It is understood it is the first time a Dunedin chef has won the commis chef of the year title at the New Zealand Hospitality Championships.
"I'm pretty stoked - I'm over the moon," Mr McDonald (22) said yesterday.
Mr McDonald works as a commis chef (junior chef) at the Vault 21 restaurant in Octagon and won the title in Auckland earlier this week.
The high-powered event is run by the New Zealand Chefs Association.
Mr McDonald has worked at Vault 21 for the past two years.
Vault 21 and Prohibition Smoke House group executive chef Greg Piner praised Mr McDonald's "massive" achievement in beating commis chefs from the country's top restaurants.
"It's not only good for him, it's good for Dunedin."
The win highlighted the strength of Dunedin's food scene and showed the city was home to "the new generation of high-performing and highly professional chefs", he said.
"His life will change - doors will swing open," Mr Piner said.
Mr McDonald said he competed in three intense hour-long events, during which a vegetarian entree, a beef dish and a dessert were prepared, on Monday and Tuesday of this week.
