This much I know: Diana Dodog, Winner of Masterchef Ireland

I like to think I’m strong, but I cry easily at small things.

I was absolutely shocked to win Masterchef. It was an out of body experience. I didn’t realise that I fell to my knees when I was told that I’d won, until I watched it back. It just proves that when you want something really badly, you can make it happen.

My main fault is that I have no patience — I want everything to be done yesterday. From the minute I get up, I have so many things on my mind. I do up a list and get going, checking things off as I complete the tasks.

Besides cooking, my passion is nature and being in the outdoors.

I’m from Hungary and never actually spoke English until I moved to Canada, where I lived for four years before coming to Ireland. I wanted to be closer to home so that I could see my family on a regular basis.

My move to Cork was completely random. I wanted to live on the coast, so I looked up a couple of hotels and applied to work at The Castle Hotel, Macroom.

Sometimes you have to prove yourself twice. I had a bachelor degree in hotel management from Hungary, but my papers weren’t recognised, so I did a similar course in CIT for three years when I got here.

I met my husband Michael when we were working together in The Kingsley in Cork. We did quite a bit of travelling, but have settled back in Courtmacsherry.

I possibly wouldn’t have liked it in my twenties as I wanted the buzz of a big city — I left home originally because it was too small for me and I needed to see more and experience more of the world — but now I love having everything on my doorstep, great natural produce like black berries and wild garlic and fresh fish.

My interest in food started way back when I was a child. My mother was out working when I was growing up, so I spent a lot of time with my grandmother, cooking and baking.

We grew our own vegetables and fruit and raised our own animals. She taught me what is still my favourite recipe — a dessert called floating islands. You use milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla essence. Simply separate the eggs, poach the whites in the milk, mix the yolks and vanilla and sugar to make a custard and set the egg whites on top of it.

I was not a shy child, I was very stubborn and would only listen to my grandmother. I think she spoiled me. She had so much patience. The best advice she gave me was to stay true to yourself. Sadly she passed away suddenly when I was a teenager. I’m surprised I still have such vivid memories of her.

I have one brother who is five years younger than me. He moved to live here in Ireland shortly after he finished school. I told him I would look after him and help him to find a job — he is a wonderful carpenter.

My mum and dad are back in Hungary but they visit regularly, and we keep in contact on Skype. Dad works in an Institute for kids who have problems, a kind of youth prison.

I am very spiritual. I believe in telepathy. I don’t know if there is an after life, but I certainly think someone was telling me to come back to Ireland in 2012.

We were living in New Zealand and I felt something pushed me back here for a reason — we ended up arriving in the middle of winter with no hope of getting a job. Then I applied for Masterchef.

We have opened our own business, a mobile food truck called Food Depot. I will put my €25,000 prize money into it. You can find us at Clonakilty Business Park on Thursday and Friday. At the weekends, we are at the beach on Courtmacsherry, at start of The Seven Heads walk.

Find out more about Diana Dodog’s gourmet street kitchen at fooddepotireland.com