Galetti was born in American Samoa, and was initially raised by two aunts in Upolu as her mother had moved to Auckland, New Zealand, for work.^[2] At the age of eight, Galetti moved from Samoa to Wellington, New Zealand, and lived there with her parents and five siblings.^[3][4][5] She attended Naenae College^[6] In the early 1990s she studied for a diploma in hospitality at the Central Institute of Technology, Upper Hutt.^[5]

After completing her studies, Galetti worked at Lower Hutt restaurant Timothy's. The owner sent her to cooking competitions in Australia, America and Europe, and she began to look for a position in London by sending her CV to top restaurateurs. The first offer she received was from Michel Roux Jr – a beginning position as first commis at his two-Michelin-starred restaurant Le Gavroche, well below her position in Wellington as chef de partie.^[5] She accepted the offer and moved to London in 1999. She worked rapidly through the sections of the kitchen and became senior sous-chef, a position she held until 2015.^[7][8][9] She was the first woman to hold such a senior position at the restaurant.^[5]

While working for Roux, she launched and was Head Chef of the restaurant Le Gavroche des Tropiques in Mauritius.^[10]

She was a judge on the BBC series MasterChef: The Professionals from 2009 to 2021, before she was replaced by Anna Haugh citing she felt it necessary to prioritise her family and her restaurant team, and has appeared as a presenter on other food-related television programmes.^[11][12][13] Though, in March 2023, Galetti announced she would be returning as a judge on the show.^[14]

In 2017, along with her husband David, she opened a new restaurant in London called Mere. This was achieved with backing from Westbury Street Holdings chairman Alastair Storey.^[15]

Galetti serves as a UK Tourism Ambassador for Samoa.^[1] She appeared in the BBC’s radio programme Desert Island Discs on 31 January 2021.^[16]

In March 2023, Galetti announced she would be returning to MasterChef: The Professionals as a judge, after she stepped down from the role in 2022.^[17][18]

Publications edit

• Galetti, Monica (2012). Monica's Kitchen. London: Quadrille Publishing. ISBN 978-1849491037.
• Galetti, Monica (2016). The Skills: How to become an expert chef in your own kitchen: 120 recipes, tips and techniques. London: Quadrille Publishing. ISBN 978-1849497640.
• Galetti, Monica (2021). At Home: my favourite recipes for family & friends. London: Aster. ISBN 978-1783254873.

In January 2022 it was announced that Galetti would sit as a judge on The Platinum Pudding Competition, a nationwide baking competition launched on 10 January 2022 by Buckingham Palace, Fortnum & Mason and The Big Jubilee Lunch to find a new pudding dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II as part of the official Platinum Jubilee celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II.^[19][20]

In 2004, Galetti married French-born sommelier David Galetti, the Head Sommelier at Le Gavroche.^[21] They have one daughter, born in 2006.^[2]