MasterChef star says racial remarks flew at Le Gavroche

TEMPERS in top restaurants’ kitchens can become as heated as the ovens, but MasterChef star Monica Galetti has revealed that she suffered racial comments when she worked at Michel Roux Jnr’s celebrated Le Gavroche.

Samoa-born Monica, who is a judge on MasterChef: The Professionals, claims she was called offensive names by colleagues when she first worked as a commis chef at the two Michelin-starred dining room in Mayfair.

Newly arrived from Down Under, Monica accepted a job at Le Gavroche at a lower level than she’d been used to. She recalls: ‘Coming from New Zealand, where there’s lot of brown faces everywhere, it was weird to get to the UK and be referred to as coloured.’

She adds: ‘I mean, I’d be in the kitchen and someone would say, “Oh, yes, ask the black girl on the fish,” and I’d be like, “Who are you calling black?” So it was a huge adjustment.’

Monica, 43, eventually worked her way up to become senior sous-chef — the first woman to hold such a lofty position. Le Gavroche is run by Roux, who was a MasterChef judge until 2014. Monica now owns her own eaterie, Mere, and tries to produce tough, female chefs.

‘My mum always told me to be strong, so I won’t let anyone walk over me,’ she declares. ‘All the women I employ are strong and independent, but you’ve got to give them the tools to be like that.

‘When they leave me for another kitchen, they’ll be able to stand up for themselves.’

A spokesman for Le Gavroche declined to comment.

SUMMER holidays are no laughing matter for Ruby Wax. The ebullient comedienne fell off a horse during a trip to Finland and has been left needing to wear a back brace. ‘My injuries are quite serious,’ says Ruby, 66, who was forced to cancel her show, How To Be Human, at the Edinburgh Fringe this week. ‘I am hugely disappointed and so sorry to everyone who has bought tickets.’ Get well soon, Ruby.