The first season of the Vietnamese version of the UK reality cooking show ‘MasterChef’ has recently kicked off in the country under the name “Vua Dau Bep – MasterChef Vietnam.”

The show, whose copyright was purchased by Vietnam Television (VTV3) and the local BHD Multimedia Company, has received applications since October 2.

According to organizers, 12 local well-known chefs will be invited to be mentors for contestants, who must be amateurs.

Vietnamese-Australian chef Luke Nguyen, who is known as the host of the television series ‘Luke Nguyen's Vietnam’, will be a member of the jury. Another judge is Chef Duc Khai, who is better known as renowned businessman Khai Silk. The final member of the jury has not been revealed.

“I’m so happy to be a judge of the show as well as have a chance to come back to Vietnam to share with people the love of cuisine, especially Vietnamese cuisine,” Luke Nguyen stated at the press conference announcing the show on October 2.

“MasterChef Vietnam hopes to attract many contestants and encourage people’s love for Vietnamese cuisine,” Ngo Bich Hanh, a representative of the organizers added.

The winner of the competition will receive VND500million (US$25,000) in cash and a contract to publish a cooking book.

“Vua Dau Bep – MasterChef Vietnam” is scheduled to have 20 episodes broadcast at 8pm every Friday night starting March 8, 2013.

Since originally airing in the UK the show has expanded to many versions in other countries. MasterChef Australia and MasterChef US are the most well-known versions.

Last month, Vietnamese-origin, visually-impaired home cook Christine Ha was crowned at US MasterChef season 3 with her Southeast Asian three-course meal, including Thai papaya salad with crab, with the addition of the Vietnamese signature seasoning fish sauce, braised pork belly with rice, maitake mushrooms; crispy kale, which is a common dish in Vietnam; and coconut lime sorbet with ginger tuile.

At the qualifying round, Ha also wowed the jury with her Vietnamese ca kho to dish, which is catfish braised in a clay pot with caramel, coconut juice, garlic, and fish sauce, served with pickled vegetables and rice.