Dinner with a Masterchef was a fiercely-contested prize but in the end it went to a bidder with an affiliation to the Ronald McDonald Family Retreat.
The prize was one of 11 top prizes auctioned at last night's Supper Club fundraiser for the retreat, which provides a week away for
families who have been affected by a sick child or parent and whose lives have been turned upside down.
The auction prize of dinner with Masterchef winner Chelsea Winter was won by Rotorua businessman Ray Cook, who with his wife Barbara, are patrons of the Ronald McDonald Family Retreat at Ngongotaha. He paid $3000 for the experience - a six-course meal of dishes from Chelsea's cookbook and served at the retreat with Chelsea for company.
The Cooks have been involved with the retreat since its inception and that was why Mr Cook wanted the dinner.
"I bid for sentimental reasons - the house where we're having dinner is named after our company. Last year we had dinner with Masterchef's Nadia Lim so I'm going to compare who has the best stuff."
