Episode 37

full
Published on:

13th Dec 2023

Why Go On TV & What Happens After? - A Masterchef Special

MasterChef Special with Daksha Mistry, Pookie Tredell, Mike Bartley and Mikes Khan

Hosts: Timothy R. Andrews, Tracey Rashid, and Sarah Kettel

Dive into a captivating conversation with MasterChef stars and discover the heart of culinary passion and innovation. Join us in this special episode where we explore the journeys, challenges, and triumphs of these culinary artists.

Why Listen to This Episode:This episode is a must-listen for hospitality professionals seeking inspiration and insights from the world of competitive cooking. It offers a unique perspective on culinary passion, creativity, and the journey from television fame to real-world application.

The episode is filled with personal stories, professional advice, and a deep understanding of the culinary arts, making it an invaluable resource for those in the hospitality industry.

Key Points of Interest:

  1. The Essence of Cooking with Heart: The guests discuss how cooking with love and passion is the true essence of culinary art, transcending the glitz of television shows like MasterChef.
  2. Legacy Projects Post-MasterChef: The idea of MasterChef contestants coming together to cook for the public in a restaurant setting is floated, highlighting the potential for legacy projects beyond the show.
  3. Challenges and Rewards of MasterChef: Contestants share their experiences on the show, discussing the pressures of cooking under the public eye and the personal and professional growth it spurred.
  4. Advice for Aspiring Hospitality Professionals: The importance of passion and love for the craft is emphasized as crucial for anyone considering a career in hospitality or on shows like MasterChef.
  5. Creativity in Culinary Arts: The discussion touches on the importance of creativity in cooking, and how this can be encouraged from a young age, particularly in educational settings.
  6. Transition from TV to Real-World Cooking: Insights are shared on how experiences from MasterChef have been applied in real-world culinary settings, offering valuable lessons for listeners.
  7. Focus on Fresh Ingredients and Resourcefulness: The episode delves into the importance of using fresh ingredients and being resourceful in the kitchen, especially in the context of the global health challenges posed by processed foods.

Conclusion:

This episode of Talking Hospitality is a treasure trove of insights for hospitality professionals. It not only provides a behind-the-scenes look at the MasterChef experience but also delves into the deeper aspects of culinary passion and creativity. The stories and advice shared by the guests are both inspiring and practical, making this episode a valuable listen for anyone in the hospitality industry.

Transcript
Speaker:

This is Talking Hospitality with Timothy

R.

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Andrews, Sarah Kettel and Tracy Rashid.

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Welcome to this new episode, our

MasterChef special.

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We have a spectacular quartet joining us

today.

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Daksha Mistry, Mike Bartley, Miles Khan

and Pookee Treadle, all culinary artists

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who've braved the heat of the MasterChef

UK kitchen.

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Pookee and Mike will be joining us via the

magic of Zoom.

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A warm welcome to all of you.

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Hello.

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So Daksha, starting with you, we're

curious, what was it that made you decide

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to plunge into the world of television and

what was it that caused you to want to

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cook in front of the cameras and in front

of the whole nation?

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To be fair, it wasn't me, it was my

husband.

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Oh, basically how it started, it used to

show up on the ground, it was on the

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mental paper, in the paper, requiring

MasterChef Destinies.

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So he just sent, just brought it home

because you could do this.

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I said, come on, I'm a housewife.

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I go for families and science, not for the

BBC or for the public.

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No, no, you'll do it.

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You'll do it.

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So anyway, he made me fill the form in and

here I am.

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Amazing.

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After 18, well, almost 18 years now.

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Amazing.

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I think it's important to mention at this

point as well is that actually, Vax's on

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the first ever series of MasterChef.

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So when you're saying there was an advert

in the paper, obviously we don't need the

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advert in the paper now.

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Everyone jumps straight on the BBC

website.

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I'm entering, I'm entering.

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But...

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This was before all that.

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So you were one of the OG Masterchefs.

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That's right.

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I mean, remember there was no social media

in, I mean, there was, but not as what it

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is now.

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Yeah.

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So when I was on Masterchef 2005, which

was the original one that I was on, and

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then obviously no social media, but in

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And that's when I came a BBC finalist.

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So it was twice.

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I was a series one and series two.

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I didn't know that.

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So, serious, yeah, the serious one of

MasterChef.

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Serious exclusive there.

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Serious exclusive, yeah.

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But you know, it was like when they

invited me for the second time, it says,

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we've saw potentially new.

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I said, really?

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I was like, wow, thank you.

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But then it's because I was nervous in the

first one because I was following what the

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others were doing, which I should know.

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I should have followed my heart and what I

cook.

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But I was seeing others, but other people

do all this.

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Oh my God.

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I better start doing what they're doing.

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But that's where I failed.

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When they re-invited me in the second one,

I did exactly what I wanted to do.

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And hey, that's right.

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It was me, Nakshya.

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And that's how I carried on.

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And soon after that, I opened up my

private chef and my catering company.

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And I did wonders.

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I mean, I did so many things in between

being a chef and everything.

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And then a lot of wedding caterings I've

done in my life, in my lifetime.

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And I worked with.

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Tim in the past as well.

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So, I mean, to be fair, where I was and

where I am now, food is my passion.

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I know MasterChef was something that I

joined and I became a finalist, but

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through that, my passion grew and grew and

grew and grew.

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And I have learned so much and I'm still

learning.

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You know, food is something that people

think that you know something, but every

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day is a different day.

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No, that's Shiree, MasterChef Kitchen, a

bull scene on the TV.

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Did you envision yourself holding the

title at the end or did you just take it

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one recipe at a time?

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It was definitely a one recipe at a time

kind of situation for me.

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So I was quite aware that I probably

wasn't the finished article.

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I expected that there would be other cooks

that might be a bit more advanced than me.

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But I was kind of relying on the fact that

I think I can take in knowledge quite

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quickly and sort of learn.

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And that was my plan.

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So the competition was just to pick things

up as quickly as possible and learn

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throughout the process.

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And having watched MasterChef for so long,

I found that a lot of the time, the best

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contestants, the contestants that get

really far are the ones that grow

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throughout the competition.

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So I kind of went in hoping that would

happen to me.

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As much as it would have been lovely to

hold the title, that was my plan from the

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beginning was just to grow with the

competition.

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What was it like being in competition?

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Was there much tension there?

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Was it fun?

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I found it really stressful.

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I think that that's just a personal thing.

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I put a lot of pressure on myself.

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You know, when I saw the briefs and I was

like, well, this is, I've got this chance

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to go on the show.

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I think it worked against me a little bit

was I have a problem with wanting to put

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everything on the plate.

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There's many possible things about

competition.

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There's nothing going on.

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Yeah.

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It was like, no.

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every texture, every flavor.

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And then I got the flavor, thesaurus.

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And my Mike said, you kind of, you want to

learn as you go and you're given briefs.

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So it is quite nice as a challenge to look

at.

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And I went with the Great British Chefs

website and I looked at all of the best

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techniques.

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And I think I put a bit of pressure on

myself.

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But yeah, I found it quite stressful.

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Mike's definitely nodding then.

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Yeah, that mirrors my journey so much.

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I mean, I was definitely guilty of putting

too much on the plate in various parts of

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the competition, but also doing the

flavour thesaurus, using great British

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chefs, it was exactly the same.

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Pookie, what about you?

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Did you have a similar, I would need to

put it all on the plate or did you come in

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with some kind of game plan?

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Oh no, I haven't got any game plan at all.

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I didn't even apply for a master's degree

myself.

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It's my husband put me forward.

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And I only know about it on the last week

before he just clicked send because he's

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an application.

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He said, because during COVID time, yeah,

on our year, it's toward the end of the

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COVID, so the application form is still

during the COVID like full on COVID time.

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So I was at home.

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But every show of the way I like to do the

dinner party at home, visit before COVID,

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just before COVID, like, when we have

guests come over.

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And every time when my friend or family

come over, they would just say, oh, you

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should go on MasterChef.

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I said, no way in the middle of the night.

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No chance.

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And they just thought that your friend and

family just like being nice to you, like,

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because they have been a food for free.

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Yeah.

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So they just have to say something nice.

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So I never thought of like sort of I can

cook in a level that to go on the

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competition.

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So when my husband, he was in the form and

then he said, oh, you need to do the video

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clip to send as a video clip on what.

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He said, you need to do like sort of a

short introduction to MasterChef.

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I said, no way.

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So I didn't send any introduction neither.

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So my husband just say, well, at least you

do what your friend or what family and

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friend always say like apply for

MasterChef.

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You do it.

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then they will never call you.

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Don't worry.

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You're not that good book.

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So I'm just like, okay, just send it then.

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So I didn't even register in my brand that

he applied that for me.

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And then one day MasterChef rang.

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I put that disability MasterChef we would

want you to like set up the audition.

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I'm just, I thought that it's a plan call.

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So I put the phone down.

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No, before I put the phone down, I say,

I'm so busy because I was on the way to

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get some sand and cement for my rental

house.

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So just like, I'm really busy.

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If you want to talk to me, like, bring

back, put the phone down.

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Click.

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But then the team ran back, didn't they?

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They said, for real, I'm going to kill my

husband.

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He said, they will never ring me.

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But then they did ring me.

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So I went for the audition.

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But at the time of the time that I went to

the Master's program that we want you got

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through and we want you to be in the

studio, the top 45, yeah?

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It's on the same day as I'm catching the

flight to go to be on my boat.

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So I was like on the journey, like to make

a big decision, one of the big decision in

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my life.

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is to get our boat because it's like

buying the house.

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So I was like crying then because I can't

do two things.

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I'm just thinking, oh my God, I'm going on

a TV and I'm going to make a big decision

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on buying the boat, which one?

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I can't do boat.

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And the child just like, I can't really, I

have the panic attack at the time.

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Just like, oh, I can't do boat because I

don't want to like do things by half

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meter, but it just come at the same time.

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So to be fair, like going into MasterChef

studio, the first day I just like clueless

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because in the past I was working very

long hours, 70 hours a week.

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So I hardly was MasterChef program.

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So I don't know the pattern or the formula

or what people have to go through.

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I might see bits of the show, but never

seen the full on show from the episode one

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to the last episode when they call the

winner.

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So I only like the word, oh, maybe some

yet.

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Did you watch my- obviously not you,

Daksha, but did you watch my show before?

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Or did you, like, you're the guy, you're

the mic's nodding.

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I watched a couple episodes, but I didn't

watch- I don't think I finished the entire

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series.

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Oh, my heart.

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And then, yeah, and- Another podcast

exclusive.

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Well, I'm glad you've seen every episode.

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I'm like, this is really a span of

master'ship, it's saddening to be fair.

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But-

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Your series, Daxia, was to rebrand because

Lloyd Grossman used to run the Call of the

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Sheik.

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That's right.

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And I remember it from those days.

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That sounds like...

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Yeah, because Lloyd Grossman was the

original, but originally it was called

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MasterChef because large.

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I don't know if you remember that.

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It was called MasterChef.

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And then they changed it to MasterChef.

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So all of those things, I remember that.

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And when we first started doing the series

one, I remember there was a little bit of

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a conflict going on.

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with Lord Grossman and Shine, which is the

actual brushing company.

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There was a little friction going on

because he will say that, well, no, this

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is not how the format should be.

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Something went pear-shaped and MasterChef

took over.

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It had to go over the times.

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Yes.

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So yeah, absolutely.

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Yeah.

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I've been amazing.

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Amazing.

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How many years now?

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Mike, looking back on MasterChef, would

you say that it was beneficial for you as

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an experience or did it provide challenges

that you weren't quite ready for?

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I probably both actually.

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So yes, it was beneficial as an

experience.

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If I didn't go on MasterChef, I wouldn't

be doing what I'm doing now.

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So it gave me the opportunity to quit my

day job and work for myself as a private

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chef.

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So it provided the springboard for that

and I'm incredibly thankful.

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Sometimes I do wonder if I was ready for

it.

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So occasionally I think...

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Maybe if I'd waited another year and

practiced hard, I might've got a little

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bit further in the competition, but then I

always go back to thinking, well, this is

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where I'm at now and this is exactly where

I wanted to be as a result of the show.

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So yeah, it was massively beneficial for

me and just such a positive experience as

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well.

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Being in the COVID year, it was quite...

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bizarre and we obviously didn't know what

to expect anyway, but having been able to

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connect with the MasterChef contestants

after the show, we realized that it was a

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little bit different.

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So there were less contestants, there were

less people going through, there were

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measures in place throughout the

application process and during filming.

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There were some things that we missed out

on, for example, the social aspects and

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the contestants who've done last year and

this year and they...

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finish filming and go out for a drink and

then going for some in the next morning a

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little bit worse for wear we Didn't get to

experience that probably a good thing if

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anything.

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Yes But yeah, it was it was massively

beneficial to me.

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Definitely The most important question to

you really was it's early days for you has

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being a master show had any massive

impacts on you already?

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Oh, yeah, huge.

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I've done a complete like 180 I just went

all in like I knew wasn't a one point one

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for our thing I was quite unfortunate that

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I took a sabbatical to go on the show and

then I thought, right, I'm going to go all

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in and again, with the putting everything

on the plate being quite, as we know,

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didn't work out in hindsight.

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But that was a massive learning curve for

me.

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And there was a lot of things I could have

done differently, but I didn't.

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I went all in.

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And then when I went back to work, I got

made redundant straight away.

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So yeah, they were like, no, I do the show

and we'll support you.

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And you know, to be fair, they were really

supportive.

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But they got hit.

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I was in a design industry.

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Design industry got hit pretty hard by

COVID.

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And yes, I got made redundant.

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And then I thought, no, came off the show

within a week.

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I thought I can't.

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I cried for a bit.

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I went into the pillow.

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Yeah, I curled up.

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And he keeps rocking in the shower.

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Just like, I'm taking a bath.

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I was thinking about fresh chicken.

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Yeah, I was like, I'm hungry, but I'm sad.

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And then I just started, I was like, no.

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I went on every website, I went on a

website called Count and Talk, and they do

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a lot of encouragement for people trying

to change careers.

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And I got in touch and I just said, look,

I'm changing my career.

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I don't actually know what I'm doing.

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Can I just talk to someone?

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They called me and they just said, right,

just send out as many emails to as many

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people as you can.

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So I did that.

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And then I ended up doing like a day at

Butchers, a day at Fishmongers.

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Then I went and stood behind a greengrocer

for about a week.

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I just worked free.

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I had nothing to lose.

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Eventually landed a role at Elliot's and

they took me in, put me in and just

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basically was just like, just absorb

everything and any job you get, just do

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it.

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I did all the doubles, everything, but I,

yeah, total 180 and just went complete all

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in, even though I was getting paid nothing

for it.

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Just, just went and learned as much as I

could.

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It was a big, big change up.

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Yeah, good for you though.

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Being stuck behind the desk.

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Yeah, it does.

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Don't get your job.

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Yeah, yeah, very tired a lot of the time.

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Those doubles killed.

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Really good.

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And finally, Kiki, has your MasterChef

experience influenced your journey in ways

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you never expected?

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In a way, yes, it adds on to my journey

because of my past and my plan with my

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husband is to go travel the world anyway,

and we'll share what I cook on the boat.

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But now with the life of being in the

MasterChef, the experience of a lifetime.

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It made me see food a little bit more in

depth, more passion that goes into it.

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The style and the method and how to search

for the ingredients is more in details

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than I ever thought that I would go into.

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But after MasterChef, it made me learn

more.

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And I like to use the MasterChef journey,

including into my world tour that I'm

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learning to sell.

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I still cannot sell.

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Honestly, every day we learning the new

thing.

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I ripped the sail, I nearly burned the

boat down.

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I flat the boat and all sort, but I do

have finally cooking on the boat as well.

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So it's like, I will try to combine the

love and the passion of traveling and

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cooking together.

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And even on the boat, I'm using the solar

power when I'm traveling to cook my food.

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And I'm trying to create something that

probably will be.

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still be boogie style because my boogie

style is like quirky and it's out there a

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little bit.

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But make it easier and make it like sort

of you can use like the local ingredient

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because you cannot just go down the shop

and buy noodle or buy lemongrass or lamb

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leg.

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You just have to be creative.

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You have to change your taste.

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You are like do the service and talk to

the local people.

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Like the other day I just made the pasta.

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Dorton Italy area and do it on the boat,

which is good for me to share this

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knowledge with the people at home or

people that live on the boat.

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So it's something fun as well as like sort

of gaining the knowledge and my

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creativity, like I'm looking at the sea

someday, yeah, like big wave and thing.

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I just like draw up the picture of the

dish that I want to make.

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Amazing.

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Just amazing.

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And then with MasterChef, believe it or

not, my fan is not the older, like, 20 or

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30 years old.

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My fan is that from the age of five and

six years old.

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Oh, no, no.

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It's just like because of that, just like

being watching MasterChef when I was in

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the show last year.

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And some of them crying when I cry, or

some of them crying when I did.

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And they send me like their passion or

their menu or the name of their restaurant

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because of their watching the show.

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So that it just touched my heart.

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And it just like, I didn't know that what

I done in the show by sharing the

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imagination, by sharing like sort of a,

I'm not really like so serious about it,

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you see.

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I'm just like having a go.

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I wasn't scared of making a mistake

because of I didn't read the recipe.

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my thing is more or less like having a

goal and try right or wrong and then

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creating something that I have in mind out

onto the plate.

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So it is good that even the young people

follow me and still until this day they

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still write to me or having the video, so

it's just heartwarming.

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Also for MasterChef, like I say, you can

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earn the career, make the career out of

this journey.

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I do some sort of like that for

collaboration.

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I do pick and choose job that I would sign

in or accept because it's just my personal

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journey that I live on the boat a lot.

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But believe me with MasterChef, it opens

so many doors.

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I think we all would agree that you can

make something.

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Like what we were all saying, I think

there's a common factor is that I was

364

:

pushed into going on the show from my

girlfriend.

365

:

She, after two years, I just kept putting

off the show and I was like, I'm not that

366

:

good.

367

:

Like I only just could cut her.

368

:

She said, no, you have to do it.

369

:

And then you have to do it.

370

:

And then constantly I do videos on

Instagram and then I'm like, do it, do it,

371

:

do it.

372

:

And in the end, I just went to the pub.

373

:

I sat down, I had a plane and I was like,

what the hell?

374

:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

375

:

But it was, there was a nudge, I think.

376

:

I think there's a running thing.

377

:

Yeah.

378

:

Because you're not blowing your own smoke

while you just kind of, you do what you do

379

:

because you love it.

380

:

Yeah.

381

:

As you will.

382

:

You can enjoy whatever you create and

share it.

383

:

It doesn't matter.

384

:

I just have to tell to everyone, doesn't

matter.

385

:

Don't get too serious.

386

:

Get in there and have a laugh.

387

:

But you can't help but get stressed when

you're in the studio, MasterChef.

388

:

You didn't read Miles.

389

:

You just know later you get the...

390

:

Yeah, yeah.

391

:

But it goes out the window, right?

392

:

Yeah.

393

:

I want you to have fun about it.

394

:

Don't worry about it.

395

:

Once you're in it, when you see Greg and

John, that's it.

396

:

The clock countdown, you're just like,

uh-oh.

397

:

Uh-oh.

398

:

He do not want to lose face in front of

millions of people on the TV, so you're

399

:

just thinking, at least get something on

the plate.

400

:

Actually, that sounds a familiar theme

here, Poo King.

401

:

Sounds very...

402

:

Everybody just chuck it on and hope

something goes out.

403

:

What's a single piece of advice you would

give somebody who would be thinking about

404

:

going into hospitality or on MasterChef?

405

:

Love.

406

:

You have to have passion and love because

with that you will have the stamina to go

407

:

for it and try hard all the time because

it's not easy.

408

:

Hospitality, MasterChef, it's not an easy

thing to go into.

409

:

I mean, I know that I'm having fun doing

it, but...

410

:

I do work hard to get like each dish to

come out too.

411

:

Even though I didn't have the time or the

source when I was like sort of abroad.

412

:

So when I go into the studio each time to

film, it was harder for me.

413

:

So you have to like sort of really have

the passion and the love to be there.

414

:

So both hospitality and to go into a

master chef.

415

:

So follow your dream and try hard.

416

:

Thank you very much.

417

:

Thank you so much for joining us.

418

:

Daksha, do you want to say something?

419

:

Food is passion.

420

:

It's not TV, it's not MasterChef.

421

:

You cook with the love and everything.

422

:

So I, to me, what I do now is from my

heart.

423

:

And although I serve, I do my private chef

thing, I do my wedding, I do lots of

424

:

stuff.

425

:

But what makes me happy is when somebody

goes, oh Daksha, that was so nice.

426

:

Thank you so much.

427

:

You know, that's what I'm looking for.

428

:

Not that I have cooked for this many

people or what I've done.

429

:

To me,

430

:

When you cook with your heart and love,

and that's what brings it out.

431

:

MasterChef is good.

432

:

I don't get me wrong.

433

:

That's what actually brought me to do what

I do now.

434

:

But all these cameras and TVs and it's

there.

435

:

It's a show.

436

:

I agree.

437

:

But food comes from love and how you, and

it's in your hands.

438

:

Right.

439

:

And that's the fact that you're smiling as

you're saying that just says it already

440

:

makes us smile.

441

:

Right.

442

:

That's what it's all about.

443

:

But you know what, I've got a question for

you guys, which has literally just come to

444

:

my head.

445

:

I apologize, off script.

446

:

But we're all sat here in this room

together, kind of, but we've only ever

447

:

seen your recipes through the power of

television.

448

:

Right now, we're talking about your

recipes through the power of broadcast.

449

:

I can't smell it, I can't taste it.

450

:

And we're talking about what's happened

since your future.

451

:

Do not sit here and think, right, let's do

a legacy project.

452

:

We've all been a master chef.

453

:

Let's actually cook some food for the

public to come and buy because I'd turn

454

:

up.

455

:

We're not in Covid anymore, we could come

to a restaurant.

456

:

Just put it out there.

457

:

Like a buttery market for you.

458

:

And also please do that.

459

:

We only want 10 cents.

460

:

My house is fine.

461

:

Tasty.

462

:

We're all set to dive deep into your

stories, into your experiences of

463

:

grilling, roasting and simmering under the

spotlight.

464

:

Ready to spill the beans?

465

:

Let's get cooking!

466

:

There has been a lot in the press recently

about all school children having access to

467

:

the arts.

468

:

Whether that be music, drama or visual

arts.

469

:

Do you think that culinary arts should be

increased in that as well?

470

:

Yeah, big time.

471

:

Big time.

472

:

I know.

473

:

just from my girlfriend's own learning,

he's actually just kids in general,

474

:

they're still navigating what they're

doing, they're exploring everything.

475

:

And with my nephews and with my little

kids in the family, when they get in the

476

:

kitchen and I hug with them, I can see

them engaging in a very different way.

477

:

And they get really zoned into it and they

focus.

478

:

And I think with food, you can see the

results of your labor and you consume it.

479

:

So there is so many different elements of

480

:

pleasure in that and satisfaction.

481

:

You're putting in the work, you're seeing

something go from like flounder to bread.

482

:

It's like alchemy.

483

:

And then to eat it and then have someone

else eat it and then seeing like me eating

484

:

my nephew's dishes.

485

:

They're so proud that there should be a

lot of emphasis on that because I think as

486

:

they get older, there's a memory.

487

:

You can go, I actually really liked that.

488

:

I was never an academic.

489

:

terrible at maths, I don't see things.

490

:

I see things visually.

491

:

Yes.

492

:

So being coerced into all different forms

of this, like you've got to do this, or

493

:

you should get into IT and you should be

in design or maths.

494

:

It kind of was just a new move with me

because I ended up going back to the

495

:

memories of when I was younger and

foraging and getting around a table and

496

:

helping my mum cook.

497

:

And, you know, that process was what I

ended up going back to.

498

:

So I kind of went for it.

499

:

And they are Asian like.

500

:

Sorry, not to do question two.

501

:

What was it?

502

:

The sound again.

503

:

I've actually got a question really for

the room.

504

:

We've touched on, just as we've spoken

today, about how the MasterChef experience

505

:

is actually quite intense.

506

:

In kitchen work, in a professional

setting, it is intense anyway, it can be

507

:

like that.

508

:

So, going through that really for the

first time, did you feel fully supported

509

:

through that process or did you feel that

there was something you could have learned

510

:

before which would have helped you?

511

:

I don't think anything prepares you for

that.

512

:

I'm cursed out.

513

:

I'm not.

514

:

Yeah, you know, MasterChef, you know, you

can't...

515

:

You don't know exactly because you're in

there, you can't prepare yourself because

516

:

you don't know exactly what format, what

they're gonna throw at you, like the

517

:

mystery box.

518

:

They give you a mystery box and then you

open it and you turn around and say, what

519

:

the?

520

:

What would you do with that?

521

:

Yeah?

522

:

So you open it, turn around, that's where

your brain starts ticking.

523

:

No recipes.

524

:

nothing, you just have to invent something

from your head straight away from what you

525

:

go in front of you.

526

:

You know, you've got your flower, your

basics underneath your cupboard, but what

527

:

the main protein and the rest of it,

you've got to create it.

528

:

And it's amazing how things turn in your

head.

529

:

Oh, I could do this, I could do this, I

could do this.

530

:

And about five, six things come through

your head.

531

:

But then you've got the interference of

John and Greg, and then you've got the

532

:

interference from the cameras.

533

:

And that's

534

:

makes things harder.

535

:

Your brain is telling you, yeah, I can do

this.

536

:

But then all this interference that's

around you makes it harder.

537

:

So when you're on the set, things become

harder for you, not because you don't know

538

:

how to do it, it becomes harder for you

with the surroundings.

539

:

That's what makes it harder.

540

:

I think every human

541

:

In my, this is my opinion, every human

knows how to cook.

542

:

It's just, they're not starving.

543

:

It's because it's been done for them.

544

:

Oh, right.

545

:

It's been done for them.

546

:

Just to give you an example, my husband,

right?

547

:

I've been cooking for, for this long.

548

:

Beans on toast, he still burns my toast.

549

:

But it's not about him not cooking.

550

:

is to love that the way he makes it.

551

:

I'll salute it because to me, he's made it

with love.

552

:

Whatever it is, maybe a little bit crusty,

a bit burnt, but hey, it's caramelized, I

553

:

call it.

554

:

I wouldn't call it burnt, I would call it

caramelized.

555

:

It wasn't barbecued, we wouldn't even

complain about it.

556

:

There you go, there you go.

557

:

So yeah, so to me, we don't learn to go on

MasterChef.

558

:

It's the media, the question, should the

young people go into hospitality?

559

:

Yes, they should, but also it's the

family.

560

:

Like for example, I come from an Asian

family.

561

:

All Asian parents would want their child

to be in the hospitality, because it's not

562

:

what they, it's doctors, dentists,

surgeons.

563

:

That's what they're all about.

564

:

All of that is what has been forced by the

parents onto the sibling, onto the child.

565

:

But when the child goes to school, they

want to do something different.

566

:

So they're forced into doing something

that they don't want to do.

567

:

This is the old school, my style.

568

:

But the generation now, they're doing what

they want to do.

569

:

And they go home and say, I want to do

this.

570

:

And now parents have to listen because

it's the next generation.

571

:

My generation was different.

572

:

My kids' generation was different.

573

:

But the next generation is going to be

doing it.

574

:

So hospitality is something that is worth

it because to me, if you've got the

575

:

passion for cooking, I think you should go

into cooking.

576

:

What about you, Mike?

577

:

What are your thoughts?

578

:

To follow on from back to there, I think

getting young people engaged with cooking

579

:

is so important.

580

:

And I think a big reason for that is

because of lockdown and when a lot of

581

:

chefs kind of...

582

:

I mean, there's a restaurant close to me

where they lost all of their chefs.

583

:

One started doing his garden and realized

that he loved it and it was easier than

584

:

being a chef.

585

:

So he went and did that.

586

:

Other person, a delivery driver.

587

:

and just kind of opted for the easier

life.

588

:

And I think there's this kind of

preconception still about maybe 20 odd

589

:

years ago when it was all very like

military style in kitchens and there's

590

:

lots of swearing going on and really

unsocial hours.

591

:

And I think we have a responsibility as

employers to move away from that and to

592

:

show people that actually it doesn't need

to be like that.

593

:

The toxic kitchens don't need to be the

case and the hours don't need to be long.

594

:

then I think it becomes more appealing and

children will be, and young adults will be

595

:

more willing to start exploring it and to

use that creativity and to touch upon the

596

:

creativity that like Miles was talking

about just now.

597

:

I used to be a musician when I left school

so for about three years I played in a

598

:

band and I think at some point it just

dawned on me that I wasn't actually that

599

:

good at it.

600

:

But the creativity was there.

601

:

And I think it just, at some point, it

stopped playing music, it kind of

602

:

coincided with starting cooking.

603

:

I think that creativity just sort of

passed over.

604

:

I think it's so important to have access

to culinary arts in schools, but just arts

605

:

in general would be a great start.

606

:

It'd be a really good start.

607

:

I think if you have that in mind, you can

always transfer it.

608

:

you can always transfer to other things.

609

:

So just any kind of investment in creative

arts would be a massive boost to begin

610

:

with.

611

:

You were saying that, I mean, I work with

schools a lot.

612

:

And when I go in the kitchen, I mean, me

and Sarah's worked together at one of the

613

:

street foods that we did.

614

:

It was amazing.

615

:

And it's amazing how interesting they get

and creative at once they had to create

616

:

their own packaging as well.

617

:

And you should have seen the...

618

:

the packaging they came out with is

amazing, you know, and the love they put

619

:

into it.

620

:

So the passion is there.

621

:

So, you know, this is where the schools

need to kind of push it a little bit and

622

:

bring their creativity out, I think.

623

:

I think it's boundless thinking.

624

:

Being creative is a way of thinking.

625

:

It's boundless.

626

:

It's not binary.

627

:

There isn't like right or wrong.

628

:

It's not a test.

629

:

There's no time limit.

630

:

It's innocent stuff.

631

:

What can you do?

632

:

Whether it's music, whether it's drawing,

painting, cooking, especially

633

:

There's a science, but it can do so much.

634

:

And that, I think, is a relief for kids

where they're in, you know, getting to

635

:

school at this time, wake up at this time,

you've got this time and then suddenly

636

:

you're given all this stuff and it just

got crazy.

637

:

Yeah.

638

:

Bye.

639

:

I think that was the spot to be fair.

640

:

Yeah.

641

:

Well, then, Daksha was saying that we

actually went into schools together, but

642

:

Tim was part of that as well.

643

:

It was a question who had more fun with

it, us or was it the two of you?

644

:

It's amazing, I tell you.

645

:

I was looking forward to going because to

see those faces, I mean, it was

646

:

incredible.

647

:

I mean, the interest, they literally

grouped up and they talked about it.

648

:

And any questions, they used to say, Miss,

call me Daksha, it's all right.

649

:

No one calls me Miss.

650

:

It's call me Daksha, you know.

651

:

It's so amazing.

652

:

But I loved every bit of it.

653

:

So Miles, actually you said in an

interview with the BBC when you were doing

654

:

Well Sir Chef that you really want to

inspire people to be more resourceful with

655

:

food.

656

:

And I know you're passionate about fresh

ingredients.

657

:

You just talked about how you like to do

foraging.

658

:

Now given that we've recently been told

that we are speakwalking into a global

659

:

health disaster with processed food.

660

:

What would be your solution to that?

661

:

So imagine that I gave you all the power

to make that change, do whatever you want.

662

:

What would you do?

663

:

Give everyone a course in medicine.

664

:

and pickling and longer shelf life too.

665

:

It's less wastage because you can do so

much power of curing, aging, drying.

666

:

And that's been like my focus since I've

come up with the show is to that as Mark

667

:

of them, that loaner guy, I'm sure Mike's

probably got that.

668

:

It's just incredible.

669

:

It shows you how many different ways you

can.

670

:

get flavorful vials, textures, alcohols,

acids, you know, savory, all of these

671

:

things, which are really quite affordable

to buy.

672

:

Everyone can buy it, but it's healthy.

673

:

They're natural biomes and yeasts grow

locally.

674

:

So you can, you know, ferment something in

one place and it'll be different to the

675

:

ferment you would get somewhere else.

676

:

But it's all done in a local quantity of

good water, you know, the air.

677

:

the amount of salt being used in the right

salts.

678

:

Things that everyone can afford and add to

the dish to get laid up.

679

:

Because you can make stocks like that,

misos, kojis, and this is endless.

680

:

And all it requires is time.

681

:

I think protest food, the problem is we

want things we want to immediately.

682

:

We don't want to put the time in for it.

683

:

Right.

684

:

If you have a lot of these things on the

go at the same time, like I love walking

685

:

into my kitchen, having a play around and

then looking up at this.

686

:

I got like

687

:

Jaws ahead.

688

:

Jaws on jaws on jaws of things that have

just been there for like two or three

689

:

years.

690

:

The vinegar's up in there two or three

years ago.

691

:

One of my favorites is I made a ginger

beer and I left it fermenting too long and

692

:

it started to turn acidic.

693

:

You know, things were all exploding.

694

:

Yeah.

695

:

You have not had an exploding bottle you

haven't done for many years.

696

:

And I got to the point where I was so much

here, it was like

697

:

like nine liters of it, I just couldn't be

arsed.

698

:

Then I found out, I looked at the science

behind it and then they had the alcohol

699

:

tensor acid.

700

:

Then I made this massive batch of vinegar.

701

:

So I've got like ginger beer vinegar.

702

:

And I use that.

703

:

Wow.

704

:

It's so versatile.

705

:

Amazing.

706

:

Yeah, it's amazing.

707

:

Pickles, typhoons.

708

:

You know, I mean, you're saying, fresh

food and pickling and stuff.

709

:

I agree with veganism.

710

:

Don't get me wrong, I agree with it.

711

:

But if you become a vegan, there are...

712

:

vegetables galore out there to eat.

713

:

Why does processed food have to be done?

714

:

The vegan sausages, vegan this, vegan

that.

715

:

If you have given up meat, why do you

crave for a vegan sausage or a vegan?

716

:

It's processed.

717

:

So to me, processed food is going up.

718

:

If you think about it in supermarkets,

right?

719

:

You see aisles of processed food that

people think, oh, I'm vegan.

720

:

Now I can eat that.

721

:

but they're eating the processed food.

722

:

So to me, it's very much mis- yeah, which

is wrong.

723

:

To me, in an Asian or in any family,

vegetables, galore, lentils, you got

724

:

pulse, all kinds of, you can eat happily

fresh vegetables and make really nice

725

:

dishes.

726

:

You don't have to go to plant-based.

727

:

This is my opinion and I've never agreed

with it and I don't think I will ever will

728

:

agree with it.

729

:

To me,

730

:

Vegan, yes, I agree with it.

731

:

Yes, no need to dairy products, no

problems.

732

:

But going to the process side of it, I

agree with you, fermenting things, making

733

:

vinegar out of it or, you know, kimchi for

example.

734

:

You know, kimchi.

735

:

I mean, it's amazing kimchi.

736

:

It's really, really very easy to make.

737

:

So Mike, before you were doing MasterChef,

you were working in hospitality.

738

:

In a large well-known chain, you would

have seen, and I know the sort of food

739

:

that you get there, is what we would call

big food, which is a lot of processed

740

:

food.

741

:

There is some fresh there as well.

742

:

So what is your take on this?

743

:

Because I kind of feel now we've had this

conversation, I want to be someone who

744

:

describes a diet as freshism.

745

:

Because I'm sure we have a thing that's

fresh, right?

746

:

I like that.

747

:

Yeah, but Mike, how do you feel about

processed food now that you've been a

748

:

MasterChef?

749

:

that processed food doesn't have to be the

norm in every household.

750

:

And there are a number of reasons for

that.

751

:

I was working for the large chain.

752

:

I started working for the head office.

753

:

I was a little bit more detached from the

food in the shops and I was traveling

754

:

around the country.

755

:

I think rather than looking for the big

chains, I started to look for independent

756

:

companies when I was going to different

cities.

757

:

So I would spend a little bit of time just

doing a bit of research to find out where

758

:

I might be able to get some better quality

food.

759

:

And that's what it comes down to for me is

I think if you go to independent places,

760

:

the food is always sourced from

independent suppliers and it's just better

761

:

in quality.

762

:

And the one thing that I always come back

to when I'm talking about this is a

763

:

problem that I have all of the time and

it's kale.

764

:

The supermarket kale is...

765

:

Awful is so bad.

766

:

I don't really hate it there.

767

:

It's terrible.

768

:

It's chopped open.

769

:

It's got loads of stalking and it's just,

yeah, it's, it's rubbish and it's in

770

:

plastic packaging as well.

771

:

It just does not need to be like that.

772

:

And sometimes my suppliers can't always

source great kale and it.

773

:

Absolutely.

774

:

Chills me to have to go to the supermarket

and buy it because it's just totally

775

:

different.

776

:

It's completely different than it should

be.

777

:

But I've, over the last few years, I've

really got into growing my own fruit and

778

:

veg.

779

:

I've got quite a large allotment now, but

it started off with just a few plant pots

780

:

in my backyard.

781

:

And I think there are a number of benefits

for that.

782

:

And the first one I suppose is that it's

cheap.

783

:

The seeds are really cheap.

784

:

You get such a great yield.

785

:

So, you know, for, I don't know, 50 pence

worth of seeds, you could be eating spring

786

:

onions or whatever for- It tastes so much

better.

787

:

The flavour of the tomato is so much

different than what you grow yourself.

788

:

I always use a tomato as a reference.

789

:

Even the coriander, I've obviously used

coriander a lot.

790

:

You buy a coriander from any greengrocers

or even supermarket.

791

:

It doesn't smell.

792

:

like coriander, but you grow it at home.

793

:

It smells so lovely.

794

:

I mean, the freshness of the coriander is

amazing when you grow it yourself.

795

:

It doesn't take long.

796

:

A few seeds, like I said.

797

:

That's it.

798

:

And I think the feeling as well, like that

feeling of eating something that you've

799

:

grown from a seed, you can't beat that.

800

:

And I think once you experience it, it's

quite difficult to go back to buying

801

:

things purely for convenience.

802

:

And I realized that not everybody has the

space.

803

:

And I guess up here in the North of

England, like I'm lucky in that respect

804

:

because I do have a bit of space to plant

some seeds and whatnot.

805

:

But yeah, I just think there are so many

benefits to growing your own fruit and veg

806

:

and moving away from processed food in

general, which is, yeah, so that's kind of

807

:

my journey from working for a big chain to

where I am now.

808

:

If I was out and about, I just wouldn't

look to go to big chains at all, at good

809

:

old now really, and I think the quality.

810

:

And we are literally can see now why

everybody's been on MasterChef.

811

:

Cause the passion about food is just

coming out of everybody's pot.

812

:

And if you're listening to this, you can

see the smiles on the people's faces.

813

:

Just talking about it.

814

:

It's just great.

815

:

And I'm really hungry for fresh food.

816

:

For someone thinking of a career in

hospitality, or actually who is thinking

817

:

of going on a reality TV show like Moss

Chef, what's the single piece of the

818

:

device you would give?

819

:

And we'll start with Mike.

820

:

Well, I'm going to split that into two.

821

:

So for a career in hospitality, I would

say get out there and try as much as you

822

:

possibly can.

823

:

A bit like what Miles was saying earlier.

824

:

So I went to work at Roots in York with

Tommy Banks, did that for free.

825

:

And that experience was so, so valuable.

826

:

And it completely changed to probably more

beneficial than MasterChef.

827

:

It just changed me as a cook.

828

:

So that's my piece of advice for a career

in hospitality for MasterChef.

829

:

I would say do what you do well and stay

in your lane.

830

:

And that's, that's a piece of advice that

I picked up from Alexina, who was it, he

831

:

was in my year.

832

:

And when I heard that, I thought that is

so right because I could specialize in

833

:

whatever and then take, for example,

someone like

834

:

Nick, who was our master chef this year,

who specializes in Latin food.

835

:

If I tried to cross over into his lane,

I'm never going to do it as well because

836

:

that's his thing.

837

:

And then that means that there's one

person that's probably going to beat me in

838

:

that round.

839

:

So yeah, so do what you do well, I think.

840

:

Brilliant.

841

:

Thank you.

842

:

Thank you.

843

:

That's it.

844

:

Passion for food has to be there.

845

:

Go and try different kinds of foods.

846

:

That's what I think.

847

:

You know, go and taste.

848

:

If your food passion is not there, it's

gonna be difficult for you to get into

849

:

hospitality.

850

:

Getting on reality show again, you go on

it, do your best, but don't try to follow

851

:

others.

852

:

My mistake was to follow others and I

failed miserably.

853

:

I failed miserably.

854

:

So I think do something that's in your

heart, cook the way you think and don't

855

:

follow others.

856

:

It's gonna take you in the right place.

857

:

If you try follow other roads,

858

:

Unfortunately, not two.

859

:

Thank you.

860

:

Miles.

861

:

I think I would probably say that if you

want to go and just remember that it

862

:

doesn't matter where you finish, you win

wherever you need to.

863

:

Correct.

864

:

Because what you learn in the process is

the whole thing is a learning process.

865

:

You learn how to write your recipes

better.

866

:

You will be more focused on what you

actually want to cook.

867

:

You will focus on the foods you want to

build on.

868

:

As every chef would do.

869

:

And it.

870

:

You would look at a dish and you would

want to make it better or better.

871

:

And it forces you to refine the things

that you already do well.

872

:

So yeah, be prepared to just be happy to

go wherever you go as far as you go.

873

:

Yeah.

874

:

A big thank you to all of our listeners

who made this podcast possible.

875

:

We would love, love to hear your thoughts

on the concept as I said.

876

:

And we would like to have more done in

this kind of style.

877

:

What did you think of our guests?

878

:

Who would you like to see coming on?

879

:

feedback in the comments or write us on

social media.

880

:

Sadly, that's all for this episode of

Talking Hospitality.

881

:

Don't forget to like and subscribe

wherever you get your podcasts.

882

:

Thank you for listening and stay awesome.

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About the Podcast

Talking Hospitality podcast
This fun, informative podcast brings experts together with a recruiter, a chef & a cake artiste talking Hospitality and industry related wide-ranging topics & solutions: from mental health; sobriety to attracting, hiring & retention of staff.
Welcome to Talking Hospitality, where we’re all about real conversations, fresh insights, and actionable solutions for today’s hospitality leaders. Whether you’re managing a restaurant, running a hotel, or leading a team in hospitality, this podcast brings together industry pros with one goal: to help you tackle challenges, stay ahead of trends, and lead with confidence.

Hosted by Timothy R Andrews, Tracey Rashid, and Joe McDonnell, each episode dives into hot topics—think recruitment strategies, mental health, sustainability, tech innovations, and more. But we don’t stop at identifying issues; we’re all about finding solutions that work. Our guests aren’t here to vent—they’re here to provide practical advice, tips, and strategies that you can put into practice immediately.

With a mix of industry insights, real-life examples, and solutions-focused discussions, Talking Hospitality is here to support and empower hospitality professionals who are looking to make a positive impact. Perfect for those with packed schedules, each episode is designed to offer maximum insight in a short, engaging format.

Support the podcast by purchasing hospitality e-learning courses from Educating Hospitality or by buying us a coffee—every little helps us keep the valuable content coming!

So, if you’re ready to boost your hospitality skills and gain fresh perspectives from industry experts, hit play and join the conversation.

About your host

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Timothy Andrews