Kiwi cook relishes top US home chef gong

Annabel Langbein is amazed and overwhelmed by her Best Home Chef award. Photo / Supplied

Kiwi celebrity cook Annabel Langbein has followed Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver to be named Best Home Chef at the prestigious Taste Awards in the United States.

Langbein picked up the "people's choice" award at a glittering red-carpet ceremony in San Francisco late on Friday.

The win comes five months after Langbein's series The Free Range Cook: Simple Pleasures launched on US television, showcasing New Zealand's spectacular scenery and laidback lifestyle.

The show brought her simple garden-to-table recipes to millions of Americans.

"I'm so amazed and overwhelmed and excited to have won the people's choice award," Langbein said.

"Thanks to everyone who voted and who has supported me on this exciting journey.

"It's such an honour to be able to show the rest of the world how special our country is and to share my philosophy for cooking and eating in tune with the seasons."

The Taste Awards (aka the Tastys) are the premier awards in the US broadcasting industry, celebrating the best in food, fashion, travel and lifestyle programmes on television, film, online and on radio.

Previous winners include Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay, Martha Stewart and Anthony Bourdain.

Langbein was a finalist in four categories.

The win tops off a successful week in the US for Langbein.

Last Thursday she appeared on the top-rating Today show, demonstrating quick and clever Super Bowl snacks alongside anchor Matt Lauer and co-hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb.