Has worked for Roux at Le Gavroche, the most gloriously classical of London’s high-end restaurants, since 2000. She sent in a CV and was based in New Zealand and I couldn’t just ask her over for a trial. It had to be a job or nothing.
Galetti, now 35, was born in Western Samoa but trained as a chef in New Zealand.
Why work in a classical French kitchen?“When I was growing up, the Roux brothers, Michel’s father and uncle, Albert and Michel Sr, they were my idols,” Galetti says.
How tough was it?“Michel (Roux) was so hard on me. Early on I was running the starters section and I remember him shouting at me: ‘If you can’t do the job just get on the next plane back to New Zealand.’
Who taught you to cook?Michel is a very good teacher, very encouraging and very patient. Once you get over your fear here, you realise there is so much to learn.”
Her husband, David Galetti, is the head sommelier; as she herself says, meeting other people is almost impossible, given the working hours. They now have a daughter, and Monica works part time, although that is part time Le Gavroche style: she still does a 40-hour week.
“Maybe David and I will eventually have a place of our own but I think Michel will have some involvement with whatever we do in the future.” Roux agrees: ‘I’m greedy. I want to hang on to her for ever. But it is part of the history of Le Gavroche that we always help our top chefs with their future plans.”
Women Chefs 