The next time you are travelling to Goa, check out Antares, a 250-seat Australian themed restaurant on Vagator beach where Sarah Todd is rustling up some neat dishes from Down Under with an Asian twist. Sarah who? The model who had participated in MasterChef Australia Season 6 (the season in which Brent Owen won) and reached the top 10 after coming back on board following a shock early elimination. 

Sarah now also has a TV show on Fox Life, Serve It Like Sarah, and a cookbook from Penguin. Over to the Aussie stunner, calling t2 from Melbourne, to find out what all she has got cooking.

When and how did you open Antares in Goa?
Last November. I had been travelling in India giving cooking demonstrations when I met my business partner Ashish Kapoor. He owns The Wine Company, Dimsum Bros and Yo! China in Delhi. He told me about partnering a restaurant in India with Australian cuisine. Initially I thought it was a crazy idea. But now that things have fallen in place, the show is running smoothly. I will be back when the season starts in September after the rains. The place reminds me of my hometown (in Queensland) — it’s on the coast with lots of seafood. 

How did your Indian connection get forged?
I had cooked Aloo Gobi on MasterChef. That got people interested in me. I had learnt the dish from my son Phoenix who is half-Indian and he had learnt it from his grandparents. Within six weeks, there was a large influx of Indian followers on my social media! And when I came to India, people recognised me from the show. My partner (Devinder Garcha) grew up in London and has never been to India. I, on the contrary, have already spent six months there. So I can claim to be more Indian than he is.

Any tips for readers on ordering at a restaurant?
Go for a balanced dish when you order. Look for things with carbs, proteins and fat all in one dish. Add vegetables on the side with protein dishes. For the last course, order a fruit dessert, like an apple crumble or a lemon tart, instead of an ice cream. So you get the sweet kick, yet you are getting a lot of nutrients in the fruits. 

Tell us about the show...
Fox Life asked me what I loved best. I said I love adventure, travel and food. We decided to do a show that explored the other side of Goa, not just the beaches. I went surfing, crab-catching, cooking with locals, to forests, on Segway tours.... We did the shoot a month back. There would be 10 episodes. 

Have you kept in touch with any of your fellow contestants?
Yes. One of my closest friends is Sam Gant from MasterChef Australia. She came over to Goa to be a part of the show. 

What is the biggest lesson you have learnt on MasterChef?
Follow your instincts. The ‘Mystery Box’ was one of our favourite challenges. It pushes you outside your comfort zone. When you might not have all the ingredients for a traditional dish, you use your palate and intuition to create something tasty. I use that now. I go to the market, take one or two ingredients and see how I can add different elements and create a balanced dish. 

You used to be a model. How does that influence your cooking?
I don’t count calories. I use lots of fresh local produce. I love butter and ghee. It has a high smoking point, so the nutrients stay when you cook it. I use sugar substitutes like honey and molasses. You can find healthy substitutes like dark chocolate to make tasty food. Healthy wholesome quick food every day of the week — that’s the principle I have used in my book as well — The Healthy Model Cookbook— which is about to launch in India from Penguin.

(Serve It Like Sarah airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 10pm on Fox Life)