Masterchef into the frying pan

Brett McGregor is pursuing a career in food. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Brett McGregor has quit teaching - and this time it's for good. The Masterchef New Zealand winner finally gave in to the urge to pursue a full-time career in food and resigned from Christchurch's Branston Intermediate recently.

He managed to keep his decision quiet - despite "freaking out" about it - and wrapped up his last day as the deputy principal on Thursday.

Talking to the Herald on Sunday, McGregor said he was "sitting on the couch" and relaxing, something he had not done for months.

"It's nice kicking back, it's not something I get to do very often. But yes, I've done it ... and now I'm freaking out.

"Someone texted me the other day and said if I wanted a career in food then I have to be prepared to be poor."

McGregor won the Masterchef title in April, beating Kelly Young in a nail-biting final.

Despite finishing as runner-up, Young was immediately offered a chef position at judge Simon Gault's top Auckland restaurant Euro, while McGregor decided to head back to his teaching job.

But the life of a Masterchef winner is demanding.

So far, he has made numerous public and media appearances, filmed a couple of yet-to-be-released commercials and worked hard to get his cookbook - part of the prize deal from the show - finished by the end of this month.

He is also starting a "blokes cooking class" next Thursday and is in talks about setting up his own cooking and travelling TV show.

While he can't say too much about it, he reveals the show will most likely follow the same lines as his book, which showcases dishes from around the world that he then adapts, McGregor-style.

"It's always been my dream to have a TV show. It definitely feels like [the end of an era]. I thought the feeling in my stomach would have gone, but it's just that feeling of anticipation of what is going to happen.

"Resigning was a hard thing to do, especially leaving halfway through the year, which is something I said I wouldn't do because it's not fair on the kids. But I was going to be away so often it was going to be unfair on them anyway."

McGregor said he was hoping the work continued to roll in enough for him to put food on the table at home, but he wasn't writing off teaching forever. "I'll give it six to eight months to see if it works. It's not a hassle to go back to teaching if it doesn't work out."

Applications are still open to budding chefs for the second season of Masterchef New Zealand.

It was revealed last week that series one judge Ross Burden will be replaced by legendary Kiwi chef Josh Emmett, alongside Simon Gault and Ray McVinnie.

Emmett has run restaurants for Gordon Ramsay in London, Los Angeles, New York and now Melbourne.

McGregor's Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

* 5mm wide flat Thai rice noodles - enough to place in the bottom of 4 bowls.

* 6 cups good quality chicken stock

* 3 chicken breasts, sliced

* 2 stalk lemongrass, white part only, finely sliced

* 3-4 kaffir lime leaves, sliced

* 2 red chillies, finely diced

* 3 cloves garlic

* Juice of 2 limes

* 1 x 2cm knob ginger, grated

* 2 Tbsp fish sauce

* 400ml coconut milk

* black pepper (to taste)

* 1 cup fresh coriander

Method:

Bring a large pot of water to just under a boil and add the noodles.

Remove from heat and allow noodles to soak for 10 minutes at most.

Drain and rinse with water to keep from sticking. Using a large soup pot, bring chicken stock to boil over high heat. Add chicken, lemongrass and lime leaves. Bring back to the boil then turn heat down to medium, cover and gently simmer for 5-6 more minutes. Add the chilli (reserving some for garnish), garlic, lime juice, ginger then fish sauce and stir well. Turn heat down to minimum and add the coconut milk. Stir to incorporate.

To serve, place a small handful of noodles in each bowl, top with the hot soup, so noodles float in the broth. Add the poached chicken and finish with a sprinkling of pepper and fresh coriander.

rebecca.lewis@hos.co.nz