Christine Hà, from Houston, USA, has always had a love for food and was a self-taught home cook when she found her vision deteriorating at age 20. In 2003, Christine was officially diagnosed with optic neuromyelitis.
But the physical disability did not weaken Christine's passion and resolve to improve her cooking. She continued to hone her culinary skills, demanding chef standards from herself and boosting her other four senses to make up for her deficiency. With a passion for cooking, she took part in culinary competition MasterChef, competing at the same level with other sensory-functional chefs, beating the odds to emerge the ultimate champion.
We chat with the chef to get an insight to her world.
But the physical disability did not weaken Christine's passion and resolve to improve her cooking. She continued to hone her culinary skills, demanding chef standards from herself and boosting her other four senses to make up for her deficiency. With a passion for cooking, she took part in culinary competition MasterChef, competing at the same level with other sensory-functional chefs, beating the odds to emerge the ultimate champion.
We chat with the chef to get an insight to her world.
1. How do you cook using only four of your senses?
It is certainly full of challenges, but after years of learning, I got accustomed to cooking using only four senses, which also taught me to pay closer attention to the delicate details in my dishes.
For example, knife skills are a quintessential skill to chefs, but I only managed to grasp it using my sense of touch coupled with years of continuous practice. I believed in and encouraged myself that any chef with vision can also use the knife without actually looking at it. I am very careful during the process of cutting vegetables, not seeking to achieve much in terms of speed, but instead focusing on cutting finely.
It is certainly full of challenges, but after years of learning, I got accustomed to cooking using only four senses, which also taught me to pay closer attention to the delicate details in my dishes.
For example, knife skills are a quintessential skill to chefs, but I only managed to grasp it using my sense of touch coupled with years of continuous practice. I believed in and encouraged myself that any chef with vision can also use the knife without actually looking at it. I am very careful during the process of cutting vegetables, not seeking to achieve much in terms of speed, but instead focusing on cutting finely.
2. How do you design a dish without the use of vision?
Because I used to have vision, I remember the colours, and their contrast alongside each other. I will sketch in my brain the final appearance of my dishes, and then use my hands to actually create and construct them.
During the process of my creation of dishes, most of my inspiration comes from tasting new dishes from other chefs, or inspiration I get from my travels.
If a certain dish has left a deep impression in me, after I get home, I will start to study and attempt to make the dish using traditional methods. After successfully making the dish the traditional way, I would then think of how to add my own creativity, and use my own palate and style to further enhance the dish.
3. How do you train your other four senses?
This is a matter of survival. Therefore, I have to practice hard, and I believe other visually-impaired people will make the same choice as well.
Since I can no longer rely on my vision, my other four senses must be even more sensitive to the environment in which I live. Now, I am able to listen to several different conversations going on at the same time, and smell and discern different tastes faster than my friends. Most importantly, my taste buds can taste food more effectively than before.
Because I used to have vision, I remember the colours, and their contrast alongside each other. I will sketch in my brain the final appearance of my dishes, and then use my hands to actually create and construct them.
During the process of my creation of dishes, most of my inspiration comes from tasting new dishes from other chefs, or inspiration I get from my travels.
If a certain dish has left a deep impression in me, after I get home, I will start to study and attempt to make the dish using traditional methods. After successfully making the dish the traditional way, I would then think of how to add my own creativity, and use my own palate and style to further enhance the dish.
3. How do you train your other four senses?
This is a matter of survival. Therefore, I have to practice hard, and I believe other visually-impaired people will make the same choice as well.
Since I can no longer rely on my vision, my other four senses must be even more sensitive to the environment in which I live. Now, I am able to listen to several different conversations going on at the same time, and smell and discern different tastes faster than my friends. Most importantly, my taste buds can taste food more effectively than before.
4. How did you gather up the courage to participate in a culinary competition?
After losing my sight, I became more courageous and learnt to ski while being visually-impaired. I found that life is too short, and we must learn to accept the challenges that we face. If we do not try, the chance of success is 0%.
5. Have you ever thought of giving up?
I did ever think about giving up during the competition, but never before in life have I contemplated likewise. I learnt to trust my instincts, and overcome what is known as the Impostor Syndrome, which is the tendency to deny and doubt myself.
In all these years, I feel I have overcome the fear of insecurity in my life, and of course my victory in the culinary competition gave me greater confidence as well. However, during the competition, I once contemplated giving up, because the real competition on set is way more difficult and complicated than how it looks on television, we were in a high pressure environment. At one point, I really missed my home, my friends and family. But I am also a very strong person, I will not give up easily, so I choose to persevere till the very end.
After losing my sight, I became more courageous and learnt to ski while being visually-impaired. I found that life is too short, and we must learn to accept the challenges that we face. If we do not try, the chance of success is 0%.
5. Have you ever thought of giving up?
I did ever think about giving up during the competition, but never before in life have I contemplated likewise. I learnt to trust my instincts, and overcome what is known as the Impostor Syndrome, which is the tendency to deny and doubt myself.
In all these years, I feel I have overcome the fear of insecurity in my life, and of course my victory in the culinary competition gave me greater confidence as well. However, during the competition, I once contemplated giving up, because the real competition on set is way more difficult and complicated than how it looks on television, we were in a high pressure environment. At one point, I really missed my home, my friends and family. But I am also a very strong person, I will not give up easily, so I choose to persevere till the very end.
This article was written by Tang Jie and translated by Foo Chay Yeow. Click here to read the original version of this story which first appeared on MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau.
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