Christine Ha, American MasterChef in 2012

Christine Ha instructed some visually impaired children to make Mid-Autumn cakes. She taughtthem step by step from kneading the dough and making the filling to molding beautiful mooncakes filled with pumpkin and cheese.

Ho Nha Linh, who participated in the training, said “When I knew that a master chef will teach me to make mooncakes, I was very excited and happy because I would learn cake making from an experienced chef.”

“I feel excited to make mooncakes and receive instructions from an American master chef,” said Do Ngoc Minh Chau, a participant in Christine's mooncake making class.

Teaching visually impaired children to make mooncakes is one of many activities that Christine Hà has participated in during her journey to explore Vietnam’s cuisine. She has offered cooking tutorials in Hanoi, Son La, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City and met with people with disabilities in these localities. She shared with them her inspiring story of overcoming difficulties and disabilities to succeed.

Christine Ha said: “I realize that life is never easy. Having lost my mom when I was young, it was the first very big challenge I’d experienced. Then losing my vision when I was in my 20, as a young adult, I realize that life will never happened the way you expect to. The important thing is what you make of it. And a lot of challenges build characters. I feel like life is not rewarding unless you feel the challenge. For me, in some ways, I was very tiring. But sometime I say I welcome the challenge because it makes me grow as a person and become a better person.”

Christine suffered from severe neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). She completely lost her eyesight at the age of 20. Therefore, after graduating from the University of Texas in Austin with a degree in finance and information systems management, Hà could not do the work she wished. She continued to study for a Master’s Degree in Writing at the University of Houston and planned to become a writer. The big event that changed her life was her participation in the American MasterChef Season 3 in 2012.

On joining the contest, at first, Christine just wanted to get experience as material for her writing, not to win. But the more she moved forward in the competition, the more she tried her best. Finally, she surpassed more than 3,000 amateur chefs from across the US to become the American MasterChef Champion. To achieve her success, Christine had overcome the pressures of life and her own disability.

“When people meet me, they often say ‘Oh you are not what I expected. You are pretty down to earth, whatever.” I don’t think of myself as anyone special. I think every one comes from their own track, their own path, everyone’s story is special. I’m a human being like anyone else. I always remember that we are human, we are in common, and just because I’m well-known in public does not make me any better or more special than anyone else,” Ha said.

With her best effort, Christine Ha convinced the jury and showed the world the abilities of people with disabilities. After the victory, Christine Ha became the US Culinary Ambassador to several countries in the Middle East and Europe. She has participated in many cooking tutorials and given inspiring talks to people with disabilities.

She said: “Cooking is a serious stuff. There are some challenges of showing the children and other people with visual impairment how to cook. It’s definitely challenging to feel around the table and find the ingredients. But if you try to well organize the ingredients, smell the ingredients, feel it, and taste it, you can tell the differences.”

While talking with Vietnamese people with disabilities during her trip back to Vietnam, Christine Hà said “patience, believing in intuition and seizing opportunities” are the keys to her success and gave her confidence in herself. By taking small steps to go beyond one’s comfort zone one will get used to one’s fear and gain new opportunities. “Break the limit” is the message that Christine Ha sends to young people, especially those with disabilities, when facing the “big waves and winds” of life.