Eric Chong was crowned the first-ever winner of CTV’s “Masterchef Canada,” taking home the $100,000 cash prize.
An Oakville, Ontario chemical engineer, Chong beat out runner-up Marida Mohammed from Toronto, who together beat out 14 other contestants who were competing in the first season of the reality cooking show.
“Going through all this, all this trouble, and have something to bring home, it’s just really great and it’s a dream come true,” Chong told The Canadian Press. “This $100,000 means a lot to me. I can use it to invest in my restaurant and, yeah, I don’t know, not many people know what it feels like to actually realize your dream and this feeling is indescribable… The finale was probably the most stressful day of my life. I couldn’t sleep that night and then you have to go and cook literally the meal of your life. This is a life-changing meal. The pressure was so immense. … It felt good cooking my food, though. Throughout the competition you don’t always have a chance to cook what you want to cook and this is the time you work your hardest and get to show off your cuisine and I think I did that.”
Those who want to vie for a spot on Season 2 of “Masterchef Canada” can go here to apply.
