Papamoa's MasterChef contestant Hayley Bilton has made it through to the final three of the competition.
Miss Bilton said the television show had been a "massive rollercoaster" and it kept getting better.
She had relished the opportunity to learn from famous chefs and said she had been a bit "star struck" during some moments of the show.
Since Richard Harris was eliminated from the show last week, Miss Bilton and the other three remaining contestants, Tim Read, Leo Fernandez and Glenda Clark, had been filmed in Dubai, cooking Middle Eastern dishes. "Dubai is amazing. How many people get to go to Dubai with four of your close friends?"
Miss Bilton said the teams had just completed a challenge which involved cooking in 45C heat. She and Glenda Clark lost the challenge and faced elimination last night.