After sixteen long years of judging some of Australia’s best home cooks on My Kitchen Rules (MKR), everyone’s favourite French-Australian chef Manu Feildel might be getting ready to hang up his apron for good.
“I want to be semi-retired, if not retiried completely to be honest with you,” Manu revealed on The Dom Harvey Podcast of how he plans to spend his life in 10 years time.
“I’ve been working since I was 15, it’s nearly 40 years of my life working. I’ve loved every minute of it, but I’m exhausted, and I would like to slow down. I’d like to discover the world, I’d like to travel with my wife and go eat food from everywhere, and that’s my plan.”
Starting when he was young
On the podcast, where he appeared alongside his enemy-turned-best bud and MKR co-host Colin Fassnidge, Manu revealed he first stepped into the kitchen professionally at just 15 years old when he began his pre-apprenticeship under his dad, Patrick.
“My apprenticeship was horrible,” Manu, 52, revealed. “My head chef was a complete alcoholic man, he was in his mid-50s and he was a great teacher and a great chef who taught me everything.”
“But at the same time he was physical and abusive on a daily basis which was tough, but then again it was the 80s, it was the way – and it was acceptable.”
When asked how his head chef was abusive when he was just 16 years old, Manu heartbreakingly revealed he would be kicked in the shins and have pots and pans thrown at him.
“I used to go home most nights crying,” he shared.
More heartbreak for Manu
But this isn’t the only heartbreak Manu has faced in his life, as recently his son Jonti has decided to leave the family home and move to the other side of the world.
Jonti, 22, has relocated to France after joining the rugby team, Sporting Olympique Avignon Super XIII (SO Avignon) team based in the south of France – which has left Manu reportedly extremely proud but heartbroken.
“Manu is absolutely thrilled for Jonti, but there’s definitely a ‘Wait… when will he be back? moment happening,” a source told New Idea. “He’s gone from having his son around to suddenly havig to check the time difference before calling him!”
Before joining SO Avignon, Jonti played for the Sydney Roosters Jersey Flegg team and the South Sydney Rabbitohs Under 19s squad.
While Manu may want to hang up his apron for good and enjoy a life full of great food and grand adventures, Colin recently revealed his co-judge is the one keeping him on MKR – while both even joked on social media they’d still be on the show in 20 years time.
“I probably wouldn’t do [MKR] it if Manu wasn’t doing it, to be perfectly honest,” Colin told TV Week about his “bromance” with Manu.
“We’re attached at the hip, we’re like two brothers, really more than aything else.”
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