Is reality TV path to fame and fortune?

Reality TV doesn't guarantee fame and fortune but for a lucky few, it's certainly helped.

TV chefs are New Zealand's most powerful reality television stars according to Spy.co.nz's inaugural power ranking.

Nadia Lim has it in the (food) bag, with Spy awarding the second season MasterChef winner first place, saying she "hasn't looked back" since her 2011 victory.

Since then, Lim has published four cookbooks, guest judged on My Kitchen Rules and launched My Food Bag, a grocery home delivery service.

Following Lim in second place is MasterChef's third winner, Chelsea Winter, who has more than 245,000 Facebook fans and has just published her third cookbook.

Further down the list, The Bachelor NZ helped produce some bona fide stars this year - along with several Instagram spammers.

• See the full list here