A MasterChef contestant has delivered his verdict on Meghan Markle in just two words after the royal appeared on the Australian version of the TV show. The Duchess of Sussex appears as a guest judge on the programme, which was recorded when Meghan and Prince Harry visited Australia over four days in April.
Contestant's Reaction
Competitor Petro Papathomas summed up his view of the Duchess during a teaser preview in one word: "Starstruck." He told TV Week: "She was really genuine. There's been so much written about her, you kind of don't know what to believe, but I loved her. She was so kind and talks really intelligently about food as well."
Fellow contestant Casper Kenworthy said Meghan was one of his favourite judges, adding the Duchess took an interest in what the finalists were doing and wanted to chat.
Meghan's Comments
Meghan herself commented separately that her love of Australia and of food attracted her to the show, noting that when she was invited on "it was an easy yes." She said: "It's such a great show. I'm just really honoured that I was asked to be able to be here with you and to be able to judge some of these meals."
Meghan, 44, has reinvented herself as a lifestyle influencer after stepping back as a senior, working royal in 2020. She will feature on MasterChef on Sunday (July 26) in the first episode of finals week.
The Challenge
In the episode, Meghan challenges the budding chefs to devise a dish with ingredients including carrots, Brussels sprouts, Jerusalem artichokes, celeriac, lemons and honey. The Duchess tells the contestants items on her ingredients list "feel really nostalgic" and she would "love it" if they could find a story behind their dish, Yahoo Life reports.
Meghan tells the show: "Food and cooking to me is really a love language. I think it’s such a great way to connect. It’s something that can feel sentimental and meaningful, and it’s how I show my nurturing and love for my friends, family, and my kids." She also reveals that her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, eat sprouts, with one judge telling her how "impressive" that was.
