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My Kitchen Rules 2019: Who is Manu Feildel?

We get to know more about Australia's favourite French chef and MKR judge. - by Clare Rigden
  • 23 Jan 2019

Think you know Manu Feildel? Think again! There’s a whole lot more to the sauce-loving Frenchman than meets the eye. Read on to find out more:

My Kitchen Rules 2019: Who is Manu Feildel?
Channel 7

He was almost a judge on Masterchef!

Manu was first considered as a judge on MKR's rival cooking series, but reportedly lost out on the gig because of his thick, French accent. The same almost happened with MRK. “I did the (MKR) pilot and everything went well and then my agent called and said, ‘You’re off the list ... one of the executives had a problem with your accent,’” he recently told The Adelaide Advertiser. The stars eventually aligned...and the rest is history!

He’s a dynamo on the dancefloor!

Manu, 45, knows more than most what it’s like to compete on a reality TV series - he starring in, and won, Dancing With The Stars way back in 2011. I know - we'd forgotten too! Turns out he’s a dab hand at shimmying as well as sauteeing!

He ran off and joined the circus

Yep - really! Before Manu discovered his love for cooking, he was actually a circus performer! He enrolled in circus school at age 13 and learnt juggling, unicycling, clowning and acrobatics. He did this for three years before leaving his native France for London, where he worked his apprenticeship at Cafe Royal restaurant, before going on to cook at acclaimed restaurants, Les Associates and the Cafe des Amis du Vin.

 

manu
Channel 7

MKR is the THIRD cooking show he’s starred on

Before finding fame as a judge on My Kitchen Rules, Manu appeared on the Network Ten series Ready Steady Cook and popped up on episodes of Masterchef.

He used to be in business with George Calombaris

The two acclaimed chefs opened a joint venture, Le Grand Cirque, a high-end French restaurant, in Melbourne in 2014. It closed after just four months.

Manu is a fourth generation chef

His great grandfather was a pastry chef, and both his dad and granddad were chefs. Oh, and his Mum can cook too, apparently - so you could say it runs in the family.

He’s a best-selling cookbook writer

Manu has published six books, most of which showcase French cuisine. His most recent, ‘More Please: My Family Recipes You’ll Love to Cook and Share’ features a wide range of recipes that Manu and his family - including wife Clarissa Weerasena, who he married a year ago, and in his two children, Jonti, 13 and Charlee, who turns four on Jan 30 - love to eat at home.

Pete and Manu were friends before the show

Pete and Manu go way back, through their links to the Sydney culinary scene. Pete was initially paired with a female judge on MKR, but requested producers take a look at his mate Manu after admitting there wasn’t enough spark between him and his previous co-host. They’d already screen-tested Man, and agreed to take another look..and TV’s most enduring Bromance was born!

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Accepting the #10yearchallenge by celebrating 10 years of @mykitchenrules in a special anniversary episode tonight. This picture from 2009 where it all started - see crowd favourites and outrageous teams, to the biggest rivalries, most memorable dishes and controversial moments, a revealing insight into what has made MKR one of Australia's most popular television shows. And of Pete and my changing looks through the years! Tune in to @channel7 tonight at 7.30pm for a trip down memory lane. #10yearchallenge #10yearanniversary #10yearsofmkr #babyfaces
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Clare Rigden
Clare Rigden
Clare Rigden is a freelance journalist, based in Melbourne. When she's not writing for WHO magazine, she can be found roaming the globe with her partner and 4 year-old son, a seasoned traveller who loves nothing more than popping on his yellow ‘bee backpack’ and hitting the road with mum.

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