MALAYSIAN’S SON WINS MASTERCHEF TITLE IN AUSTRALIA

By Neville DCruz

MELBOURNE, July 26 (Bernama) -– A 31-year-old media lawyer of Malaysian
heritage Sunday night won the finale of Australia's MasterChef to cook up
massive ratings, making the reality show the most-watched, non-sporting event
ever shown on Australian television.

A peak of 4.348 million viewers across the nation tuned in to watch Adam
Liaw, whose parents come from Malaysia, beat engineering student Callum Hann,
20, to win A$100,000 and a cookbook publishing deal.

The show attracted an audience of more than 5.7 million. Last year's finale
at which a Malaysian-born Poh Ling Yeow, of Adelaide, was runner-up, was watched
by 4.1 million.

Liaw, who was born in Adelaide, beat Hann with advanced food knowledge and
tasting skills, claiming the win with a score 89 to Hann's 82 out of a possible
100.

Judge Matt Preston said Liaw had won because he was "highly skilled" and had
an "intellectual approach to food".

Liaw will now turn his thoughts to relocating to Australia after six years
living in Tokyo as a media lawyer.

Dedicating his win to his grandmother, Chew Kwei-Eng, who was by his side
shortly after his win last night, a tearful Liaw said her influence on his
cooking was "enormous".

"She's been there for me throughout my entire life and she's been a huge
influence not just in my cooking but in everything," he said. He was joined on
the set by his girlfriend of two years, Asami Fujitsuka, and father Dr Liaw
Sia-Lin.

When growing up in Adelaide, there seemed little doubt that Liaw's world
would
eventually centre around cooking.

"I first remember cooking when I was eight or nine and living with my mum
and
stepfather," said Liaw, a young protege who completed Year 11 at age 14,
enrolled in university, two years later and graduated as lawyer at 21.

"With my step-brothers and sisters, there were eight of us kids in the
house
and once a month, it would be the kids' turn to make dinner.

"We moved around a bit when I was younger, like over to Malaysia, and there
would always be some kind of food that I had loved -– and wanted to cook -– for
the whole family."

Liaw's mum and step-father moved to New Zealand when he was 14, but he
stayed in Adelaide where he lived at his grandmother's home.

He lists her as a food inspiration, but it wasn't until he was studying
science and law at the University of Adelaide that it became a passion.

-- BERNAMA