Monica Galetti

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Monica Galetti
Michel Roux Jr. while Olly Smith narrates MasterChef Live 2009
Born
Monica Faʻafiti

(1975-08-26) 26 August 1975 (age 48)
Pago Pago
, American Samoa
SpouseDavid Galetti
Children1

Monica Galetti (née Faʻafiti, born 26 August 1975) is a Samoan-born New Zealand Chef. She is a judge on the BBC competitive cooking programme MasterChef: The Professionals and chef proprietor of Mere in London.[1] She was senior sous-chef at Le Gavroche in London. As well as appearing as a judge on MasterChef: The Professionals from 2009 to 2021 and again in 2023, she has presented Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby with Giles Coren and Rob Rinder since 2017.

Early life

Galetti was born in American Samoa, and was initially raised by two aunts in Upolu as her mother had moved to Auckland, New Zealand, for work.[2] At the age of eight, Galetti moved from Samoa to Wellington, New Zealand, and lived there with her parents and five siblings.[3][4][5] She attended Naenae College[6] In the early 1990s she studied for a diploma in hospitality at the Central Institute of Technology, Upper Hutt.[5]

Career

After completing her studies, Galetti worked at

sous-chef, a position she held until 2015.[7][8][9] She was the first woman to hold such a senior position at the restaurant.[5]

While working for Roux, she launched and was Head Chef of the restaurant Le Gavroche des Tropiques in Mauritius.[10]

She was a judge on the BBC series MasterChef: The Professionals from 2009 to 2021, before she was replaced by Anna Haugh citing she felt it necessary to prioritise her family and her restaurant team, and has appeared as a presenter on other food-related television programmes.[11][12][13] Though, in March 2023, Galetti announced she would be returning as a judge on the show.[14]

In 2017, along with her husband David, she opened a new restaurant in London called Mere. This was achieved with backing from Westbury Street Holdings chairman Alastair Storey.[15]

Galetti serves as a UK Tourism Ambassador for Samoa.[1] She appeared in the BBC’s radio programme Desert Island Discs on 31 January 2021.[16]

In March 2023, Galetti announced she would be returning to MasterChef: The Professionals as a judge, after she stepped down from the role in 2022.[17][18]

Publications

  • Galetti, Monica (2012). Monica's Kitchen. London: Quadrille Publishing.
    ISBN 978-1849491037
    .
  • Galetti, Monica (2016). The Skills: How to become an expert chef in your own kitchen: 120 recipes, tips and techniques. London: Quadrille Publishing.
    ISBN 978-1849497640
    .
  • Galetti, Monica (2021). At Home: my favourite recipes for family & friends. London: Aster.
    ISBN 978-1783254873
    .

Platinum Pudding Competition

In January 2022 it was announced that Galetti would sit as a judge on

70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II.[19][20]

Personal life

In 2004, Galetti married French-born sommelier David Galetti, the Head Sommelier at Le Gavroche.[21] They have one daughter, born in 2006.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b "Chef Monica Galetti – MasterChef Elite". samoafood.com. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  2. ^
    ISSN 1170-0777
    . Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  3. ^ "My Secret Life: Monica Galetti, chef, 35". The Independent. 13 November 2010. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  4. ^ Narayan, Rita (21 November 2015). "Chef Monica Galetti on Samoa, Sean Connery, and her life in travel | Loop Samoa". www.loopsamoa.com. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  5. ^
    ISSN 1170-0777
    . Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  6. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U289060
    . Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Le Gavroche – The Team". Le-gavroche.co.uk. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  8. ISSN 0261-3077
    . Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  9. ^ Manzoori-Stamford, Janie (20 March 2015). "MasterChef's Monica Galetti leaves Le Gavroche". Thecaterer.com. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  10. ^ "Strictly come cooking with Masterchef's Monica Galetti". London Evening Standard. 4 November 2010. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  11. ^ BBC Two – MasterChef: The Professionals – Episode guide
  12. ^ "Monica Galetti to leave MasterChef to focus on restaurant and family". The Guardian. 20 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  13. ^ "Myrtle chef Anna Haugh to replace Monica Galetti as a judge on MasterChef: The Professionals 2022". The Staff Canteen. 29 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  14. ^ Dreyer, Pete (28 March 2023). "Monica Galetti returns to MasterChef: The Professionals for 2023". SquareMeal. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  15. ^ "Monica Galetti to open Mere in January 2017". Thecaterer.com. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  16. ^ "Desert Island Discs: Monica Galetti, chef and restaurateur". BBC News Online. 31 January 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Monica Galetti to return to MasterChef: The Professionals". The Staff Canteen. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  18. ^ Dreyer, Pete (28 March 2023). "Monica Galetti returns to MasterChef: The Professionals for 2023". SquareMeal. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  19. ^ "The Platinum Pudding Competition | The Judges". www.fortnumandmason.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  20. ^ Emma.Goodey (1 June 2021). "Plans announced for The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend 2022". The Royal Family. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  21. ^ "The Team". Le Gavroche. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Monica_Galetti&oldid=1216098695"