Kiwi cook is Brit's Masterchef

Mat Follas. Photo / Supplied

It's one of Britain's most-prized cooking contests - and a Kiwi has served up the winning entry.

Big-hearted Mat Follas, 42, won the final of BBC's Masterchef Goes Large this week in front of 6 million viewers with perfectly prepared dishes using nettles, wild garlic and New Zealand's own hokey pokey.

TV success runs in his family: his late uncle Colin Follas was part of the original Country Calendar team and frontman of the Ag Report.

Follas welled-up with the joy of tasting success while cooking "my stuff" for sharp-tongued judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace.

Fans of the show - which screens here on TV One - also got emotional.

Neil Bradley-Dye of Leicester writing wrote in an online forum: "Awesome, talented and so inspiring to us all. I cried every time he did. I howled when he won. I just want to meet the guy, shake his hand and break bread with him."

Follas, husband of Amanda and father to Jasper 10, Jack, 6, and Meadow, 3, said last night that his style was most like that of top British chef Rick Stein. He has a passion for seafood and local, wild ingredients.

Judges praised his sophisticated palate during the series, but his presentation was a struggle at times.

A dish involving an oyster on top of a steak was described as looking like a "really giant bogey".

But Follas, who gathered the wild garlic used in the triumphant menu from the path behind his Dorset home, overcame the presentation problem.

British-born Follas came to New Zealand aged 6 months. A University of Auckland graduate, he was inspired by the "fresh, simple" approach of New Zealand chefs before he moved back to Britain about 12 years ago.

"New Zealand chefs then were doing what British chefs are doing now," he said.

The IT engineer is seeking finance to open his own restaurant.

He was planning to return to New Zealand , but this week's win may change that.

Mat's winning menu was a s trio of wild rabbit as a starter, a main of spider crab with hand-cut chips and sea vegetables, and lavender mousse with hokey pokey and blackberry sauce for dessert.