MasterChef winner's Euro break

Nadia Lim with fiance Carlos Bagrie. Photo / Janna Dixon

She was the tearful beauty who eventually proved she was "tough as iron" by triumphing in the final of MasterChef.

Now Nadia Lim is about to face an even tougher test when she begins work in the white-hot intensity of a fine-dining restaurant.

The 25-year-old revealed she had accepted a part-time chef position at Simon Gault's Euro restaurant in Auckland.

"I'm really excited about it. It will be great to get back into the kitchen," she said.

Gault said Lim would start work in July cooking two days a week for Euro's "Chef's Table" - a VIP table for bookings of up to 10.

She is one of only a handful of contestants from the cooking reality show to go on to work as a professional chef.

Following the success of the top-rating reality show, TVNZ confirmed plans for a third series were already underway.

TVNZ spokeswoman Katherine Klouwens said it was too early to say if spin-off shows Junior or Celebrity MasterChef would be picked up.

After a slow beginning, the second series of MasterChef has been a ratings winner, with 856,200 people tuning in for last Sunday's finale - up 28 per cent up from last year's audience of 667,600.

As well as working for Gault, Lim will work part time as a dietitian and test recipes for her planned cookbook.

She was looking forward to moving on with the next stage of her career.

"It is quite good. In a way I'm quite relieved the show's over."

Lim picked up the keys to her new car this week - part of her $100,000 prize package that also includes a publishing deal, kitchen appliances and supermarket vouchers.

Being recognised from the show was still a surprise to Lim and her fiance Carlos Bagrie.

"When we're out we do get quite a lot of stares and people want to hug me. He [Bagrie] just stands back and smiles."

The pair plan to marry in February.

Before then, Lim will be focusing on her vision for the cookbook, which she has been working on with MasterChef judge Ray McVinnie.

It will combine food with healthy living, but was not a diet recipe book, said Lim.

Like previous MasterChef winner Brett McGregor, Lim would be inviting her fellow contestants to be part of the book by contributing their own recipes.

Lim is the third MasterChef contestant to work in Euro after series one runner-up Kelly Young and finalist Steve Juergens.

Kirsty Cardy was running Gault's import business, Sous Chef, but has since left.

Fiona Read spent a week working at each of Gault's restaurants.

Amateur chefs wanting to test their skills on the show can go to the TVNZ website for application forms. Auditions will be held later this year.

Macaroon madness

It proved the demise of MasterChef runner-up Jax Hamilton, but macaroon towers have become the latest food to experience the "MasterChef effect".

Auckland patissieres are struggling to keep up with demand for the exotic dessert treat after the dessert featured on the series final last Sunday.

Staff at Pyrenees bakery in Mt Albert were getting calls about macaroons before it opened on Monday and stock had sold out by the end of the day.

"Everybody wants macaroons," said manager Gilles Perez.

In particular, customers wanted raspberry, strawberry and cherry flavours, like those featured the show, he said.

Many customers wanted to buy macaroon towers as an alternative to a cake for a special event, he said.

In Newmarket, C'est Fromage has also had a rush of customers since Sunday.

"It's been crazy the last two days," said manager Amangine Brisson. "We've sold more than 200 in two days."