Her mission in life is to meet the "man who has it all" but for now, she has had to settle for cooking under the watchful eye of her life-sized cardboard cut-out.

"I got him from a home store in Sydney. Here I was crossing Parramatta Road with him under my arm - I was quite a sight," Ms Ottaway said yesterday.

"I have met so many chefs - Manu [Feildel], George [Calombaris], Gary [Mehigan, of MasterChef fame] - you name it, I've met them, but no-one compares," she said. "Jamie is my passion - that would be my ultimate dream, to meet him in the flesh. I have all his DVDs, his books - he's the one chef I want to meet."

Ms Ottaway is herself no klutz in the kitchen, whipping up culinary creations for her partner, Gavin, and sending off extras for friends and neighbours.

One day she'd like to have her own television show on the evolution of food in a multicultural society.

"Because my kids have grown up, we can't get through all the food I cook, but my partner is so supportive. I'm so lucky I can indulge my passion."

Being crowned Australia's Super Cook 2011 has given Ms Ottaway confidence to experiment.

"That's what I love about Jamie - I love his style of cooking. He mixes things together that should never work but for him, they always work," she said.

"But it's not just his cooking skills. I feel he represents everything of what a man should be.

"He's a family man - loves his wife, loves his kids, he's got everything going for him - that's part of the whole package. Not only is he successful, he is fabulous."

Ms Ottaway's favourite recipes will feature in the upcoming Mercury Food and Wine Guide.