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MasterChef Season 3: Exclusive Interview With Winner Christine Ha

Posted on 09/12/2012 by Todd in MasterChef and Cast Interviews

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Christine Ha from MasterChef Season 3

 

by Todd Betzold

 

In last night's season finale of MasterChef, it was a battle between Christine Ha and Josh Marks to see who would be crowned the winner of Season 3. Despite the judges stating she made simpler dishes, Christine's meal was very cohesive and that is what won the judges over and she was crowned the third woman to win MasterChef, despite competing with a huge disadvantage: Christine is blind! Today, we got an exclusive interview with Christine as she talked about her experiences on MasterChef, her cookbook and much more.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: What made you want to try out for MasterChef?
A. Christine: I always liked to push myself and see how far I can go and I think MasterChef was just another one of those things that I thought hey, this is something that I like to do. I like to cook, why not see how far I can make it.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: We've had many people comment saying it was fixed and all set-up for you to win this season. What do you have to say to those people?
A. Christine: I would say that haters are gonna be haters and I can't argue that. There is going to be people with different opinions and I respect that, but I think these people weren't there. They weren't there with the rest of us cooking. I honestly think if you talk to the rest of the cast, they are supportive. I can't argue with these people and what they are going to think. At the end of the day, I just went in there and did the best that I can and I'm not the one that made the decision and I don't really have anything to say to that.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: What were you thinking when it was you and Josh going into the finals?
A. Christine: I was thinking man, they have the shortest person with the tallest person cooking off and it must have looked funny (laughing). I think that Josh is very competitive, as am I. He is a strong cook and even more than ever determined to win with his comeback, so I was nervous going into the finale with him.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: Despite all the haters, you've inspired many people throughout the whole season, but what has this experience meant to you?
A. Christine: I think it has been a humbling and amazing experience at the same time. Just seeing the positive impact I have had on people, whether it is fellow contestants or fans or viewers around the world, I think just sharing myself and my story and my cooking and food with others, it's just incredible and that, of anything, is worth more than any of the prizes.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: What was it like working with all the time constraints of the challenges and food ingredients given to you?
A. Christine: Very, very stressful. I think the whole experience is the most stressful experience I've ever been through in my life. Going into it, I had no idea it was going to be the way that it was. It was difficult working with a lot of things I've never worked with before, but I think it is beyond cooking skill, it is about strategy and the longer I was there I started learning it's about strategy too. I had to think if I have 60 minutes to execute a challenge, I try to allot myself some time and then I think what can I actually execute in 50 minutes just to allow myself a ten minute cushion time. So, it's those types of strategies and also not trying to think too outside of the box when you get where you get way too creative in a bad way. The judges will think you are running before you can walk, but it is also trying to push yourself so that you are growing and not cooking the same thing over and over. It is a balance of all of these things and I had to thinking about all of it as I go into every challenge.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: What was your favorite challenge this season?
A. Christine: My favorite challenge might have to be the Food Truck Challenge where we went to Venice Beach and ran food trucks. Most of the time, honestly, I think I don't like the field challenges because it presents a whole new environment for me that I have to get used to. It was already hard for me to get used to the MasterChef Kitchen, but to go out to someplace that I have no idea how things are set-up, that was so difficult. With the food truck, it was a cuisine that I love to cook and I love to eat and I felt like it was the first team challenge that I felt like I contributed largely to towards our victory.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: What type of cookbook will you be making and when can our readers expect to see it on the shelves?
A. Christine: I believe it is going to come out sometime in the spring. I don't know exactly yet. I'm just starting to think about the concept of it, but my favorite things to eat and cook are comfort foods, so I think it will have a lot of comfort food recipes. It will reflect the sort of things I cooked on the show. There will be a lot of Asian flavors, but a lot of Southern flavors as well. I think international flavors. Just sort of things that are not going to be too difficult to cook, but always delicious to eat.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: You were a grad student before starting on MasterChef. Are you finishing grad school now or is cooking your career path now?
A. Christine: No, I'm definitely going to finish school. I'm the type of person that likes to follow through. Now that I'm the MasterChef, I still want to be Master of Fine Arts so I'm still going to obtain that degree. I have to push off my thesis since I was supposed to graduate this past semester, but this whole thing called MasterChef sort of got in the way, so I'm pushing it off to graduate next year and I'll still finish school.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: Anything to add?
A.: Christine: I just want to say to everyone that watched, thank you for watching on behalf of everyone else on the show. I do honestly feel like I share this title with my friends on the show. Everyone worked just as hard as I did and I thank you for all the support and encouragement that I've gotten from fans that have watched. It's been very awesome and humbling.

(Image courtesy of FOX)

 

Follow Todd on Twitter @tbetzold


  


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