HOW WAS IT JOINING THE SHOW?
Anna Haugh (AH): Gregg and Marcus welcomed me into the fold. I took on board everything they said.
They really watched me do things, and if I was stumbling or struggling, they cheered me on, they gave me more self-confidence to just keep going.
I really felt kind of mentored, in particular by Marcus, where I just felt that he wanted me to feel comfortable and confident in the chef that I am. And Gregg gave me loads of great advice.
I felt really lucky. It was a brilliant show to be part of.
WHAT KIND OF A JUDGE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?
AH: I think in general, with my chefs in my kitchen, I try to be firm but fair.
You know, humans make mistakes all the time, so as a chef, that's kind of part of your job. If it comes down to laziness, or if somebody is dishonest in an action, that disappoints me, so you know, I think I'm firm but fair in a way that is good for a young chef or a growing chef.
IS THERE A PARTICULAR CHALLENGE ON MASTERCHEF: THE PROFESSIONALS THAT YOU WOULD DREAD DOING?
AH: Anything to do with food, I love. And if something's a little bit tricky and hard to do, it kind of makes it even more exciting.
I think everything about our industry is a challenge. And I think the chefs who feel that and jump at the challenges, they're the next stars of our industry. You've got to be able to enjoy something if it's stretched you a bit. That's what a good chef is all about. Enjoying the stretch.
Marcus Wareing (MW): There's no easy road into MasterChef, it's a journey for all of the chefs and they all have different experiences within there.
What bit would I not like to do? All of it. It's all terrifying. I'd never enter MasterChef: The Professionals. It's too difficult.
WHY DO YOU THINK MASTERCHEF: THE PROFESSIONALS IS SUCH A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWING CHEFS?
MW: You've got to have a mindset to walk through those doors: you've got to be a real true 100% professional cook.
When you walk through those doors, you've got to be committed to what's about to happen on the journey of MasterChef, and there's no competition like it. It's 15 years of pros and it just gets better and better. And we're still finding new talent.
It baffles me every year, we get 30-odd chefs walk through the door, from all different places, from all different cultures, and they just blow you away with their stories and the emotion that they go through.
You start to really see a chef express themselves on the MasterChef studio floor – they don't do it in their own kitchens because they're not in the position to be able to do that. But when they get on the floor of MasterChef, it's just like this explosion of their thinking.
HAS BEING INVOLVED IN MASTERCHEF MADE YOU THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT YOUR OWN WORK AS A CHEF?
AH: I think the show's made me even more proud of our industry. You're looking at the next talent as that's blossoming – it reinforces why I joined hospitality, because there's something really special about the people and what they do to change our industry.
As I'm looking at these chefs with their own personal experiences and their own ideas of what they think food should be, it gives you a real feeling of just pride.
:: MasterChef: The Professionals returns to BBC One on Wednesday November 2.
