Alumna Wins MasterChef Indonesia

Congratulations Belinda Christina.

Belinda Christina, winner of MasterChef Indonesia Season 11.

As culinary competitions continue to captivate audiences worldwide, the recent triumph of our alumna Belinda Christina in MasterChef Indonesia Season 11 has brought well-deserved attention to her exceptional culinary talents. With a foundation rooted in classical French culinary techniques, Belinda showcased her skills and creativity throughout the competition, impressing judges and viewers alike. 

Belinda graduated with our Diplôme de Cuisine in 2017, and our Diplôme Avancé Culinaire in Cuisine in 2019. Following in the footsteps of our alumni Cheryl Gunawan, winner of MasterChef Indonesia Season 9, Belinda is a shining example of the significance a quality culinary education makes in shaping the future of young chefs. Students and staff of Le Cordon Bleu New Zealand are incredibly proud and inspired by Belindas accomplishments.

Shortly after her MasterChef success Belinda was able to look back with us at her time in Le Cordon Bleu New Zealand.

How has your culinary journey progressed since graduation?
I have been working full time in the kitchen until I decided to continue my study in Bachelor of Business Accounting in Australia, I’m still working part time as a casual Chef de Partie in Sydney. I joined MasterChef Indonesia Season 11 in July 2023 after I failed to pass the audition twice for past seasons (S9 & S10). I decided to apply for the last time and luckily, I got a call that I passed the audition and I need to go to Bali for the second stage. After waiting for a month, I finally got another call that I passed to participate in on air audition. After joining the quarantine, I passed the on-air audition and I got my white apron, but I still need to pass the last stage, which is Bootcamp. After I defeated some contestants, I was chosen as one of the 24 participants to join the Gallery of MasterChef and won the title in November 2023.

What sparked your passion for the culinary arts?
Cooking has always been my passion since I was in elementary school. I always have the memory of me, my mom, and my sister cooking and baking in the kitchen together.

Why Le Cordon Bleu New Zealand?
I went to Le Cordon Bleu New Zealand when I just turned 17. I wanted to explore other countries’ culture and cuisine. I was so interested in New Zealand because I heard the country is beautiful.

How would you describe your experience at LCBNZ?
I spent 18 months in LCBNZ and it was the best 1.5 years of my life. I met new friends, new family, great mentors, learned new culture, and got some amazing experience in the NZ kitchen industry.

What was the most memorable experience for you during study at LCBNZ?
My most memorable experience when I was studying in LCB NZ is when we did Brasserie every semester for our final exam. That was my first experience working in the kitchen and I am really grateful that LCBNZ guided me to do my best in the kitchen.

What motivated you to participate in MasterChef?
I wanted to use the exposure to build my FnB career in Indonesia in the future, and I wanted to challenge myself to get out of my comfort zone. What played a crucial role in determining my victory is to always believe in myself, have a strong mentality, study MasterChef’s challenges from the previous seasons, and have good endurance.

LCB NZ taught me the basic skills in the kitchen, from working efficiently to hygiene, it really affected my performance in the competition.

Where does the future lead now that you are a MasterChef champion?
I want to finish my university studies and get a degree, then I will go back home to pursue my career in the FnB industry such as opening my own restaurants, getting to know all the chefs in the country, learning about my culture and cuisine more, and making some food contents to inspire more people.

Watch our interview with alumna Cheryl Gunawan, winner of MasterChef Indonesia Season 9.