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Diana Chan
Diana Chan
Diana Chan
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Diana Chan (born 1987 or 1988) is a Malaysian-born Australian cook. In 2017, she won MasterChef Australia series 9, defeating the runner-up Ben Ungermann by one point in the final. After her win, she left her job in accounting to work with food, including as a brand ambassador, a cooking show host and a cookbook author.

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

Chan was born in 1987 or 1988[1] in Setiawan in the state of Perak, Malaysia as the youngest of three children. The family soon moved from their guava farm home to Johor Bahru, where she attended Convent Johor Bahru. Chan learned to cook by watching her parents prepare Peranakan and Cantonese food.[2][3] At age 17, Chan moved to Kuala Lumpur to complete her Cambridge A levels. Upon matriculating a year later, she moved to Melbourne, Australia, where she completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree at Deakin University in 2010.[2][4]

Career

[edit]

After qualifying as a chartered accountant, Chan worked for Deloitte as a senior analyst.[5]

MasterChef Australia

[edit]

Chan competed in the ninth series of MasterChef Australia, which filmed from November 2016 to late May 2017.[6][7] She approached the competition calmy and methodically, performing well in mystery box challenges to the point of winning one, and was praised for her innovation. Chan captained her team to win the first team challenge of the year.[8]

On 24 July 2017, the finale aired. Chan won, beating runner-up Ben Ungermann by one point. Her prize was $250,000 and a column in delicious. magazine; she said she intended to use the money to open a casual, Malaysian-influenced restaurant.[6] The pressure of competing in the final left her sick for a week.[9] To get time off work to compete, Chan had taken unpaid leave; by the time she won, she had run her savings down and had to return to work immediately. She kept working as an accountant for the next few months until the results were announced.[7]

After Masterchef

[edit]

Chan has spent her time since Masterchef working with brands in Australia and Asia, including Kewood and St. Regis Hotels. She designed the in-flight menu for Malaysia Airlines, acting as their ambassador.[2][10] She has also worked on tourism across Asia. A collaboration with the dumpling brand Golden Wok on a frozen dumpling product line has been very successful: sold in supermarkets through Australia, A$10,000,000 sales were generated in 2020, making it the best selling product in its category in the country.[7] As of 2023 the company was beginning to sell the dumplings in Asia.[11]

For eight months in 2018, Chan ran Chanteen, a pop-up restaurant in Melbourne.[10][12] In 2024, she released The Golden Wok, a cookbook covering wok-cooked Malaysian dishes.[13]

A tv show hosted by Chan, Asia Unplated with Diana Chan, was released on SBS on 19 December 2019.[14] The show saw her cooking with friends, including fellow Masterchef contestant Khanh Ong, and was commissioned among several food shows on SBS. Production was the outcome of six months of Chan petitioning for funding and organizing.[15] The show was renewed for a second season, which was released in 2021. This contained ten episodes, filmed in Melbourne under strict movement restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guests included a returning Ong, and other former Masterchef contestants Sarah Todd and Karlie Verkerk.[10]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Diana Chan

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Diana Chan (born December 20, 1988) is a Malaysian-born Australian chef, television presenter, and cookbook author best known for winning the ninth season of in 2017. Born in , , and raised in , , Chan developed an early passion for cooking influenced by her family's culinary traditions before moving to , , at age 18 to pursue university studies in . After graduating, she worked as a senior analyst at for nearly five years, while honing her self-taught cooking skills as a hobby. In the MasterChef finale, the 29-year-old Chan narrowly defeated runner-up Ben Ungermann by one point (90–89) in a six-hour challenge recreating a complex by chocolatier , securing a $250,000 prize and launching her professional culinary career. Following her victory, Chan transitioned from finance to full-time culinary pursuits, briefly returning to accounting before fully committing to food-related endeavors due to overwhelming opportunities. She hosted the SBS Food series Asia Unplated with Diana Chan from 2019 to 2021 across two seasons, exploring diverse Asian cuisines with guest chefs and blending traditional recipes with modern twists. Chan has since become a prominent figure in Australian gastronomy, collaborating with tourism boards across Asia, designing menus for high-profile restaurants, and running pop-up dining experiences like her eight-month venture Chanteen. In 2024, she relocated to Singapore with her husband and newborn daughter, launched her debut cookbook The Golden Wok: Mastering the Art and Technique of Wok Cooking featuring over 80 recipes, and continued her collaboration with The Golden Wok to produce her signature range of frozen Asian dishes sold at major retailers like Coles. Her work emphasizes fusion of Malaysian, broader Asian, and Australian flavors, often highlighting accessible, wok-based techniques and ingredients.

Early life and education

Upbringing in Malaysia

Diana Chan was born on December 20, 1988, in , , . As the youngest of three children in a Malaysian-Chinese family, she experienced a childhood deeply rooted in cultural traditions. When Chan was three years old, her family relocated to , where she spent much of her formative years. Growing up in this vibrant southern Malaysian city, she was immersed in a household where home-cooked meals were central to daily life. Her parents, avid cooks, inspired her early passion for food by preparing traditional dishes, fostering her appreciation for the rich flavors of from a young age. Chan's introduction to cooking began at home, where she learned to make classic Baba-Nyonya (Peranakan) recipes— a fusion of Chinese and Malay influences—alongside other everyday Malaysian staples like stir-fries and noodle dishes. These family sessions not only taught her practical skills but also instilled a sense of cultural identity tied to food, which would later shape her culinary approach. At age 17, she moved to Kuala Lumpur to complete her Cambridge A-level examinations, marking a significant transition before her eventual relocation abroad.

Move to Australia and studies

At the age of 18, Diana Chan relocated from , , to , , to commence her . She enrolled in a program at , drawn by the opportunities for international study and career development in and . This move marked a significant transition, leaving behind her family and familiar surroundings to navigate life as an in a new country. Chan completed her degree in 2010, achieving academic success amid the demands of university life. However, the adjustment to Australian culture and environment presented notable challenges, including cultural differences, , and the practicalities of . Financial constraints as a student were particularly acute; frequently proved too expensive, compelling her to manage her own meals and fostering early . These experiences shaped her resilience while she prioritized her studies, balancing coursework in with the essentials of daily survival in . During her time at university, Chan's engagement with cooking remained limited, primarily confined to basic preparations necessitated by necessity rather than passion or experimentation. Her intense focus on academics left little room for culinary exploration, though the seeds of interest in —rooted in her Malaysian heritage—began to stir subtly through simple home cooking. This period underscored her dedication to professional qualifications, setting the stage for her subsequent career in before her pivot to the culinary world.

Pre-MasterChef career

Accounting profession

After completing her commerce degree at in in 2010, Diana Chan qualified as a in 2012 and joined Deloitte's financial advisory division as a senior analyst. In this position, Chan worked in financial advisory services. She held the role for approximately five years, working standard office hours in Deloitte's office until taking leave in 2017 to participate in . Her experience as a provided a stable foundation in the profession, where she developed skills in precision and detail-oriented work that later informed her structured approach to culinary endeavors.

Introduction to cooking

Diana Chan developed her culinary skills as a self-taught , primarily through immersion in her family's Malaysian-Chinese traditions during her upbringing in . From a young age, around five or six, she observed her parents selecting fresh produce and preparing and Peranakan dishes, which sparked her interest in cooking despite her mother handling most home meals. By nine years old, Chan had attempted her first dish—an —marking the start of her hands-on learning. Her growth as a cook centered on experimenting with family recipes, adapting traditional Malaysian-Chinese elements into fusion dishes that highlighted bold flavors like those in Peranakan cuisine. Without formal culinary education, she refined techniques at home, focusing on the harmonious blend of Chinese influences such as stir-fries with Malaysian staples like and coconut-based curries. This personal exploration emphasized resourcefulness and cultural storytelling through food, often recreating meals that evoked her heritage. In 2016, while her cooking remained a private hobby, external encouragement propelled her toward broader opportunities. Her boyfriend shared a photo of one of her homemade dishes on , leading friends to tag her in a audition post; inspired by their enthusiasm, she applied. Prior to this, Chan's experience was strictly home-based, with no public demonstrations or professional involvement in the culinary world.

MasterChef Australia

Participation and challenges

Diana Chan, a 29-year-old accountant from Melbourne with Malaysian roots, auditioned successfully for MasterChef Australia series 9 in 2017, entering the competition as one of the home cooks selected for the Top 24. Her entry highlighted her transition from a professional career in accounting to showcasing her lifelong passion for cooking, influenced by family traditions. Throughout the season, Chan excelled in challenges that emphasized creativity and cultural fusion, particularly blending Asian and Western flavors rooted in her Peranakan (Baba-Nyonya) heritage from , . In team events, such as relay cooking challenges, she contributed dishes that incorporated these influences, demonstrating composure and strategic collaboration under tight timelines. Pressure tests further tested her skills, requiring precise replication of complex recipes, where her calm demeanor and attention to balanced flavors helped her advance past eliminations. Chan's consistent strong performances across invention tests, team collaborations, and high-stakes pressure cook-offs propelled her through the competition, ultimately securing her place in the finale against Ben Ungermann.

Victory and immediate impact

In the grand finale of season 9, aired on July 24, 2017, Diana Chan emerged victorious by a narrow margin of one point, scoring 90 against runner-up Ben Ungermann's 89 in a three-round . The rounds were: first, a 60-minute challenge where Chan earned 30 points for with Chinese broccoli, mushroom, and green juice, while Ungermann scored 26 for lemon myrtle with shortbread; second, a 75-minute challenge to cook three identical dishes, with Chan scoring 27 for Malaysian oatmeal prawns with in creamy sauce and Ungermann 28 for cardamom with butternut three-ways and Dutch spice , giving Chan a three-point lead; and third, a six-hour pressure test recreating chocolatier ' Trio of Fruits dessert, where Chan scored 33 and Ungermann 35. The outcome surprised many viewers and judges, given Ungermann's strong performance throughout the competition, but Chan's execution in the earlier rounds, featuring her Asian-inspired savory dishes, secured her the title despite the close final round. As the champion, Chan received a prize package including A$250,000 in cash, which she later described as a pivotal financial boost despite her modest savings at the time, and a monthly column in delicious. magazine to share her culinary insights. These rewards immediately positioned her to explore professional opportunities in the , marking a direct transition from her prior role. The win propelled Chan into , with widespread media coverage emphasizing the finale's and her story as a Malaysian-born . Although she briefly returned to her job post-filming due to contractual obligations, the victory enabled her to leave accounting at and commit fully to a culinary career, leveraging the exposure to launch initial food-related projects.

Post-MasterChef career

Culinary ventures and collaborations

Following her victory on in 2017, Diana Chan launched several culinary initiatives that highlighted her Malaysian heritage and expertise in Asian flavors. In 2018, she opened Chanteen, a in Melbourne's HWKR , where she served hawker-style inspired by Malaysian classics such as and , reimagined with modern twists. The venture ran for eight months and quickly gained popularity for its authentic yet accessible dishes, drawing crowds eager to experience Chan's fusion of traditional Malaysian techniques with contemporary presentation. Chan also secured prominent brand ambassadorships that extended her influence in the food and hospitality sectors. In early 2018, she partnered with to design an in-flight menu featuring Malaysian-inspired dishes like steamed garoupa with sauce, which was introduced to enhance the airline's onboard dining experience. She served as an ambassador for Kenwood appliances, creating recipes and content that showcased the brand's stand mixers and other tools in preparing Asian-inspired meals, such as cinnamon-scented apple tarts and pumpkin rolls. Additionally, Chan collaborated with St. Regis Hotels on promotional events and culinary projects, including chef battles and signature dish reinventions at properties like The St. Regis , blending her skills with luxury hospitality. A key collaboration was with Golden Wok, beginning in 2018, where Chan co-developed a line of ready-to-eat dumplings and Asian appetizers infused with bold flavors like Szechuan pork and honey soy chicken. These products, sold exclusively at Woolworths and , achieved significant commercial success, with 21 million units sold in 2020 alone, generating A$10 million in gross sales and establishing Chan as a leader in convenient, premium frozen foods. This partnership underscored her ability to translate restaurant-quality Malaysian and Asian influences into accessible home cooking options.

Business expansions

Following her initial partnership with Golden Wok to launch a range of frozen dumplings in 2018, Diana Chan expanded the product line post-2020 by introducing new flavors and varieties, such as Siu Mai in 2024 and options including Thai Chicken Dumplings, Curry, and Korean Jap Chae with Vegetable Dumplings, which became available at major retailers like Woolworths and Coles. The collaboration proved highly successful, with the dumplings selling 21 million units in 2020 alone, making them the top-selling product in the frozen section at Coles and Woolworths that year. In 2023, Chan announced plans to extend the Golden Wok brand into Asian markets, aiming to leverage her Malaysian heritage and growing international profile to scale the product line beyond . This expansion built on the brand's domestic momentum, with ongoing promotions including a 2025 dumplings campaign to boost market share. Chan's business activities have increasingly involved high-profile collaborations that enhance her role as a menu designer and product creator. Recent partnerships include event work with , such as attending and contributing to the 2025 opening night of Prism, as well as ongoing engagements with OzHarvest for charitable cooking initiatives and the for culinary programming. In 2025, she participated in promotions, including a free cooking class with Metricon and Woolworths tie-ins featuring her Golden products to celebrate the festival. These developments mark Chan's transition from chef to a multifaceted entrepreneur, focusing on scalable product creation and strategic partnerships that amplify her culinary influence across cultural and commercial spheres.

Media and publications

Television appearances

Following her victory on MasterChef Australia in 2017, which provided a platform for further media opportunities, Diana Chan expanded her television presence through hosting and guest roles focused on Asian culinary traditions. Chan hosted the series Asia Unplated with Diana Chan on SBS Food, where she explored diverse Asian cuisines by cooking alongside guest chefs in her home, unpacking flavors from regions like , Korea, and . Season 1 premiered on December 19, 2019, featuring 10 episodes that highlighted techniques and ingredients central to Asian home cooking. Season 2 aired starting January 28, 2021, with another 10 episodes delving deeper into aromatic dishes and cultural stories from across Asia. Chan's television engagements continued into 2024 and 2025, with promotional cooking segments on the , such as sharing rituals and recipes on 9Kitchen in January 2025, and appearances on SBS Food demonstrating dishes like miso-glazed eggplant in July 2024.

Cookbooks and writing

Following her victory on in 2017, Diana Chan began contributing a regular column to delicious. magazine as part of her prize package, with her first piece appearing in the November 2017 issue. In this series, she promotes through accessible recipes and insights, often incorporating fusion elements drawn from Singaporean and Malaysian influences to highlight bold flavors and street food-inspired techniques. Chan's debut cookbook, The Golden Wok: Mastering the Art and Technique of Cooking with over 80 Recipes, was published in October 2024 by Hardie Grant Books. The book features more than 80 approachable recipes that celebrate her Chinese-Malaysian heritage, emphasizing the 's versatility as a pan for methods like stir-frying, deep-frying, , and , while including classics alongside innovative dishes such as vegetables and crispy noodles. Beyond her magazine work and , Chan has contributed guest articles and recipes to food blogs, focusing on fusion cooking techniques that blend Asian traditions with contemporary twists. For instance, in a 2020 collaboration on Kavey Eats, she shared recipes inspired by East and Southeast Asian cuisines, adapting traditional methods to create hybrid dishes that emphasize fresh ingredients and cross-cultural flavors.

References

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