Fil-Am chef talks about spaghetti, sexuality, and dreams that began at dinner table

After winning the grand prize in a United States cooking competition in March, Filipina-American chef Khristianne Uy says the victory opened up many opportunities for her, from guest appearances to sponsorhips.

Known as "Chef K" in the foodie community, Uy, 31, won the top spot on the cooking contest "The Taste" on March 12. 

Uy, the personal chef of popular US celebrity Charlie Sheen, told GMA News Online that she has been "really busy" since she won but that she is definitely not complaining.

"It's been really busy ever since they announced me as the winner of 'The Taste.' I've been doing lots of appearances, gotten a lot of sponsorships, charities, and offers of doing a new show based on my culinary life," Uy said.

"(Winning 'The Taste' has) definitely opened a lot of doors for me. I'm now able to do more charities that are close to my heart, built a Filipino fan base, and have won the hearts of many to show interest in my passion and love for food," she added.

'Fil-Am lesbian chef'

In one article, Uy described herself as a "Filipino-American lesbian chef catering to the world’s palate." 

She spoke of how her sexuality made it difficult to show what she can offer to the culinary world.

"Being a female and also a lesbian made it harder to prove myself worthy of being in a kitchen, but through hard work, perseverance and dedication I've managed to come up on top," she said.

Pinoy cuisine

Uy immigrated to the US when she was just 12 years old but she has not forgotten who she is and where she came from.

"Filipino cuisine has a lot of influence in my cooking. My mom is an amazing cook, and she always made sure we ate well. And so I carry on what I've grown to love which is Filipino food with my own twist and share that with my clients," Uy said.

"Some of my favorite Filipino dishes are adobo because of the perfect balance of sweet, sour and salty; my mom's spaghetti with hotdogs because it's reminiscent of my childhood, and pretty much anything that has 'gata' or coconut milk because it reminds me of being back at home," she explained.

Uy has not returned to the Philippines in a decade because the demands of her job prevent her from taking a trip back to Manila.

"I would love to visit soon, it's not easy to take time off being a personal chef because most of my time and holidays are spent with my clients," she said.

However, she isn't shying away from the possibility of demonstrating her culinary skills in the Philippines one day in an attempt to make a difference.

"I want to continue to inspire other Filipinos to follow their dreams just like my dream that started in my mom's dinner table," Uy said.

"I believe the kitchen is where the heart of the home is and is where all the warmth of the home comes from and that is what I aspire and continue to provide to my clients," she continued. - VVP, GMA News