Photo © AAP Image / Network Ten

The television phenomenon MasterChef has finally, and sadly for many, come to an end for another year. This year’s grand finale saw Adam Liaw emerge as the all-time winner after a three-hat pressure test set by Sydney Quay restaurant's Peter Gilmore: a guava and custard apple snow egg.

Bookies’ favourite Adam, 31, beat Callum, 20, with his advanced food knowledge and tasting skills. He claimed the win with a score of 89 to Callum’s 82 out of a possible 100. 

Liaw said on the night: "To have one goal in your mind for that long and to achieve it is the biggest thing in my life." He devoted his win to his grandmother, Eng, as "she has devoted her entire life to our family and I think it is a mark of respect and love I have for her".

He took home $100,000 in prize money, a cookbook contract, and the opportunity to work with some of Australia’s leading chefs. He is now thinking about relocating to Australia after 6 years living in Tokyo as a media lawyer.

Last year’s winner Julie Goodwin warned Adam as she hugged the winner: "Hold on tight, mate".

But there weren’t really any losers on the big night with runner-up Callum Hann scoring a three-month culinary scholarship in George Calombaris’s Melbourne restaurants, including a wage and $10,000 for expenses.

In another win, the MasterChef finale smashed the record it set last year as the most-watched non-sporting event since Australian TV ratings began.  3.9 million viewers tuned in.