MasterChef Australia delivered a surprise TV moment when Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, stepped into the kitchen and shut down one title straight away.
Poh Ling Yeow greeted her warmly and asked, “Welcome. Do I call you Duchess?”
Meghan answered with a smile: “Oh, call me Meghan. Absolutely, yeah.”
The 44-year-old filmed the guest spot during her April trip to Australia with Prince Harry. Contestants had no idea she was about to appear.
Before the reveal, Poh teased a “mystery guest judge” filling in for Andy Allen during his paternity leave. She admitted she was trying not to start “swearing” from excitement.
Then Meghan walked in, and the room lit up.
Meghan Markle’s Masterchef Australia twist left the kitchen stunned
Her cameo came with a challenge that felt very personal. Contestants had to create a “dish fit for a Duchess” using ingredients Meghan picked herself.
She chose honey, macadamia nuts, citrus, celeriac and edible flowers. The mix gave the amateur cooks plenty to think about.
Meghan also spoke fondly about being back in Australia with Harry. She told the kitchen: “Oh, we’re so excited. We love Australia.
“We had the most sentimental, amazing time. We were here almost eight years ago. We announced we were pregnant with Archie at the time.
Prince Harry and Meghan announced they were expecting their first child during their 2018 royal tour of Australia.
- The tour began in October 2018, shortly after their wedding earlier that year.
- Kensington Palace confirmed the pregnancy as the couple arrived in Sydney.
- The announcement came ahead of appearances linked to the Invictus Games.
- Meghan later referenced that earlier visit while appearing on MasterChef Australia, calling the return to Australia “full circle”.
“So, it’s full circle; here we are, but thrilled to be here with all of you and taste some really good food. I’ve heard you’ve been cooking up a storm this season,” she said.
That family reference quickly caught attention. As she unveiled the produce, Meghan said: “My kids eat Brussels sprouts,” and Poh replied: “That’s impressive”.
What Meghan said next revealed her MasterChef style
Meghan made it clear she does not enjoy cooking under pressure. She told contestants there was “a lot of pressure in this kitchen” before explaining her own approach.
“I don’t like to cook that way; I like to cook in a really relaxed fashion,” she said.
She followed that with advice for the cooks. “So, all I can say to the competitors is to just remember to have fun, to keep a sense of humour about it, and to cook from the heart”.
MasterChef Australia regularly features guest judges alongside its main panel.
- Andy Allen is one of the show’s regular judges.
- During his paternity leave, guest appearances were used to fill the judging panel.
- Poh Ling Yeow introduced Meghan as a “mystery guest judge” before the reveal.
- Guest judges on the programme typically help set challenges, taste dishes and give feedback to contestants.
That theme ran through the rest of her comments. Meghan said, “Food and cooking are how I show my nurturing and love for my friends, family and my kids”.
She also urged contestants to bring memory to the plate. “What is the story behind it? It almost feels like an heirloom, right?
“What is something from your family or from a memory, something sentimental that we can also taste as we taste your dish?”
Meghan later explained why she said yes to the show. “What attracted me to the MasterChef Australia kitchen? Two things: my love of food and my love of Australia. It was an easy yes,” she said.
She added: “It’s such a great show. I’m just really honoured that I was asked to be here with you and to be able to judge some of these meals.”
Her appearance on MasterChef lands after her Netflix series With Love, Meghan received a Daytime Emmy nomination.