MasterChef Malaysia facts for kids

MasterChef Malaysia is a super exciting cooking competition show from Malaysia! It's part of the famous MasterChef family, just like the shows you might have seen from the USA, Australia, or the UK. In this show, amateur (non-professional) cooks compete to become the best chef in Malaysia. They face many challenges, learn new skills, and show off their amazing cooking talents. The show was aired on Astro Ria.

Season 1 (2011)

The first season of MasterChef Malaysia started on 22 October 2011 and ended on 8 January 2012. It was shown at 9:00 pm on Astro Ria.

Meet the Judges and Mentors

The main judges for this season were Chef Mohd Johari Edrus (Chef Jo), Chef Zubir Bin Md. Zain (Chef Zubir), and Chef Mohd Nadzri Redzuawan (Chef Riz). Before the main competition, Chef Yahaya Hassan Bin (Chef Yahaya) and Chef Priya Menon (Chef Priya) ran a special "boot-camp." This boot-camp helped narrow down 40 hopeful cooks to the top 24 contestants who would compete in the show. Famous guest chefs, like Norman Musa, also joined in for special challenges.

The First Champion

The winner of MasterChef Malaysia Season 1 was Ezani Farhana Md Monoto. She was a dentist before joining the show and became the very first MasterChef Malaysia champion!

Season 2 (2012)

MasterChef Malaysia Season 2 began its audition stages in June 2012. The audition episodes aired from 8 to 13 September 2012. The main competition with the top 24 contestants started on 15 September 2012 and finished on 1 December 2012. You could watch it on Astro Ria.

New Judges and Returning Chefs

For Season 2, Chef Mohd Nadzri Redzuawan (Chef Riz) did not return. Instead, Chef Adu Amran Hassan joined the judging panel. Chef Norman Musa, who is based in the UK, also came back for a special episode.

The Second Champion

The winner of MasterChef Malaysia Season 2 was Izyan Hani binti Mohd Izham. She worked as a geologist before winning the title!

Second Chance Challenge

This season had a special challenge called 'Cabaran Peti Saji Misteri: Peluang Kedua', which means 'Mystery Box Challenge: Second Chance'. This challenge gave eliminated contestants a chance to return to the competition! The judges would choose one or two contestants who performed well in these challenges to come back. In Season 2, Along and Hafiz both earned their way back into the competition through this challenge.

Top 10 Finalists of Season 2

Here are some of the amazing cooks who made it to the top 10 in Season 2:

• Izyan Hani (Izyan) (25 years old) from Kuala Lumpur was the winner! She studied Geology and even worked on an oil rig. She loves kayaking and cooking dishes like 'mac and cheese with chicken'.
• Ngui Yeong Hong (Ah Hong) (29 years old) from Sarawak was the runner-up. He was the only Chinese contestant and had lived in the UK, which helped him cook great Western dishes. He used to be an architect but wanted to follow his dream of cooking.
• Muhd Fazrul Nizam (Along) (18 years old) from Kuala Lumpur came in third place. He's a taekwondo player and learned a lot about cooking from his mom, who is his idol. He even got a second chance to return to the competition after being eliminated!
• Etiqah Siti Noorashikeen (Etiqa) (24 years old) from Sabah made it to fourth place. She's super smart, with a degree in Geology, and also enjoys cooking, karaoke, and ATV riding. Her cooking hero is Chef Wan.
• Nurul Shazlina (Nina) (31 years old) from Kedah finished in fifth place. She loved cooking from a young age and even sold cookies in high school. She's a bit shy but very passionate about food, inspired by her mother.
• Kasila Paeng (Che' Lah) (40 years old) from Johor Bahru was sixth. She's a busy mom of four and a beauty consultant. She believes age is just a number when it comes to being active and elegant. She inspires herself in the kitchen!
• Nora Ashikin (Nora) (26 years old) from Pahang came in seventh. She's a rugby player and a sports officer. She only started cooking seriously two years before the show, learning from TV and the internet.
• Muhd Fizuan Syahnaz (Fizuan) (19 years old) from Johor Bahru was eighth. He has a fun personality and learned to cook from his mother. One of his special dishes is 'Sambal Bunga Kantan'.
• Ahmad Nuruddin (Dean) (24 years old) from Kedah finished ninth. He's loved cooking since he was a kid. His 'Asam Pedas' dish often gets praised, and he loves authentic Malay cooking. He was even saved from elimination once by the judges!
• Khairul Ammar (Ammar) (22 years old) from Selangor was tenth. His 'Milk Butter Chicken' is a favorite among his friends and family. He was a fan favorite and impressed everyone by cooking well even with an injured hand.