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Sunday 24 May 2015 - 11:56 Makkah mean time-6-8-1436
 Seattle, Washington (IINA) - An American Muslim woman became the first ever veiled female chef to appear on an American primetime cooking show after joining this season's MasterChef contest on Fox, breaking down negative stereotypes on veiled women, according to media reports.
Competing against 39 contestants, Saab received an apron to advance to the next round of the competition along with 21 others.
On the next levels, contestants will compete with their own signature dishes and face challenges that will be judged by chefs Gordon Ramsay, Graham Elliot and Christina Tosi.
Masterchef winner will get a $250,000 check, trophy and having his or her cookbook published.
"It was our anniversary gift to each other," Amada Saab told The Arab American News on Thursday.
Saab recounted how she was encouraged by her husband to join Fox's cooking competition after watching an ad that asked for chefs to participate in the new season of the program.
In an interview with The Arab American News, Saab discussed the journey that led her to landing a spot on "MasterChef."
Shortly after getting married, Saab and her husband moved to Seattle after he was offered a new job. There, she began a career as a social worker while developing a hobby centered around cooking. She would blog about her unique recipes and they received a positive reception.
She and her husband were big fans of the cooking competition show and one day decided to respond to an ad that asked for chefs to audition for the program.
Saab said she's excited to be sharing some of her recipes on national television.
"The type of food that I like to make is Mediterranean modern cuisine," Saab said. "I take the traditional flavors I grew up with in my family and incorporate modern techniques. A fusion and blend of Arabic food and American food is definitely something I love to demonstrate."
Beside her blog, the Muslim social worker has her own website which includes various offerings like appetizers, dinners, and desserts.
Since joining the competition, Saab has been overwhelmed by support from her community, family and friends.
The positive feedback extended to social media where Saab's bid was praised.
"I think people are really excited about the things I'm creating," Saab added. "It's innovative, new and tells a story of who I am on a plate.”
Wearing the Islamic hijab, Saab hopes that her appearance on television would help in breaking stereotypes of veiled Muslim women.
"I was kind of nervous because there could be backlash and I experienced it in my everyday life being a Muslim in America," Saab said.
"But so far everything has been positive. I have an amazing amount of support that I've been receiving from the Arab and Muslim community and from social workers.
SM/IINA
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