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NEW Delicious delights!

Chefs Marcus Wareing and his new co-judge Anna Haugh celebrate the return of the elite cooking contest…

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Q Anna, what has it been like replacing Monica Galetti to judge the new batch of talented chefs?

A Anna: It’s a brilliant show to be part of. I’ve tried to be firm but fair and encourage the chefs. Every so often, we give them a nudge or a piece of advice, so they can become a stronger, better version of themselves. As I look at the next talent blossoming, I feel pride.

Q Have Marcus and Gregg Wallace welcomed you into the fold?

A Anna: I cannot sing their praises enough – I feel indebted to them. They gave me great advice and, if I was struggling, they cheered me on. I really felt mentored, in particular by Marcus. Marcus: I’ve tried to be a support mechanism for Anna. Monica’s shoes are big ones to fill and we wanted someone dynamic and I know Anna takes it seriously – Irish people take everything seriously, but with a smile on their face! Q How tough is the contest this year? A Marcus: There’s no competitio­n quite like Masterchef: The Profession­als. It’s series 15 now and it just gets better. The key for me is to find fantastic new talent. There’s no easy road – it’s a journey for all the chefs and you’ve got to be 100% profession­al, cool and committed. But every year we get chefs blowing us away.

Anna: The chefs who jump at the challenges are the ones who are the next stars of our industry. It’s about resilience and passion and about what food means to them – those are the ones that do well.

Q Are there any new dishes or flavours that you’ve tasted this time?

A Anna: I love dishes that are well thought through with a good plan. One of my favourite challenges was about childhood memories and a chef made a chocolate cake with pink custard. I’d never had that but both Marcus and Gregg said, ‘I remember eating that at school.’ I was imagining them as little boys all excited on chocolate-sponge-andpink-custard day!

Marcus: Oh, yes, the pink custard! You don’t forget that sort of stuff when you’re at school, so when it’s presented to you on Masterchef 40odd years later, it’s quite a shock to the system. It did make me and Gregg laugh.

 ?? ?? Ready to judge… Marcus and Anna
Retro classic… Chocolate cake with pink custard
Ready to judge… Marcus and Anna Retro classic… Chocolate cake with pink custard
 ?? ?? Cheers… Marcus (left), Gregg and Anna get ready to taste
Cheers… Marcus (left), Gregg and Anna get ready to taste
 ?? ?? Previous judge… Monica Galetti
Previous judge… Monica Galetti

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