Locals have lots of love for Karena and Kasey

Karena Bird (left) and sister Kasey (far right) signed Elizabeth Morrison's copy of For the Love of ... at a cooking demonstration yesterday. Photo / Ben Fraser

MasterChef is long over but Kasey and Karena Bird are still inspiring Rotorua locals.

The Maketu sisters hosted a cooking demonstration and book signing of their debut cookbook For the Love of ... at the Rotorua Central Mall yesterday.

Elizabeth Morrison was one of the many to have purchased a book autographed by the two women.

"I went because they are related to my husband for a start but I've been following what they've been doing and how successful they've become and their book, I love the meaning of it," she said.

"I've seen their book in some of the other family members' homes but when I heard they were coming I literally walked into the mall, bought the book and asked them to sign it. They were absolutely wonderful, they are very inspiring young women and were just really grounded, their parents did a fabulous job raising them."

Although Mrs Morrison admitted she wasn't "much of a cook" she could still appreciate the work that had gone into the sisters' cookbook. "It's using all the food they've grown up with and they've put in ta moko patterns and it's everything that is true to themselves, you can tell they've put their heart and soul into it. Everything about their life journey is in there, their family members are all in the book, it's absolutely fantastic."

Kasey and Karena Bird rose to fame through the TV One series MasterChef. They are from Maketu with strong Ngati Whakaue links and released their cookbook in April.