Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC), the business event for hospitality and foodservice professionals, has announced that Monica Galetti will be the show’s Chef Ambassador for 2023. 

Monica Galetti is one of the best-known female chefs in London. Born in Samoa and raised in New Zealand, she developed an early interest in food and trained as a chef in New Zealand. In 2000 she came to London to work for Michel Roux Jr at Le Gavroche. Her talent was soon recognised, and she became the first female sous chef at Le Gavroche and then Michel Roux Jr’s Head Chef at Le Gavroche Tropiques in Mauritius in 2005. 

After a total of 12 years at Le Gavroche, Galetti left in 2015 to spend some time with her family and focus on finding a site for her first restaurant in London. Over the past seven years she has become a familiar television personality, as the inimitable presenter and judge on BBC2’s highly popular MasterChef: The Professionals. 

As part of her role as Chef Ambassador for HRC 2023 Galetti will be taking part in a must-attend keynote session on the show’s Vision Stage and will be a guest judge for historic chef competition International Salon Culinaire.  

Galetti commented: “I’m delighted to join HRC and International Salon Culinaire as Chef Ambassador for 2023. Now, more than ever, it’s so important for hospitality professionals and chefs to come together, network, learn and continue growing this fantastic industry. There’s nowhere better do to this than at HRC.” 

Ronda Annesley, Event Manager for HRC, added: “We’re so excited to have Monica on board as Chef Ambassador for HRC 2023. Alongside an illustrious career at the forefront of culinary innovation in the UK, Monica is an advocate of rising industry stars and a champion of quality ingredients. She will be a fantastic addition to our 2023 event and an ambassador that epitomises many of the values the show holds dear.” 

Earlier this year, HRC announced an expansive partnership with Chef Publishing for a new feature area and demo kitchen, entitled Chef HQ, further putting chefs at the heart of the show.  

The space will feature a stage for informative sessions and the demo kitchen stage will be none other than Niall Keating’s Paradise Carriage. Across the three days of the show, Chef HQ will welcome some of the UK’s top chefs to talk through their favourite dishes and share their insights and kitchen best practice. Surrounded by some of the most innovative, exciting and relevant foodservice brands, the team behind Chef HQ are on track to deliver a packed programme of activity. 

HRC will take place alongside IFE, International Food & Drink Event, IFE Manufacturing, The Pub Show and historic chef competition International Salon Culinaire on 20-22 March 2023 at ExCeL London. To find out more about the event, and to subscribe to the HRC Connects newsletter, head to hrc.co.uk.