Celebrity Chef Takes a Subtle Swipe at Meghan Markle’s MasterChef Australia Guest Spot
Meghan Markle’s MasterChef appearance earned the Duchess adoration from the judges—alongside a few snide remarks from an MKR judge.
Meghan Markle has built a brand around her culinary passion, leading to the successful Netflix lifestyle series With Love, Meghan. The show boosted her prominence after earning a nomination for Outstanding Lifestyle Series at the 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards. The Duchess also made a surprise television appearance as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia. Though heavily promoted on social media, the cameo was briefly overshadowed by a bizarre title-related controversy and reported friction between her and judge Poh Ling Yeow. Although those claims were quickly dismissed as unfounded rumors, the narrative took hold—opening the door for another prominent television host to publicly swipe at the Duchess over her royal title.
Well-known Irish chef Colin Fassnidge, a judge from My Kitchen Rules, made a rather snide remark about Markle during the Logie Awards in Sydney, suggesting that she would not be welcomed on their show following her recent appearance on MasterChef Australia. "We are MKR... we don't allow people of non-royalty onto our show!" Fassnidge told the Daily Mail. "Whatever floats your boat... she is not in my boat!" he added crudely.
Meanwhile, Yeow had cleared the air about the alleged trouble behind the scenes between her and the Duchess. It was reported that her statement—"We've had MasterChef royalty in the kitchen before, but nothing like this"—in the promo of the episode had miffed Markle's team. However, while appearing on Nathan, Nat & Shaun breakfast radio show on Nova 93.7, Yeow laughed it off, saying, "If I got a buck for every time someone asked me about Meghan, I would be a billionaire. We had such a lovely time with her."
She also shared a clip of her chatting with Markle, calling them "instant besties." Fellow judge Sofia Levin posted photos capturing a memorable moment when contestants were amazed by Meghan's presence, noting that it was hard to stay starstruck given her lovely demeanor. "Possibly my favourite moment of this season was seeing the jaws of our contestants hit the floor as Meghan walked through our doors," Sofia wrote. Meanwhile, Jean-Christophe Novelli expressed his delight about working alongside the Duchess, stating, "What an unexpected last-minute surprise. Meghan popping into the MasterChef kitchen with some tremendous seasonal ingredients."
Markle's much-anticipated appearance on the series garnered her an unexpected fanbase as she impressed viewers with her witty and down-to-earth nature. Despite being a polarizing public figure, fans noted that the cooking competition revealed a different, more approachable side of her. She also shared several anecdotes about her childhood and a few family secrets, particularly about her children's food choices. There was a wow! moment when Prince Harry FaceTimed her on the set and had a casual chat with the contestants too. The episode, filmed in Melbourne during the Sussexes' Australian visit in April, tasked contestants with preparing a dish 'fit for a duchess.'
