Aussie woman wins Italian reality TV cooking show, beating locals

Sydney, March 22 : An Australian woman has won an Italian reality TV cooking show.

Toni Brancatisano, a nurse from Melbourne, tasted victory in 'La Scuola' or the 'The [Cooking] School' competition.

Now, she will host her own cooking show on Italian TV.

''''It''s the first reality cooking show in Italy," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted her as saying.

She added: "I''ve watched MasterChef and I think it''s a bit harder than this one but it''s similar in that you have to make two dishes an episode and you are eliminated over a number of weeks.''''

However, Brancatisano complained the judges were harsh on her because she was an Australian.

She said: ''''The Italians are quite snobby. They think no one eats as well as in Italy. One of the judges said to me, ''You''re Australian. What would you know about making pasta?'' And an Italian journalist said to me, ''When you think of Australia you don''t think top chefs.''"

Brancatisano cooked Ravioli stuffed with chicken livers and fennel to eventually win the hearts of the judges.

She said: '''' The judge said he would have thought a lady from Napoli had made it. It was my private victory - an Aussie girl beat the Italians at making pasta.''''

Brancatisano is married to an Italian and had moved to Tuscany 11 years ago.