Quick Info
| Profession | Chef, restaurateur and television presenter |
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| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Date of Birth | 26/08/1975 |
| Age | 51 years |
| Birthplace | Samoa |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
Latest News about Monica Galetti
Galetti published her fourth cookbook, Gathering, in October 2026, a collection of recipes built around Polynesian flavours and personal memories. In interviews around the release she spoke about her family history and the loss of both her parents. The book's publication is also tied to a press tour and visits to Samoa, where she consults on the menu of her restaurant TASI.
130 Primrose opened in Primrose Hill, marking Galetti's return to the London restaurant scene after the closure of her restaurant Mere in 2024. She also joined the charity's board as a trustee. The venue takes over the former Home Kitchen Diner site.
Monica Galetti was announced as executive chef of 130 Primrose, a new social enterprise restaurant on Regent's Park Road in Primrose Hill, London. The restaurant offers paid work, accredited training and progression to people affected by homelessness and is led day to day by head chef Eric Zhang. Its menu draws on Mediterranean influences and will later include nods to her Samoan heritage.
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Bio/Wiki
| Summary | Samoan-born chef known for classical French cooking blended with South Pacific flavours. She is best known as a judge on MasterChef: The Professionals and has also run her own restaurants and written cookbooks. |
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| Origin | Born in Samoa, raised in New Zealand, and later based in London. |
Educational Qualification(s)
| Hospitality and culinary training | Studied hospitality and trained as a chef at the Central Institute of Technology in Wellington, New Zealand |
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Personal Life
| Residence | London, United Kingdom |
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Relationships & More
| Spouse | David Galetti |
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| Marriage | 2004 |
| Spouse occupation | French-born sommelier who worked at Le Gavroche |
Family
| Spouse | David Galetti |
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| Children | Anais |
| Mother | Her mother is the namesake of the restaurant Mere |
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Career
| Early career | Worked as a chef de partie at Timothy's in Lower Hutt, New Zealand, before moving to London in 1999 |
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| Le Gavroche | Joined Le Gavroche under Michel Roux Jr as a first commis and rose to senior sous chef, becoming the first woman to hold that position at the restaurant; remained there for many years |
| Le Gavroche Tropiques | Became head chef of Le Gavroche Tropiques in Mauritius in 2005 |
| Mere | Opened the London restaurant Mere in 2017 with her husband David Galetti; it closed in 2024 |
| Current role | Executive chef and trustee at 130 Primrose in Primrose Hill, London, a social enterprise restaurant that opened in May 2026 and trains people affected by homelessness |
| Television | Judge on MasterChef: The Professionals since 2009; co-presenter of Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby since 2017 |
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Style Quotient
| Cooking style | Classical French technique combined with South Pacific and Samoan flavours |
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| On-screen persona | Frank, direct and fair feedback to contestants |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Was raised by her aunt in Samoa alongside her sister and four brothers before moving to Wellington to join her mother as a teenager | |
| 2. Moved to the UK in 1997 to complete her chef's education | |
| 3. Has appeared on MasterChef: The Professionals for many years, and her work on the show is often linked with her well-known strictness | |
| 4. Has hosted culinary cruises for Uniworld, including trips to Italy and France | |
| 5. Mere was the first standalone joint project of Monica and David Galetti, who met while working at Le Gavroche in Mayfair | |
| 6. Holds a home in France with her husband, David Galetti |
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