| “ | I don't want to be just an inspiration. I want to be taken seriously. | ” |
Christine Hà was a contestant on Season 3 of MasterChef. She was the winner of that season and received the MasterChef trophy, the right to publish her own cookbook, and a salary of $250,000.
Personality
Ever since her audition for the show, Christine has become known as one of the most beloved and popular contestants to appear on MasterChef. She was level-headed and cautious, but also humble and sweet. In the kitchen, despite having a quiet start and lacking confidence, she quickly evolved into arguably the strongest and most consistent chef of the season, and would exhibit herself as a force to be reckoned with. She was also shown to be tenacious and determined, and would never use her disability as an excuse for a poor performance. Because of this, she got along well with almost all of her competitors, developing strong friendships with Josh, Stacey, Felix, Tanya, Monti, Becky, and Frank, and was respected by Mike and Michael. However, she had strong dislikes towards Tali and Ryan, the former for his incompetence and arrogance, and the latter for his disrespectful narcissism.
Season 3
Episode 1
Christine was the final home cook to audition this day. She walked in with her husband John, and revealed she was making a Vietnamese catfish dish with pickled vegetables and rice. When asked, she revealed that she was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition 10 years ago, and gradually lost her vision since. She believed her disability could be an advantage since she wouldn't have to worry about her other competitors. She decided not to serve her rice as it wasn't up to par.
Christine presented her braised catfish in a broth with the pickled vegetables. She received various compliments from all 3 judges, most notably Joe, saying her face speaks volumes and her eyes beam with happiness, pride, and passion. Her dish was deemed delicious by all the judges, and received 3 "yes" votes and her white apron. She received cheers and applause from the crowd, and told the cameras that everyone in America could overcome anything and get what they want, before declaring herself the next MasterChef.
Episode 2
Christine was not featured in this episode.
Episode 3
In the Top 36 Boot Camp, Christine revealed that she uses her guide, Cindy, as her eyes in order to have her pick out certain ingredients, although without any interference in her cooking. She decided to do a Thai Basil Beef dish. After presenting her dish to the judges, Graham praised the dish for the complex and delicious flavor, but criticized the dry beef. Joe asked Christine if she seasoned the rice, which the latter said she didn't, but Joe praised the dish for the flavorful beef and basil. Joe then led Christine back in line. Christine ultimately survived elimination.
Episode 4
In the Mystery Box Challenge, Christine was not seen presenting her dish.
In the Intimidating Dishes Invention Test, she presented her risotto with scallops, mushrooms, onions, and garlic. Gordon called the dish subpar. She survived elimination as her dish was not in the Bottom Three.
Episode 5
In the Marines Field Challenge, Christine was part of the Blue Team. Because the Blue Team lost the challenge, she had to face the Pressure Test.
In the Pressure Test, Christine accidentally cut herself, prompting Cindy to call for a medic. Afterwards, Joe visits her and asks if she thinks she at a disadvantage, to which Christine says yes, even going as far as to possibly think that she's going home. She also began to fall behind, to the point of asking Felix for extra flour, to which the latter ended up giving. When presenting her apple pie, she felt worried as she had no idea whether the bottom crust was cooked all the way and what the inside of the pie was like. Gordon pointed out that he has never seen Christine flustered before and that she didn't manage to put the apple pie in the oven by the last eighteen minutes. Christine responded that there was no excuse for her slowness. Christine guessed that her pie looked like a pile of rubbish. However, Ramsay praised the stunning look of the pie and told Christine to stop doubting herself. The bottom crust also looked crusty. His advice left Christine in tears. After tasting the pie, Ramsay praised the flavors for being delicious. At the end, Christine was safe from elimination.
Episode 6
In the Mystery Box Challenge, Christine decided to make panko fried sweetbreads with bok choy. Her dish was called up as one of the Top 3 dishes of the challenge. Joe called the dish terrific, while Gordon praised the dish for being cooked to perfection. Christine eventually lost to Ryan in the challenge.
In the Fresh vs Convenient Invention Test, Ryan assigned Christine to work with live crab for her dish. She pierced herself while struggling to work with the crab and had to get the medics involved again. When presenting her ceviche cocktail with tomato juice, Gordon immediately praised its presentation and questioned her if she was really blind. After tasting, Ramsay praised the cocktail for tasting delicious and got Ryan to taste her dish, which the latter also praised for being awesome. At the end, Christine was selected as one of the two winners of the challenge and is safe from elimination.
Episode 7
In the Hotel Field Challenge, Christine selected Felix, Scott, Tanya, Mike, Stacey, and Ryan to join the Red Team. The judges then revealed to her a secret advantage of swapping out a member of her team for a number of Josh's team, which she used to swap Ryan for Becky. During the challenge, Christine assigned herself and Becky to Eggs Benedict. She noticed how Felix was silent despite being the expeditor for the Red Team. Meanwhile, when the Red Team ran out of hollandaise sauce for the eggs benedict, Christine took charge of the station, resulting in the Red Team making a comeback from their disastrous start. At the end, the Red Team won the challenge.
Episode 8
In the Mystery Box Challenge, Christine started to fall behind during the last two minutes as she was still glazing her corn while everyone else was plating their food, prompting Gordon to get involved in tell her to speed up. Her dish was not selected for the Top 3.
In the Preferred Desserts Invention Test, Christine was assigned to make the Strawberry Shortcake. Her dish was praised by Gordon for the delicious and light shortbread, but Gordon was not able to find the strawberries in her dish. Regardless, her dish was not selected for the worst Strawberry Shortcake and was safe from elimination.
Episode 9
In the Venice Beach Field Challenge, Christine was part of the Blue Team. The Blue Team eventually came in second place, meaning Christine is safe from the Pressure Test.
Episode 10
Christine was not featured much in this episode.
Episode 11
In the Mystery Box Challenge, Gordon visited her and asks who she thinks will be in the bottom 3, to which she reluctantly said Monti. Her dish was not selected for the Top 3.
In the Fish Invention Test, Christine was assigned to work with salmon. She planned on making a panko crusted salmon with rice and stir-fried vegetables. When Joe and Graham visited her station, Joe stated that the dish seemed pedestrian on paper, meaning she would likely be in the bottom 3 if the dish wasn't executed perfectly. When presenting her dish, Gordon criticized the dish for having raw breadcrumbs and the salmon for being dry, labeling it as Christine's worst dish in the competition. Graham praised the salmon for the well done cook but criticized the unappealing presentation. Joe also felt disappointed about the dish. Monti also felt concerned about Christine as she had rarely seen the latter cook a dish that wasn't perfect. Her dish was in the bottom 3 alongside David's and Tali's dishes. Regardless, she was deemed safe from elimination.
Episode 12
In the Norco Horsetown Field Challenge, Christine was part of the Blue Team. The Blue Team would eventually win the challenge.
Episode 13
In the Elimination Test, Christine paired up with Stacey to make a Japanese sampler. Christine and Stacey ended up in the bottom 2 after their sampler was criticized by the judges. Christine ultimately survived elimination over Stacey.
Episode 14
Episode 15
Episode 16
Episode 17
Episode 18
Episode 19
Episode 20
Competition History
| Week 4 | In/In |
|---|---|
| Week 5 | Pressure Test |
| Week 6 | High/Win |
| Week 7 | Win |
| Week 8 | In/In |
| Week 9 | In |
| Week 10 | In/In |
| Week 11 | In/Low |
| Week 12 | Win |
| Week 13 | In/Low |
| Week 14 | Immune |
| Week 15 | High/In |
| Week 16 | Win |
| Week 17 | High/Win |
| Week 18 | Win |
| Week 19 | Win/Low |
| Week 20 | Winner |
Season 4
Episode 11
Christine appeared in the MasterChef Pantry alongside Gordon Ramsay, Graham Elliot and Joe Bastianich where she greeted Lynn Chyi who won the Mystery Box challenge that episode, when each ingredient was shown Christine commented on each one.
Christine was also the guest judge in the episode, tasting the dishes made by each contestant from Krissi's Fried Catfish which caused an argument between Krissi and Joe, to Luca's Crab 'risotto".
Season 6
Episode 17
Christine made an appearance, alongside Season 4 Winner, Luca, and Season 5 Winner, Courtney, to challenge the contestants to cook a dish with her Asian ingredients. Her basket was given to Stephen by Claudia, who won the Mystery Box prior.
Season 10
Episode 1
Christine appeared alongside Season 2 winner Jennifer Behm and Season 7 Winner Shaun as the three were there to provide some inspiration to the auditionees.
Episode 2
Episode 24/25
MasterChef Junior (season 7)
Episode 10
Christine appeared alongside with the MasterChef Season 6 winner Claudia Sandoval, the Masterchef Junior season 5 winner Jasmine Stewart and MasterChef Junior season 6 winner Beni Cwiakala as the guest of team challenge.
Post MasterChef
- After her appearance, Christine Ha's cookbook Recipes from My Home Kitchen: Asian and American Comfort Food was published. She offered private chef services, is a brand ambassador and a food blogger. She co-hosts a television show Four Senses, a cookery program for those with visual impairments, judged MasterChef Vietnam and appeared on MasterChef US.
- In 2014, she received the Helen Keller Personal Achievement Award.
- She opened her first restaurant, The Blind Goat, in Houston in July 2019 and her second restaurant Xin Chao with Tony J. Nguyen in 2020.
- In 2014, before she starts filming her new show, Four Senses, in Canada, she went to the MasterChef Canada Season 1 Finale to meet up and chat with the contestants of the season.[1]
- In 2019, Great Big Story made a video about her.[2]
- In 2021, Nas Daily made a video about her.[3]
Trivia
- She is the first blind contestant in MasterChef history. In addition, she is the first disability contestant in the history of the show to win the competition.
- She is the second of Vietnamese contestant to compete, following Slim (Season 1).
- She was the first Asian American contestant to win the American version of the show.
- She won the most challenges in her season, at 8.
- She became the first former contestant to become a regular judge, and the only winner to be a regular judge for a different country. (other being Andy Allen on MasterChef Australia).
- Her first cookbook, Recipes From My Home Kitchen: Asian and American Comfort Food from the Winner of MasterChef Season 3 on FOX (Rodale, 2013), became a New York Times best seller.
- She also has a Master of Fine Arts from University of Houston’s nationally acclaimed Creative Writing Program.
- During her time there, she served as Fiction Editor for Gulf Coast: A Journal of Literature and Fine Arts. She is currently working on a memoir. Christine lives in Houston, Texas, and plans to open establishments both locally and elsewhere.
Quotes
- "Coming to MasterChef as the first blind contestant ever doesn't intimidate me at all. My dream of becoming a chef is just as real as anybody else's."
- (About her Apple Pie) "I think it probably looks like a pile of rubbish."
- "I think I'm the only one in the MasterChef kitchen that's hoping for the canned crab."
- (After winning the Crab Elimination Test) "I'm pretty much on cloud nine at this point. Everyone is starting to recognize what I'm doing. I am a force to be reckoned with."
- "Monti's hearing is not all there, so Becky has to really amp up her communication because she's got team Helen Keller."
- "Coming here means realizing a culinary dream that I thought I could never achieve. I just want to be an inspiration to people that they can get what they want if they really put they're mind to it and they can overcome anything."
- (After winning MasterChef) "I just can't believe it; I'm the MasterChef. This has been the most amazing experience seriously. After all the obstacles I've been through, going up against awesome amazing cooks; I'm living proof that dreams come true against all odds."
- "I'M THE MASTERCHEF, BABY!!!!!!!"
Gallery
Season 3
Season 4
Season 6
Season 10
External links
Christine Hà on Instagram- Christine Hà on Twitter
- Christine Hà on Facebook
References
| MasterChef U.S. Season 3 |
|---|
| Judges |
| Gordon Ramsay • Graham Elliot • Joe Bastianich |
| Contestants |
| Stacey Amagrande • Monti Carlo • Michael Chen • Tali Clavijo • Felix Fang • Christine Hà • Mike Hill • Helene Leeds • Scott Little • Dave Mack • Josh Marks • David Martinez • Frank Mirando • Tanya Noble • Anna Rossi • Becky Reams • Samantha De Silva • Ryan Umane |