Feature Writer Alena Roberts – Christine Ha Proves That You Don’t Need Sight to Make a Great Meal
It is rare to see actors on television who are blind, and even rarer to see blind reality show contestants. Earlier this summer, I told you about Christine Ha who was competing on the show Master Chef. This past Monday was the season finale and Christine was among the last in the competition. Each week she continued to wow the judges and overcome her challenges, and after a tough journey, she came away with the title of “Master Chef.”
The season finale was a great demonstration of why Christine earned the title. She and the other finalist were simply asked to make a three course meal that would taste good, fit well together, and show that they really were a Master Chef. Christine decided to make the food she grew up with.
She started with a Thai salad, followed by a pork belly, and finished it off with a braised coconut lime sorbet. Although each dish was quite tasty, the judges weren’t sure if these dishes were complex enough. In the end though, Christine’s decision to play to her strengths instead of making new or more extravagant dishes won her the competition.
In July, Christine gave an interview to the NPR show Tell Me More. During the interview Christine talked about what she might do if she won the competition. Outside of paying medical bills, she hoped to potentially open an ice cream shop or a gastro pub. To hear the whole interview visit this link: http://www.npr.org/2012/07/17/156904473/blind-cook-serves-up-tough-competition-on-masterchef
Along with the money, Christine will also be publishing her own cookbook. If there were dishes that she made during the show that you liked, then you’ll be able to find them there. Don’t forget that you can also find lots of her recipes on her blog at www.theblindcook.com
I hope that everyone enjoyed watching Master Chef as much as I did. We’re currently working on landing an interview with Christine Ha, so look for that article in the future.