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Transform culinary teams with Monica Galetti, speaker, Michelin-trained chef and culinary innovator. Monica works with organisations to elevate food experiences and develop culinary talent, delivering expertise from MasterChef judging and international restaurant leadership.
Monica Galetti is a renowned New Zealand chef known for her unique mix of classical French cuisine and South Pacific flavours. She was raised in Upolu by her aunts while her mother worked in Auckland. At eight, she moved to Wellington to live with her parents and five siblings. Monica's love for food, influenced by her Samoan heritage, led her to study hospitality at the Central Institute of Technology.
After earning her diploma, she began her career at Timothy's restaurant, where her talent was recognised, leading her to compete in international cooking competitions. In 1999, she moved to London to work with Michel Roux Jr. at Le Gavroche, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant. Starting as a first commis, her skills quickly advanced her to the position of the restaurant's first female senior sous chef. During her ten years there, she also helped launch Le Gavroche des Tropiques in Mauritius.
Since 2009, Monica has been a judge on BBC's MasterChef: The Professionals and has co-presented Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby since 2017. She has written three books: "Monica’s Kitchen," "The Skills," and "Monica at Home," released in September 2021. In 2017, she opened her first restaurant, Mere, in London, showcasing a blend of culinary influences from her and her husband, David's, backgrounds. Although Mere closed in 2024, it reflected her culinary vision. Monica continues to be a key figure in the culinary world, serving as a UK Tourism Ambassador for Samoa and returning to MasterChef: The Professionals in March 2023. Her cooking showcases her South Pacific roots and classical training, with a focus on family and seasonal ingredients.
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frequently asked questions
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To book Monica Galetti, email monica.galetti@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Monica's availability and speaking fee. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and about your audience.
Monica Galetti draws on her dual culinary background — classical French training at Le Gavroche under Michel Roux Jr. and her Samoan heritage — to structure her sessions around the contrast and integration of these two traditions, grounding her narrative in personal biography and professional progression.
Monica Galetti's sessions cover classical French technique, South Pacific and Samoan culinary heritage, and the hospitality industry. She served as senior sous chef at the two-Michelin-starred Le Gavroche under Michel Roux Jr. and has been a judge on BBC's MasterChef: The Professionals since 2009.
No. PepTalk adds no booking fee, so you pay the speaker's fee and nothing beyond it. The service, from shortlist through to contracts and event-day logistics, is included. For repeat or multi-event bookings, PepTalk can agree preferential rates with your procurement team.
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The typical fee range is the speaker's standard in-person fee in their home market, shown in their local currency. It moves with format, location, date and session length: virtual sessions and shorter slots usually cost less, while international travel and peak dates cost more. Send your brief to PepTalk and the team will confirm the exact fee in your currency.
Not all of them, and it makes no difference to your booking. PepTalk's network of 15,000+ speakers covers talent the team works with directly alongside speakers represented by agents and agencies worldwide. PepTalk approaches the speaker, negotiates the fee and handles contracting either way.
Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.
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