the occasional consulting gig here and there. I’m also hitting the gym in the brutal, early hours of the morning with my best friend - getting myself bikini ready for a holiday later this year. (RHYS ATKINSON-WHIPPS)