Supper Club fundraiser takes the cake

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."

Rob Parry, owner of Rotorua's three McDonald's franchises and a retreat trustee, told the diners that since the retreat had opened more than 1300 people had been given a week of memories.

"These are people who have had their lives turned upside down. We have since been acknowledged as the world's best retreat and the Australians who originated this concept have been for a visit to find out how they can make theirs better."