Less than a year after competing on season 14 of MasterChef Australia and finishing in fifth place, Julie Goodwin will grace the screens yet again as she returns to the cooking competition.
The beloved chef, author and TV presenter, who won the inaugural season of the reality show in 2009, is due to appear as a guest judge in the upcoming elimination challenge.
She shared with Yahoo Lifestyle ahead of the episode what it was like returning to the kitchen so soon after her last appearance.
“I absolutely loved coming back as a guest judge,” she said. “It was a completely different experience.
“You’re in a completely different part of the compound before you walk on set, you’re on the judges’ side. And you’re like, ‘Nobody’s deciding my future today, I’m deciding somebody else’s’ – although that responsibility’s not so much fun.”
Julie added that she’s grateful she was able to “kick around” with judges Andy Allen, Melissa Leong and Jock Zonfrillo behind the scenes and get to know them more personally.
“It was great to have some fun with them and have a bit more conversation with them than you can have when you’re a contestant,” she shared. “I absolutely loved it.”
As she’s competed on three seasons of the show including multiple guest appearances for Masterclasses, Mystery Box Challenges and Invention Tests, Julie has plenty of advice to share with the current contestants.
“Just get in there, be your true authentic self, and that’ll be enough,” she explained.
“Be open to possibilities and opportunities, grab it with two hands. If you are privileged enough to be a part of that production, just make the most of it because it’s wonderful, and thousands and thousands of people would love to be in your position.”
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This article first appeared on Over60.