In love with cooking and making magic in the kitchen, Shamsydar Ani took part in MasterChef Singapore’s inaugural season. She emerged the second runner-up on the show, and her skill at mixing spice pastes earned her the nickname Sambal Queen.

The Singapore-based photographer, who specialises in weddings, food and portraits, enjoys developing recipes and blogging about her food journey. She often receives SOS messages from newbie cooks, and finds joy in making cooking easy and fun for them. As a modern cook, she is on a quest to update and simplify Malay cooking without compromising on its flavours.