Hi, I’m Christopher Lu, contestant on this season (6) of MasterChef US. Ask me anything!

Hi Chris, After completing a dish, it seems like it would take a long time for the judges to taste all of them. Don't they get cold in the mean time? Thanks

Some of the dishes start to get cold but the judges get to all of us in a timely manner. Thats why they only pick some of the dishes to come up

What was it like cooking for Gordon Ramsay?

Cooking for Gordon is thrilling and terrifying at the same time. He's at such an expert level that you know he can and will catch every flaw. He coaches and encourages but you never know if he's going to blast you so its like walking a tight rope.

Hi Chris, I was hoping to see you make it much further than you did.

Do they give you lessons on what you have to cook before the challenges? Are you expected to know all the different techniques, cuisines, and have baking ratios and temperatures memorized?

Did the editing overdo how much you "didn't show respect" to the judges and their critiques?

First of all, thanks for the support. I was hoping to make it much further but grateful that I had such an amazing opportunity. Regarding your questions: 1) We do receive some coaching and lessons on techniques, for example dough. We are taught a very basic dough and we have to apply that in a random challenge. We don't know when or what it may be. Other times, (like the beef wellington) we simply taste the dish and have to recreate it. All techniques, ratios, styles, and temps are up to the contestant. We don't receive help in that way. The judges are truly trying to find the best home cook in America.

The auditioning process is very long and the team at Masterchef are very careful at ensuring we all have a certain amount of skill sets. A lot of us contestants spent a lot of time reading books as well.

As for my lack of respect, I think that editing has a fair amount to do with how I am portrayed. I am a very anxious and nervous person and I tend to have perfectionist ideals, which then leads to my emotional flare ups.

Chris lu, you are an incredibly beautiful Asian man. Can you share your beauty routine with us? What inspires your dapper fashion?

Why thank you. I take showers regularly, I hydrate, eat plenty of fruits and veggies and drink lots of whiskey. My dapper fashion comes from the fact that I'm very small, and most belts don't come in my size so I wear suspenders so my pants don't fall off...

How do you feel about the other two judges (Graham and Christina)? Watching the show, it seemed Christina often singled you out and picked on you. Did you feel like she was? Or did the editing overemphasize it?

Graham is so awesome. He's like a big brother and his take on food is so open. He really helped me to step outside of my comfort zones. Christina is amazing and I don't think she intended to single me out. I do know that she is very honest and like Gordon, doesn't pull punches. She has fought really hard to get where she is and I think when people learn her story they understand why she is so tough. It honestly reminds me of my upbringing a little. I feel she was hard on me because she wanted me to do better, that she was rooting for me deep down. She definitely had great words of encouragement for me throughout the show.

What is your quick go-to meal for those times you just don't feel like cooking?

edit: don't

For something super quick I usually make a pasta carbonara. I always have cheese and eggs in my house. You can use bacon, or chicken and if you want you can add cream or parsley. Its a quick rustic meal and you can substitute out some things to change it up each time.

Sounds pretty simple and easy. Thanks chef!

When I don't feel like cooking I call a pizza. haha

Hi Chris, it seems that they kept angling the show towards you being disrespectful, but all I could see was you getting frustrated with yourself. I'm sorry that it went down that way.

Anyways, for my question.

What made you want to pursue cooking? Has it always been a passion?

Thank you so much. I honestly have no hard feelings. Things happen in life and in competitions, but my focus is on where I'm going from here, not what happened while on the show, so with a little luck and hard work I think everything is going to be great.

Now regarding your question: I think there are a couple of factors for me. Firstly, food for me is not just a hobby or nutrients. It holds a deep meaning for me. My best memories of growing up was having family dinners. I always wanted to make food and explore my creative side. I don't have much talent with art or things like that. Unfortunately, it was frowned upon in my family. Cooking wasn't a respectable profession to my parentals. They wanted me to be a lawyer or doctor, or the president so I could just pay people to cook for me. I just like to do things for myself. So having the desire to live my life how I want, later meeting an amazing girl who loves food as much as I do and wants to eat everything, I have to push myself everyday. Namely to satisfy my need of growth and perfection, and my girlfriends need to be full.

Hey Christopher, how's it going? :D What's one thing you really wish you could have cooked on the show, but you didn't get the chance?

I honestly was hoping for some sort of butchering contest. I break down meat at home a lot and I like to push my skills.

Which dish was the most difficult in the pressure tests?

The steak challenge for me. Each cut was over an inch thick, and you really had to have a good handle on rendering the fat since it was such a marbled cut. Cooking through the bone on the NY. It was super tricky

Hello Chris!! Who was your best friend while you were on the show? :)

I don't know if I can say I had only one best friend. Hetal, Claudia and Amanda helped to keep my cool so I leaned on them a lot. Nick, Kerry and Jesse were always great for some laughs. Loved sharing our stories and takes on food with all these people

How is it behind the scenes? Did you guys get to chill with Gordon or any of the judges?

We definitely interacted with the judges a lot, but we never 'hung out' like grabbing a beer or shooting pool

What is a dish that you think you've done an amazing job on but the judges didn't see it the same way?

Great question. I think the one dish that I did really well that the judges didn't highlight was our first mystery box challenge. I had a whole turkey in my box and I broke it all down in like 4 minutes. Removed the tenderloins, roasted those, and boiled down the bones to make a stock for the gravy. Graham did comment on how he was impressed that I broke down a whole turkey so quickly.

and it had 3 sides. Roasted corn, sauteed rainbow chard, and braised mushrooms.

Wow, wish we could've seen that. It sucks that they don't show everybody's mystery box dish.

I have a picture of it posted on my social media somewhere. I'll try to repost it so people can see it. But check out my instagram @tipseychef , you'll be able to see some of my creations

Thank you everyone so much for taking part in my first ever Reddit AMA. I loved all the questions and appreciate all the kind words of support. I am off to prepare dinner but don't be afraid to leave a comment or ask a question. I'll try to return tonight and answer some of them for you.

does the show formally or informally connect contestants with investors regardless of win/loss?

Honestly, I assume so. Since the competition is still going I can't say for sure, I can only say that I have been working hard to establish my own brand and follow my dream. I plan on having Masterchef as only a great step toward my goal of opening my own establishment

Hey everyone, keep the questions coming. I have another hour to spare.

What is it like when the cameras are not rolling? How much of the day is for the show and how much is your own time?

I apologize but I don't know how much of that I can reveal. I'll find out if I can, and if so I will return and edit this post and clarify. Thanks for understanding

First, let me say that i was rooting for you the whole time. I was sad when you left the show. So here are my questions:

Did you have a favorite judge?

Did you have to do multiple takes while running through the kitchen, or did they just film everything and edit it down later?

Is Steven that crazy in real life?

Thank you so much. I love your screen name Godzillascience.

I definitely think Graham was my favorite. I felt the most comfortable around him and I felt like he understood my take on food and who I was as a person.

The competition is live. When the judges call time you run and hurry up.

Steven is more crazy in real life but in the nicest way. He is actually a very sweet guy and loves to share all sorts of things about himself. He told us once about this time he hiked a lone with no phone for like 3 weeks. Guy is intense....intensely awesome

Thanks for the response! One more question I forgot to ask: What is your favorite whiskey?

For Rye I like Templeton and Willet Reserve (they have multiple years) for bourbon I drink Eh Taylors, Buffalo, Bookers, Basil Hayden, Four roses, Elijah Craig, and Evan Williams Single Barrel, Scotch - Lagvulin (islay) Balvenie or Glenmorangie. Macallan sometimes. They kind of lost me

Japanese whiskey: Tetseru 17, yamazaki 12, and 18. Hibiki 18

What happens to all of the untasted/uneaten food? Does it just get thrown away or do you guys get to eat it?

How stressful were the team challenges where you had to cook for ~100 people?

I know that raw and unused ingredients/food get donated to shelters and food banks. Dishes that have been tasted or completed usually go in the trash.

Team challenges are so stressful. You have very little time to create a menu that makes sense and you are able to execute with such a tough time constraint. Some challenges were you lost votes if you didn't get a plate out in a certain amount of time was killer. It required a great understanding of how to handle service and timing

Can you make a good beef wellington? :)

Haha, great question. Firstly, I dont know that I ever want to again. I think I'll have nightmares for the rest of my life. I like to think, however, that I could do it now after having such a hard time of it the first go around.

Haha, did Gordon give you any helpful tips for making it?

yea, roll out the puff pastry so it won't be so big next time. hahaha

Maybe I should do a beef wellington on periscope?!

Did you find Gordon to be much different off camera?

Kind of. Gordon can definitely be direct, and he doesn't pull punches. But he's a great guy and I personally think that sometimes the way he's portrayed is nothing like the way he actually is. He has so much passion and knowledge and he truly wants to help us reach our goals. But still, he can be super mean. Just saying.

I like to think that Gordon is quite a reasonable/nice guy, especially when he's doing international shows. I think that the American shows make him out to be far nastier than he really is. Gotta have that drama.

I definitely wouldn't disagree.

What's your favorite beer?

Great question. I have quite a few though since there are so many great beers out there

90 minute IPA by Dogfish Head, Double stout by Green flash, Xingu, Allagash Cureiux, Alaskan smoked porter, St. Bernardus Abt 12, Rochefort 10, Stone Best By IPA (and most anything), Pikes brewing kilt lifter, Terrepin ry ipa, and kasteel. To name a few

Chris!! Hello :)

What did you do when you weren't filming/in the kitchen? Were you and the other contestants confined to a hotel or something? Did you share rooms (a la Biggest Loser)

Anyway, thanks for doing this AMA. Best of luck in your future endeavours! :)

I spent a lot of time hanging out at the pool and studying cookbooks, recipes and techniques. I drank a lot too which probably wasn't the best for me. haha. As for where we stayed, I can only say at an undisclosed location

During the challenges, do the contestants get a chance to taste each other's food?

No, we are confined to our stations. During cooking sometimes we will let each other taste our dishes as they progress. Nick used to let me try his food and it was always a treat.

How many cigarettes have you had today?

zero. I've been really good about kicking this habit

How many cigarettes a day did you used to smoke?

10-15. Sometimes a whole pack if it was a tough day

What are you going to cook for me?

Depends on if you suffer from any dietary restrictions or allergies.

Whats your go-to dish after a long day?

Take out!

Let me elaborate. Los Angeles has so much good food tucked away in every nook and cranny, and if you can find them, there are treasures here. I love immersing myself into another culture by having different cuisines. But i also have guilty pleasures like pizza or in n out burger.

Did you feel that during this season, there were many more baking challenges than cooking itself?

What are you glad you didn't have to cook?

And lastly, how was Derrick?

I think it seems that way because Christina is on the show. I remember a lot of baking in the prior seasons as well, but I'm glad we had Christina there because she is a pastry pro. I definitely took my pastry game from a 0 to like a 2 out of 10. I also liked the baking challenges because it was a new skill set and style for my to learn and adapt to

On that note, I was really glad I didn't have to make the birthday cake. The problem with the pressure tests is that you have to be a perfect pro to nail the dish in such a short time

Derrick isn't a bad guy. He gets a little hifey thats all. We all poke fun at him but its out of love

Hi chef, i heard that you and kerry are planing to put up a resto. is that true?

Hey Camz , Kerry and I have been kicking around some ideas. That is our goal. He's a great guy with many talents. He was actually a very close friend of mine while on the show as well so working together only makes sense to me.

i hope that you can open your own establishment Chris, Yeah and ithink kerry is such a nice guy too and very talented. (he's very good in sitting down too.) hahaha just heard it on periscope :) happy for your success Chris. :)

Thank you

What do I do with all this damn summer squash?!!

You can pickle some, make some veggie pasta out of the rest. Bake a sweet squash bread pudding. Or do a savory version with tomatoes and herbs

Which was your most beautiful dish , that was pleasing to the eyes and you were proud of?

Definitely my salisbury steak. Losing 25% of the standard time and having to watch helplessly while everyone else cooked was torture. I seriously thought that was the end for me but I was so determined not to lose.

How did you feel when Derrick gave you the 15 min penalty on the TV Dinner Challenge?

I was really frustrated and angry. We worked well as a time and spent free time hanging out. Didn't ever think he would do me dirty like that

It looks like everyone had a new wardrobe for the show. Is there a stipend given to contestants before arriving?

No, we do not get a wardrobe stipend.

How many rounds of audition did you go through before you reached the audition that got aired on TV?

Honestly there were so many little steps I can't even remember. I know it was a long process because I had forgotten about it completely. haha.but the process is super straight forward and the people at Masterchef were always available to answer questions. If anyone is thinking about auditioning I say do it. Take a chance because for me its the first step to creating the kind of life I want for me and all my loved ones

What's your favorite dish to cook using chicken?

Boneless, I will usually pound into a scaloppini, or mince of a stir fry. If its a whole chicken, i'll roast it or make a soup. If it has bones and is dark meat, I'll roast it as well. There are so many fun preparations, its hard to choose. You can also fry it up.

Hey Chris! Sad you didn't move further in the competition but great job nonetheless. My question is, what dish would you most want to learn how to cook from each judge?

Thanks for doing this AMA btw :D

Hey, my pleasure. I love how supportive everyone has been.

From Gordon: I would love to learn his monkfish liver dish From Graham: Anything he is willing to teach me From Christina: COOKIES!!!

What's the story with Dan leaving the competition?

I wish I could provide an answer, unfortunately, its something you'll have to ask Dan. We are planning a small little periscope channel and you can ask him then.

Hey Chris

Thanks so much for doing this. I'm the mod at /r/masterchef and I just wanted to let you know you are always welcomed to stop by and provide anything you want,and the sub is always opened for you.

My question is, what did you learn the most from being on the show?

Hi Mod, Thank you so very much. First time ever on reddit and you have all been so kind. If I ever pull an etiquette snafu let me know, total noob here. I think the thing I learned the most was how to cook under extreme pressure and to trust myself more. I get pretty doubtful about myself and it then gets me worked up. Vicious cycle

Hey Chris! What's your favourite thing to cook?

I have a few favorites. I love to make my homemade pasta sauce, as well as a wonderful braised short rib or pot roast. I love taking time and creating layers and depth of flavor.

I loved you on this season!

1. Who are you closest to from the contestants?
2. Bec of how long it takes to shoot, do the judges taste cold food?
3. During Mystery Box challenges, do the judges really taste everything as you go along?

1) Hetal, Kerry, Claudia, Jesse, Nick, Katrina, Bri my all time favorites ( feel like im missing someone) 2) They didn't always get to the food when it was piping hot 3) Yes, they really taste everything as we go.

Is Stephen as crazy as he's portrayed on the show?

Edit: And I mean crazy in a good way haha he's definitely my favorite right now.

The camera's capture only maybe 1/10th of Stephen's good craziness. Man has been around and is full of interesting facts.

Hey Chris, I always felt the judges were hard on you in the show because they saw a lot of potential. With that being said I was disappointed to see you get eliminated but what are your culinary plans as of now?

Thank you for the support. My goals haven't changed much since I auditioned for Masterchef. To start my own restaurant and work my way up to a hospitality group

Is Olivia a nice person? She seems to always have a pissed off look on her face.

Olivia is actually super sweet. We used to joke all the time and call each other bae. During the cinnamon roll competition I was shouting go bae to her and she was cracking up. She has a kind heart and a one of a kind sass. She also dropped serious salad knowledge on me. Girl has flair.

When I watched the episode where all the families came in, I shed a tear.. then I asked myself, is that really your girl?

haha, yes i know, hard to believe, but yes, that is indeed my girl.

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I start a new job at Freddy Smalls in West LA on the 20th of this month but I'll be in Hawaii from the 13-19th. If I'm not in town while you're here there are some great places for you to visit regardless. Plan Check on sawtelle for burgers (get a chefs choice or a truffle mushroom with swiss, but with a chicken patty) or go downtown to little tokyo for Daikokuya ramen. Theres also amazing Korean bbq.

Hey Chris! I really enjoyed watching you and can't wait to see what you do next. :) Two questions for you if you're still around:

1. What is the best burger in LA and why is it Father's Office?

2. What is the best food to eat with rice?

Hey, both great questions 1) Father's Office is great. Chef Yoon does a great job but for me personally I think Plan Check is right there as well. Maybe because I used to work there, but the location on Sawtelle is amazing. I always recommend a chef's favorite, or a truffle mushroom swiss burger with a chicken patty instead of the beef patty.

2) Rice is such a staple from around the world, i think almost anything goes great with rice. Pickles, meats, veg, stir fries. You name it

What is your ideal take a women on a date food? Trying to think of things to make my wife for our anniversary

I grew up in Jersey originally and we ate a lot of Italian food so for me, the perfect date night food is Italian. Rustic, simple yet elevated, plus lots of wine. Instant win.

Wait... You already know who wins?

I only know that I don't.

Who was your favorite/least favorite judge? Also, what are your favorite things to cook? Aaaaand sweet or savory?

No least favorite, but my favorite was definitely Graham. I honestly believe he is gonna leave his mark on food for the next 30-40 years, at least! Plus he's hilarious, he would randomly speak some Spanish to Claudia or taste something and look at you and be like, Mmm muy bueno.

Favorite things to cook : Roasts, braises, pasta Savory all the way, but I have been spending time studying the mystical pastry arts

Hi Christopher,

I always wondered, what do all the contestants do between episode shootings? Are they all back to back, or do you sleep there like in Hell's Kitchen? Are the judges only there for filming?

The episodes aren't all back to back but we get to stay at an 'undisclosed location' (sorry i can't say more)

Is it true that after you are eliminated from the competition you are pampered and given psychological treatment?

not at all. its more like, bye Felicia

What's one of the best things about being on master chef? Also what was the hardest challenge so far for you personally?

One of the best things about masterchef was getting to know myself better. You are secluded away from friends and loved ones and even though you bond with your masterchef family, you start to get to know yourself better. I realize that I need growth in many different areas and I am working hard everyday to improve on them. I know that masterchef is only the 1st step in reaching my goals

Hi Chris, I really wanted to see you move on a lot further in the competition. My question is, what kind of food do you like to cook?

I like to cook a lot of Italian food and some french. I have been studying more asian cooking techniques but its not my forte

Hey Christopher, big fan of yours. I'm glad you came so far. What was the biggest challenge for you coming into Masterchef?

Thanks for the support, my biggest challenge was overcoming a lot of my personal fears and feelings of inadequacy

Do you get any kind of primer on doughs/batters? And are you allowed to use scales? Ratios are so important in baking, and without a general sense of how much liquid/flour/fat needs to go in your product, it's so easy to go COMPLETELY wrong. Meanwhile - while I'm an amateur enthusiast at best - I think most professional bakers are measuring with weight and not volume.

p.s Good job and good luck.

edit: saw your response to another redditor about making a basic dough. interesting. still curious if they'd allow you to use a gram-scale, though.

Yes, anything that is considered a tool , ie pastry blender, meat grinder, tamis, they have it all for us to use. I can't say for other seasons, but I understand that since we were all friendly and helped each other out, we really gained valuable skills. I know that Hetal really helped to step up my baking.

Do you get to eat the dishes you make if they are not picked to be judged?

no :(

What happens to all the dishes on the show? Are they thrown away?

Anything that is already made I believe is thrown away, but I have heard stories that people snag it. For example, I heard my pineapple boat was ravaged. But these are all whispers from little birdies.

Not sure if you are still checking this, but my wife and I are big fans of the show, although I do have to say that I prefer Master Chef Babies a bit more.

If you could be a contestant on The Taste, which team would you want to be on and why? Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, Marcus Samuelsson, or Ludo Lefebvre?

Also, when the judges critique the food, do all three do each dish, then they use 1-3 critiques for the episode? Or would Graham ever say "Well, Gordon said it's dreadful and he wouldn't feed it to his apparently large household of animals, so I'll pass?"

Haha, your post is awesomely hilarious. Master chef babies is the best working title to date....i digress;

You have given me one tough choice, I think Tony and I would make good drinking buddies, but maybe not working together with knives and pointy things. I love Marcus Samuelsson. Man embodies raw culinary talent. He is brilliant, but I don't know if I have the mentality to work with him, Nigella or Ludo would be my choice. I think I would be able to learn well from them.

When the judges taste they taste all dishes. Due to time constraints, there is only so much of the tasting that could be aired. Ultimately, the judges taste and critique and give us pointers for next time.

Hi Chris! I've managed a restaurant before, which is worse, unruly customers or the chef judges? How did you like the ingredients given to you in the show?

Hey, amazing question! I think in my opinion unruly guests are easy. I think mostly because while I am managing the floor, I am in my element, and I try to read my guest's needs. Most unruly customers are in need of something and if you fill their needs there is no more issue. It was very hard for me to deliver everything exactly the way the judges wanted, so I feel I let myself down in that area but I came out a much better all around person.

Mmmm what's your opinion on food?

same opinion as air - i need it

On a scale of 1-10, how good does Joe smell? He's my big crush and I imagine him smelling incredible.

Joe wasn't there unfortunately, but I can only assume like warm bread, fresh pasta, and maybe san marzano tomatoes.

You come off appearing like a huge dickbag on the show. Why are you such a pretentious douche, is that just you or how heavily was that edited?.

And what was the atmosphere like behind the scenes between you and that girl judge? (Christine ?) because you really looked like a dickbag I really want to punch.

Well I personally like to think that I'm not a dickbag, and if I were, someone would let me know because being a dickbag doesn't sound fun. We actually didn't have any fighting behind the scenes, and like I said earlier, Christina was encouraging and really cool to me.