Tovala partners with MasterChef winner Christine Ha on a limited time menu

Have you heard of Tovala? It is a food company that gives us both chef made meals delivered to our doors and a countertop oven to perfectly heat the meals. Ultimately, they make it easier than ever to enjoy perfect meals all week long (and having then delivered to us is a big part of making life easier).

And to really spread the word of Tovala, they partnered with MasterChef Season 3 winner, Chef Christine Ha to make a limited time menu that features some of her signature flavors. According to the press release we received, there are three dishes you can choose from and the final day to order a meal created by Chef Ha is actually October 12.

The three meals are:

• Lemongrass Beef & Carrot Stew with Noodles
• Lemongrass Pork Chop with Broccoli, White Rice, & Fish Sauce Vinaigrette
• Thai Style Yellow Curry with Shrimp

They sound amazing right? I know we are hungry just looking at these three meal options. But what does Christina Ha have to say about this partnership? Well we had the chance to ask her a few questions.

MasterChef’s Chef Christine Ha talks about her partnership with Tovala

Guilty Eats – What inspired you to work with Tovala on these three meals?

Christine Ha – “I really wanted to help people experience some of the Vietnamese flavors and ingredients that I grew up eating. My food today is a modern take on some traditional dishes that my mother used to make, as well as some of my favorite ones that I’ve enjoyed over my travels. While I do love to cook and do it for work, it’s nice to have a solution like Tovala which takes care of most of the work for you, it’s simply a matter of popping the meals in the oven, and scanning a QR
code with the Smart Oven in order to have a delicious, flavorful meal on the table in around 20
minutes or less.”

GE – What do you hope people take away from your dishes?

CH – “The dishes that I created for Tovala are ones that really evoke a sense of nostalgia and are
ones that brought me and my family together growing up, so my hope is that my meals can
bring Tovala families together and let them enjoy some comfort dishes from a different culture,
that they might otherwise not be able to try out.”

GE – Do you have any tips for people hoping to bring more freshness to their everyday
meals?

CH – “My advice is to start a garden. Even if you live in a tiny apartment, it should still be possible.
You could make a small vertical garden or build one on your windowsill. I also try to shop for
and cook with produce that’s in season. Not only will the food taste better, they’ll likely be less
expensive and better for the environment as well. Of course, I understand many of us lead busy
lives, and shopping for ingredients and cooking are not things that always happen daily. On
such days, it’s nice to have Tovala’s fresh meals readily stocked in your fridge.”

GE – Are there any other meal ideas that you would recommend for people looking to keep
things easy in the kitchen?

CH – “Oftentimes, I cook a large batch of something that freezes well. We eat the dish for a
couple of meals and freeze the rest for another time when we are too tired or busy to cook
meals from scratch. Then I just thaw and/or reheat, and voila!”

GE – What is your favorite dish to make for others?

CH – “That’s a tough one. I like experimenting with new dishes and recipes on my friends and
family, so I enjoy trying out something new—perhaps something I’m working on for The Blind
Goat or Xin Chào—and call my friends and family over to eat and give me feedback.”

GE – We are called Guilty Eats, so I have to ask what is your Guilty Eat?

CH – “I’m going to turn this question upside down on its head. I like to say no food should make
you feel guilty. Yes, some foods are better for you health-wise than others, but you should enjoy
what you eat, and that means getting rid of guilt. With that said, I understand what you meant,
so I will have to say I have a lot: fries, potato chips, fried chicken, pizza, and Americanized
Chinese food! Oh, and cookies and ice cream.”