Eric Chong

“

With Asian parents, you have three options: doctor, engineer, or get beaten.

”

Hometown	Oakville, ON
Age	21
Occupation	Chemical Engineer
Statistics
Mystery Box(es) Won	1
Elimination Test(s) Won	2
Team Challenge(s) Won	1
Pressure Test(s) Survived	4
Top Entries	2
Bottom Entries	5
Placement	Winner

Eric Chong was a contestant on Season 1 of MasterChef Canada. He is the first MasterChef champion of that season and received the following: the MasterChef trophy and a salary of $100,000.

Personality

As a Chinese-Canadian university student, Eric was seen as a boundless, upbeat and energetic competitor in the competition and someone who wanted to change his life due to his cruelly unsupportive parent's disapproval of his culinary dream in the kitchen. Throughout his run, he was frantic, disorganized, scatterbrained, and unpredictable, with the tendency of zig-zagging all over the place when he was a team captain in a field team challenge. He also had a very audacious fighting spirit, wanting to over-impress the judges by over ambitiously pushing the envelope off the charts into dangerously groundbreaking territory. His risk taking would either pay off greatly or blow up in his face, and make him look pretentious. Despite his flaws, he showed raw talent, passion, creativity and promising potential. He was initially underestimated by his fellow competitors due to his pretentious over-ambition, unpredictable energy and youth. However, he has since gained respect from them as well as the judges (mainly Alvin) once he improved himself and learned from his mistakes to make restaurant quality dishes.

Season 1

Episode 1

Eric first appeared in this episode, auditioning his "This is Ducking Awesome" dish comprised of a Pan Seared Duck Breast, Rice, Spring Rolls and a Red Thai Curry Sauce. He gained a no from Michael, who claimed that he wouldn't be ready for the competition yet, but a yes from Claudio and was then given a rebuke/scolding from Alvin telling him to be very good if he was to be given a yes, especially considering when he went to taste the dish, the duck was burnt, and Eric argued against it. He later then gained a yes from Alvin and advanced.

Episode 2

Eric was seen cooking in a chicken challenge to earn a spot in the Top 16. He made a Chicken Ravioli with a Herb Cream Sauce. His dish advanced him into the Top 16.

Episode 3

In the Kraft Peanut Butter Mystery Box, his Peanut Butter Fruit Tart with Bruleed Strawberries and Chocolate was selected in the Top 3, but lost the challenge to Marida. In the smelt elimination challenge, he made a Smelt Broth with Soba Noodles topped with some Braised and Deep Fried and Smelts. Although his dish received praise from all the judges, especially from Alvin who claimed the braised smelts were highly innovative, his dish was not selected as the top or bottom dish of the challenge.

Episode 4

Eric was selected to be on the White Team, with Dale serving as the team captain. He lost the challenge and was sent to the pressure test. In the Ravioli pressure test, he overpowered his Ravioli by putting too much onions and sage garnish but was saved as Mike and Brooke had under performing dishes than him.

Episode 5

Eric cut his finger in the Burger Mystery Box Challenge and after he sliced his finger open, he was forced to sit the challenge one out while he got medical help. Eric was then returned to the competition and was tasked with baking a dessert along with Josh in the Apples and Beer Elimination Challenge by Kaila. Due to his Apple Pie with Beer Caramel having undercooked pastry, he was sent to the bottom 3 but was saved because his filling flavours were there, and Danny's dish was far worse.

Episode 6

Eric was assigned to the Red Team for the next team challenge at Toronto's distillery district. He lost the challenge but was immune from the pressure test along with Pino.

Episode 7

Eric made Cha Siu Tong Mein for the Childhood Mystery Box and was then declared the winner of the challenge and safe from elimination. He then assigned the other contestants select parts of the Alberta Beef Cuts.

Episode 8

In the next team challenge at CFB Trenton, he was selected by Pino to join his Blue Team. With an overwhelming 107 out of 151 votes, Eric won the challenge and was safe from participating the pressure test.

Episode 9

Eric made monkfish with a durian sauce for this Mystery Box challenge. His dish was not selected. During the Nanaimo Bar Elimination Challenge, he burned his caramel 3 times for his Chocolate Mousse Tart with a Nanaimo Bar Crust but after being able to save his caramel at the end, he ultimately ended up having the 2nd best dessert, behind Tammara making him a team captain for the next team challenge.

Episode 10

At Nathan Phillip Square in Toronto, Eric was then forced to run an Italian food truck after the Mexican food truck was given to Tammara. Eric choose Pino, Danielle, and Kaila form his Red Team initially, but Pino was exchanged for Julie by Tammara. Eric and his team lost of a narrow margin of $15. Eric was sent to the pressure test and had to recreate a Baked Alaska in 80 minutes. Despite not having confidence in the challenge, as he claimed that he hated desserts, his Baked Alaska was declared as the best and was safe from elimination.

Episode 11

Eric in the Lobster Elimination Challenge presented a Lobster Risotto with Cremini Mushrooms as his dish was selected in the Top 3. He, however, didn't win the challenge and the win was instead given to Mike. Eric was teamed up with Kaila by Mike in the Dim Sum challenge. They were then criticized by Alvin for having overcooked shrimp and lack of seasoning for their Ha Gou (Shrimp Dumpling) in their Dim Sum platter. However, Eric and Kaila were saved from elimination, as Marida and Julie's platter was worse.

Episode 12

Eric was selected to join the Blue Team, comprised of him, Pino and Marida for the restaurant takeover at Claudio's Origin North restaurant. His team lost. For this Dessert pressure test, Eric over ambitiously decides to fly close to the sun and makes 8 different flavors for his donuts (the challenge was to make a dozen with 3 different flavors) with a varying degree of success. He was luckily then saved from Pino's donuts due to his inconsistent donut size and un-risen dough.

Episode 13

Eric was reunited with his family and later comprised in the Blue Team with Kaila and Mike to make a family meal for their families. The 3 lost the challenge. Eric, as well as Kaila and Mike were sent to the pressure test, making Steak Frites with Béarnaise Sauce. Eric's steak was cooked perfectly, his fries were the best but had the worst Béarnaise, as it was criticized for being too thick, and Kaila said it wasn't a Béarnaise Sauce, but instead it was a Béarnaise Mayonnaise. He was luckily saved from Mike's elimination after the latter's steak was raw.

Episode 14

Masterchef US judge Joe Bastianich appeared as a guest judge for this episode and Eric and the other contestants had to make a Mystery Box dish comprised of Italian Ingredients selected by Joe. Eric decided to go simple and made a homemade Fettuccine with Sausage and Tomato Sauce. Joe comments that the dish is simple and comments about Eric was to price his pasta at Joe's restaurant. Eric prices his dish around $15–20. Joe comments that Eric is overvaluing himself and later gives the main judges their opportunity to give feedback for the pasta dish. Alvin comments that he is happy that Eric went simple but comments that the pasta should not be charged $20. Alvin then comments that the pasta is good and later declares Eric safe from elimination. During the final elimination challenge, Eric was assigned to cook with the Crab. Eric then makes a Thai Curry Crab with Coconut Rice, Lime and Mango. Despite being criticized by Michael for having large pieces of lime in the dish, his dish ended up being the best one of the challenge, and he was sent to compete in the finale.

Episode 15

Eric was seen in the finale, alongside with Marida. For his appetizer, he made Crispy Pork Belly with Vegetable Dumplings and Wasabi Mayo. Entree, Lobster Chow Mein and for his Desert, an Asian take on a Banana Split with Red Bean and Green Tea Ice Creams, Banana Tempura and Mango Couli. Eric was then declared the winner and gained the right to be titled "Canada's First Masterchef", the trophy and $100,000 prize.

Competition History

Week 3	High/In
Week 4	Low
Week 5	Did Not Participate/Low
Week 6	No Pressure Test
Week 7	Win/Immune
Week 8	Win
Week 9	In/Win
Week 10	Pressure Test
Week 11	High/In
Week 12	Low
Week 13	Low
Week 14	Low/Win
Week 15	Winner

Post MasterChef

• After the show, he left chemical engineering and began to train as a professional chef with Alvin Leung, one of the show's judges, in Hong Kong. Both of them later then opened a restaurant together called R&D (Rebel & Demon) in March 2015. He also guest starred in Season 2, 3 and 5 and competed in the MasterChef Canada: All-Star Family Edition special.

Trivia

• At 21, he is the youngest contestant of the season.
• He was the youngest winner of Masterchef Canada in which he held the title, until it was given to 19 year old Beccy Stables in Season 5.

Quotes

• "With Asian parents, you have 3 options: doctor, engineer or get beaten."
• (To Alvin during his audition) "You're Alvin Leung, you're a chef, you're an engineer, you're living my dream".
• Michael: "As you can see, Kaila won the last Mystery Box challenge." Eric: "Did everyone else cut themself?"

External Links

• Eric Chong on Instagram: wok_lobster