New Zealand's Annabel Langbein has followed Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver to been named Best Home Chef at the prestigious Taste Awards in the United States.
Langbein, who lives in Wanaka and Auckland, picked up the "people's choice" award at a glittering red carpet ceremony in San Francisco on Friday.
Too excited to have just won this @TasteAwards -best home chef in a series, for my tv series here on @PBSFood.Yahoo! pic.twitter.com/mp5acN7oZs
— Annabel Langbein (@AnnabelLangbein) February 12, 2016
The win comes five months after her popular television series The Free Range Cook: Simple Pleasures launched on US TV, showcasing New Zealand's spectacular scenery and laidback lifestyle.
The show brought her simple garden-to-table recipes to millions of Americans.
"I'm so amazed and overwhelmed and excited to have won the people's choice award," Langbein said. "Thanks to everyone who voted and who has supported me on this exciting journey.
"It's such an honour to be able to show the rest of the world how special our country is and to share my philosophy for cooking and eating in tune with the seasons."
The Taste Awards are the premiere awards in the US broadcast industry, celebrating the best in food, fashion, travel and lifestyle programmes on TV, in film, online and on radio.
Previous winners include Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay, Martha Stewart and Anthony Bourdain.
Langbein was a finalist in four categories.
The win tops off a successful week in the US for Langbein. Last Thursday she appeared on the top-rating Today show, demonstrating quick and clever Super Bowl snacks alongside anchor Matt Lauer and co-hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb.
