UNPACKED REALITY - MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA - KHRISTIAN

It's in the news today, but it was actually on TV Reload.

The podcast last week They're Life.

Hey guys, welcome back to TV Reload. I want to thank you for clicking and downloading on today's episode with Christian, the fourth eliminated contestant from MASTERSHEF Australia, which is on Network ten from Sundays through to Thursday nights at seven thirty. Christian is twenty six years of age currently works in insurance services, but he's had a passion for food ever since he was ten years old and helped his single mum out by stepping up and learning how to cook

Hey Ben, that's me you mate.

Hey, how are you sorry? As we were connecting to you, it seemed less like we were connecting to broad Meadows and more like we were connecting to Melmac Because there was a weird it was a weird sound.

Well, look, I am kind of technically on the border of body right now, so it's probably accurate.

How the hell are you?

I'm good, mate, I feel like I know you because I listened to about the podcast like I'm good.

I'm actually agored it. I feel good.

Well, a boy from broad Meadows with a heart of gold. What does it mean to get picked to be on a show like this?

It means the world straight up, Like there's no no butts now in betweens. It literally just means the world to have an opportunity to even be blessed enough to walk into the doors of the Master Chef kitchen for one day, let alone the amount of time I was there.

And what if your mate said about you getting picked to be on a show like this? Were they excited for you? Do they think this was sort of other worldly?

A few mixed reviews, all good reviews, but a few mixed, mainly very happy and excited of mate, You're going to kill it, like awesome, thank you so much, You're going to just you know, do us all proud? And then the other side is why haven't you cooked for me yet? And and one of my best mates, got Elijah goes.

You know, I love you, but I'm not sharing you on Instagram.

Yeah, oh Savage, I know, Like I just don't do that stuff.

I'm like, mate, it's fine, relaxed and did he did?

He did?

He?

Just no, he texts me.

Let's call him on the podcast now and give him, give him, give him he Let's give him what for? You know, how did you become this person who wanted to step out of your surroundings and say that I want I want more.

Look, I think it just comes from being super observant. I'm the youngest of six kids, and look, I love my family to bits.

They've made good choices, bad choices.

But the best thing about being the youngest is you just get to watch, You get to observe see the mistakes people make, the good choices people make, and go, i'll do that.

I won't do that.

And that kind of like led me into my teenage years of doing the same thing of me doing things that were mistakes and me going.

Op, shouldn't have done that.

Yeah, to me, making good decisions decisions and realizing good decisions lead you to another good decisions. As Matthew McConaughey would say it was a green light, and like, it just kind of made me realize chasing green lights and not letting red lights stop you something that I needed to do to get out of where I.

Am appreciate writing all of this down. I'm running it all down for myself anywhere. Keep going.

Yeah, like doing that and constantly realizing that even when things go crappy, it's only a lesson for you to learn to stop it from going crappy again in the future. So I think it's kind of having that mindset. Don't get me wrong, I don't have it every day. I have days where I'm like stuff the world. You know, everyone's out.

To get me. But it's not dwelling in that place and.

Not realizing, oh I had one bad cook, or I've had one bad day, or my boss is angry at me.

It was cool.

Now I have something to improve on, something to grow from, something to push myself further.

Forget master chef, write a book. I think that there's I think there's some coin in this for you just.

Oh gosh, just saying motivational speaking.

Yeah, no, no, no, I think you'd make a fortune going around to schools and talking to young people because.

I'd love to.

Yeah, I think I'm putting a press release together for you. I'm managing you from.

Now on because I've gotten lock it in deal.

And we're both Melbourne boys, so like I'll I'll find feel delivered. I love it.

You know.

You say things that I can imagine everyone at home would say, and I think that's I think it's the magic of you. In some way, I'm sort of partial to the person who says what they see. If someone comes into the room dressed as a frog, you kind of go, that's a frog. You know it's genius. Was there a previous contestant that had inspired you to apply for Master Chef?

I could say many, from Julie to Brant to one of my best mates actually and me.

Who was on two seasons ago. He would just say, dude, go do it. Go apply, Like what have you got to lose. I did the same.

Thing and I got on and I was like, oh, he's like, just do it, and he literally hammered me to say go and do it, and I did it.

To this day, I still thank him to like do it. I'm so glad I did.

A thank you for pushing me absolutely. I mean, did you have a dish at home that you were like, that's this is my Master Chef dish. This is this is what's given me the confidence to go and be on a show like this.

One hundred percent, like it would be my Opigon dish. I cooked in episode one, just a way less reform, refined version of it, and just anytime I cooked food for people, it wasn't what it looks like or what it tastes like, even though everyone said it tasted great. It was just realizing what it did to people on that deeper level of bringing them together or the enjoyment they had. And I was like, well, if I can share this with five people, why can't I share this with five million.

I know, I don't know how many people watch, but.

Well, let's just say it's five million. We'll say that great. By the time. By the time it's gone around, you know that this show gets watched and gets scrutinized. It's loved by so many different countries. It's not just it's not one of those shows that just gets seen here in Australia like it's interesting. I've spoken to contestants that are like previous contestants that are like, it's on in South Africa at the moment, and my Instagram's blowing up.

Yeah, it's crazy. That's that's something that I want to find very interesting.

Like Ben was right, people be flying into into Melbourne. We've got to go to Broady go and seeing Christian, We've got to go catch up with him.

Oh gosh, this should be like a pre warning for that.

But anyway, yeah, yeah, probably you're probably right. You know, you're such a such a sweetheart, and I can hear that in you today. And I loved your interaction with the judges, especially the guest judges. You just get so excited about being in the same room as them. Who were you the most excited to meet?

It's most excited to meet in the sense of in the future or no, no, no.

Like in the kitchen, like because there were so many moments where you were like, you know, I thought you were going to shit yourself when Jamie Oliver turned up. You were kind of like R two D two from Star Wars. You'd sort of rock back and forward and beep as they came in, and you did that a couple of times.

Yeah.

Look, I can say a million different names, but still I left to stand by Jamie like he was the first one, but he was the one I wanted to meet. I had a bucket list going into this was a don't get eliminated first be meet Jamie Oliver and see me top ten.

And I think two out of three is not bad.

That's pretty good. Yeah, no, have that on your bingo card. But you know it's interesting. You know, it's one thing to meet they you know what they say, They say, don't meet your heroes? Or is it or does it meet you here? I can't remember. There's one of those things that's out there. What does Jamie Oliver or what does the chance of cooking alongside Jamie Oliver teach you? And was it worth it? Did it live up to your expectation?

Said exceeded his expectations.

And you should definitely meet your heroes if your heroes are somebody that's such a great guy.

Like him, because at the end of the day, his mission out there is to go and help people. You can see that from.

His school's series that he did with the lunches and schools and all that stuff, and he genuinely cares so much about people, food and sharing what he knows of people, and I'm the same. So for me, realizing that we had similar morals like that made me go, this guy

I'm put you can get back down on this one. Did you say a shower.

Beer with him? And we told him what it was? Mate?

Long day work, it's been rough, or someone's mad.

Ear you've had a crappy day.

Go home, shower sinking, hot lights off, candle on, packuld beer, Get in the shower.

I'm having right now, best beer you're ever having your life. Life's cold. Be a hot shower done.

It's too early in the day for people listening to this podcast. It's nine to forty in the morning. Too early for a shower beer. But I'm definitely putting that on the Bingo card for the weekend. Done, did you have a shower beer? Like? I want to know if I can take you back to watching your final episode, what was that?

Like?

What did you choose to do? Please don't tell me you decided to try and recook that Jean Christophe Jack in the Box.

I haven't tried to recook it yet. It definitely will be on the cards one day. My future mother in law's already said can we remake that? And I'm like, oh gosh, PTSD. But honestly, the first thing I did was call my partner, let her know what happened, and she was just there to support me the whole way through, met me with a massive hug and a kissed and said you know, I'm so proud of you. And then walking around the hotel that night, realizing everyone felt the.

Same way, was just kind of like, ah, you know, I'm not a failure.

I did good like you kind of realized that in yourself. When you get eliminated from a show like this, you think, oh I'm crap or I suck, But hang on, look at all the good you did up until this point and what good could come from this? Change your mindset and go this isn't a red light, it's a green light.

It's almost as though in some ways I've always wanted to I don't think I've ever asked this, but like, what's the exit plan leaving a show like this, because we as an audience, what you turn around and walk out of the kitchen and just assume, you know, like cab picture up takes you home and then you cry for the rest of the year. What is it that? What happens? Are they do they pull you aside, do you see a counselor do you get a chance to go look.

One thing I'll say about the Mastershift team and and them all is that their level of support for all of us is absolutely amazing. They care about us foremost and support us all the way through. They're like that for everyone.

And you're met.

Outside with a big cuddle and a kiss from someone and a lot of support and love the whole way through to the point of you eventually getting.

In that cab and going home.

But they definitely reach out, they check in, they take care of you, They give you the time you need. They think of that first before you know, important stuff of getting the card or getting to take their main need.

They just want to make sure you're okay, and for that I'll always think them.

But do you get to watch the episode in advance? Are you watching it with Australia with the ads, with everything.

I'm watching it live with everyone, and it was all happening live with everyone, and I was like tuning in like everyone else, And to be honest, I was absolutely loving it and like actually laughing the whole way through of enjoyment. When I'm sitting with my partner and she's drinking a bottle of wine, freaking out, stressing out, and I'm like, relax.

It's all good.

This is the magic of you. Like I was watching you walking up and you're like, I, I have forgot to put the nuts on it. And then the wall fell down, you know, the sugar glass wall fell down, and you were like it's okay, and I was like, I was fretting for you. Where did you? Where do you come? Where does that sort of confidence or sort of this is this is how it is? Where does that sort of mantra come from?

Well, there's a few things. It is what it is.

It is probably one I stand by, and then fellow Melbournian's sushi mango say, sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe not. I'm not going to use the word, but look, it's the truth. Like good things happen, bad things happen, you have to roll with the punches. My sugar walls weren't great. Wall fell down. But at the end of the day, I finished the Michelin star dessert that I had no business making in the first place, never thought I.

Would ever make.

Started, didn't give up, and finished, and that's a win of my books, Go Home or not.

You know, it looked fine to me. It was funny when you plated it, and then the judges saw it, because I think it was. Sophia was like, you know, this does not look like yours, Jean Christoph and I was like, what are you talking about? That thing looks amazing, Like I couldn't make that if you paid me a gazillion dollars, Like it's interesting. Though we don't see as much of her as maybe some of the other judges.

She's a gem.

Sofia is an absolute gem, and look, this is the big breakout for her obviously, but people don't realize she's got a food blog that she does, a magazine that she emails out.

She knows more about food and her little finger than.

A lot of people, and she loves food, respects food, and is just an absolute delight.

So she's super supportive, super.

Caring and generally, like all the other judges, just want to see us succeed.

But at the same time, still a competition.

There's a little level of respect that's needed for the food and a level of realization of not every dish a pressure test is going to be amazing because we're all making the same thing and there's going to be for somewhere. I wouldn't want to be in their positions having a pick out of the four of us who was on going home because we all did such a great job no matter what.

But do you have any idea like this is what I also was curious about. You've had the baby boxes and we now know who's going into this pressure test. Do you guys have a feeling going into it? Who's going to go home? Did you, you know, like it could be or was there any finger pointing, like did anyone did you guys have a conversation about it?

Look, we definitely chatted about it.

I think it was more so after the cook or just before, and we were all just kind of like, no one thought about it. It was just like, we know one of us is going home, but we're not going to make it a thing. Let's support each other, let's finish, let's make this dish, let's do our best, and let the cards play what they played. And at the end, like it was so supportive. I remember talking to them in me and going, hey, we're not lose whatever happens, love you, I'm so glad to have met you,

Do you think that's the type of personality that gets picked that's that makes this family type environment for Master Chef contestants, or he's a creator's curated by the producers that make the show. I'm always curious as like, why is it that this show is full of such warmth and heart.

I don't know, but honestly, I'm not in the casting thing, but they do a bloody great job because they introduced me to twenty one other people that I'm going to call my family for the rest of my life and my kids will call auntie and uncle because I'm so glad.

They picked too. They picked They couldn't imagine doing that with anyone else.

I'm running out of time, and I've just got so many questions to ask because I'm gonna have to just start firing some of these away. How did you hurt yourself with that glass sugar? They said, oh, he's cut himself. Did you actually cut yourself on that?

Really?

How bad?

I said?

It dries so quickly and hardened so fast that I don't know how I did it, But I somehow ran my finger across a sharp corner and it cut me.

And I was like, I just cut myself on sugar.

Amazing. Okay, So that's the answer to that. That'll be in a Final Destination movie coming out soon. Well, Poe. When Poe was saying that once you make a mistake when you're doing a cook well, when you're doing a pressure test that you can't really recover, was there a point through your cook that you did something where you then didn't recover, or did you try to maintain consistency and push forward.

I definitely tried to maintain consistency and push forward. Like John said, my one of my creams were a little bit overwhipped, and you know I experienced that, but not even that.

The sugar work itself was so difficult.

I wanted to throw in the towel and wasn't for power, I wouldn't have I wouldn't have finished. To be honest, I don't think because she was so supportive and mistake or not, she got to my level and supported me through it and pushed me to not give up.

Okay, well this is also really hard because you're going to have to give me one, just one. And I'm sure you just said at the start of this that you listened to some of the podcast that I'm making everyone pick one person who was your favorite judge and who is your favorite participant that you cooked alongside.

Favorite judge would have to be poish as a gem, love it a bit, and favorite contestant.

You're killing me, Ben, Look I'm gonna have I'm gonna have to shout out to my boy JOHNO.

He's just got a Heider gold and he deserves everything coming his way and he's a laugh Like, who doesn't love Johnny?

Do we we have to?

I mean I think viewers in we are all connected with this thought and that is that you and john are leaving in succession. Like that has pissed us off. You guys had so much heart in your final episode. Wouldn't they have just shown you, like picking your nose and putting it in the food, or doing something that made us not like you. You guys got the warmest send off that it actually has annoyed me that both of you have gone home?

Is it sad to say?

I'm glad that's the way it was sent off, because it's kind of like one of those cliche haanger moments.

So you don't want to see this eequel.

Well, if either of you two, if one of you two don't come back in a future season, I'm going to get the notepad and pen out and write something to Network ten. Anyway, what is next for you moving forward?

Look next to me, I've got a few things on the play.

Obviously, I've still want to open up any shop chitch, but you know, with those takes a lot of money. So let's try and see what we can do about that one. Not winning is going to put that in the bit of a bit of a slow burn. But I just want to do what I can to get out there, put my name on the map, share my recipes of people to help them be able to make nutritious, great food for them, friends, their family on a budget.

Inspire the future.

Generation of kids that were like me, not knowing what to do with thought's in the pantry because you know their parents aren't around, or they're kind of in their own situation that's not great. And I just want to find a way to, like you said, get into schools, cook with them, inspire them, and just kind of give a light to the young Christian kind of guy or girl who's just got the world against them and they want to somehow push through.

Christian. Can I tell you that this is a really it's a bit of a myth. Winning a show is not going to open those doors for you. Could be the winner of Master Chef and those things may not happen for you. It is win or lose. How you want to take this journey now is going to be a hero's journey regardless, and it comes down to your mentality. Just telling the schools, writing to the principles, telling them that you have a story like this is going to

It doesn't work well, mate, I hope so as Po always says, you don't have to win to win.

No, absolutely, and she should knows. She's lost a thousand times on many reality shows. Let's bring up on a celebrity, maybe not before you go something. I ask everyone who joins the pod, and what is something from behind the scenes, something that we didn't get a chance to see, kind of like a fun sort of behind the scenes, you know, anecdote or something that happened to you while you're making the show.

That's a really good one. Look for me.

It would literally just have to be the great there. So we had with all the producers and all of the team at end themle they were a laugh. They were right there with us in the trenches, and it was such so much bigger and the twenty two of us.

As the family.

Many card games, many laughs, and many great meals for shared and I'll remember it forever.

Well, mate, I just want to say thank you, thank you, so much for sharing your story with me today. I know that there's lots of people that have been you know, more people have been listening to this, to my interviews with the Master Chef people than any other Master Chef season that I've done before. Great, and I think that's quite amazing and something beautiful to tell the participants, you know, I think that's nice.

The road together, then I'm on it.

Anyway. Welcome, look after yourself. Enjoy chatting to the media. This is today's your moment, so just enjoy it.

Thanks mate, really appreciate it. It's been an absolutely pleasure again to talk to you.

Sounds good, alright, I'll chaut to you. Letterbab yeah bite