Back in season five of MasterChef, Christina Batista made it all the way to Finals Week, eventually placing fifth in the competition.
It’s an achievement Batista is immensely proud of, and now, she’s back for more.
Rejoining the MasterChef kitchen for this season’s Fans & Favourites, Batista is determined to go all the way this time around, and take home the win.
In a Q&A with The Latch, Batista said that she was thrilled to find that the judges — Andy Allen, Jock Zonfrillo and Melissa Leong — have “created a fun, upbeat and supportive environment for the contestants”.
“They seem to genuinely care about each and every contestant,” she said, “not just while they are on the show but after they leave too.”
Following her first round on MasterChef back in 2013, Batista honed her skills with a work experience stint at the very prestigious Quay restaurant.
Next up, she opened her own market stall at farmers markets, and began running a catering business.
Batista describes herself as “optimistic, emotional, nurturing, quick witted, sarcastic, honest, funny, kind, and a people pleaser”, but admits that she does “tend to procrastinate”.
Even outside of the kitchen, Batista said that one of her hobbies is “going to new restaurants and trying new food,” and if there’s one thing she knows, it’s good food.
Batistau’s passion for food and cooking was sparked at a young age.
Coming from a large Portuguese family, who would encourage her creativity in the kitchen, Batista has fond memories of watching her Avó cooking milho when she was a child.
Her love for Portuguese food is evident in her cooking, and her time spent in Portugal over the years has helped her to improve upon her talents and hone her skills even further.
In a world post-MasterChef, Batista hopes to one day host her own cooking show, which would bring Portuguese food to the world and showcase its impact worldwide.
Will she be able to make it all the way? Only time will tell.
MasterChef Australia premieres at 7.30pm on April 18, 2022, only on 10 and 10 Play on Demand.
Want more MasterChef Australia? Read here.
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