James Beard Award-Winning Chef Spills: Netflix Flatly Rejects Meghan’s 45-Minute Cooking Episode.
In a shocking turn of events, several James Beard award-winning chefs have revealed that Netflix flatly rejected a 45-minute cooking episode pitched by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. The chefs, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, claimed that Meghan had approached them to collaborate on a special episode that would showcase her culinary skills and love of home-cooked meals.
“Meghan was really excited about the prospect of doing this cooking show for Netflix,” said one Michelin-starred chef. “She had this grand vision of bringing her favorite recipes to life and showing viewers how easy it can be to make delicious, nutritious meals at home. But when she pitched it to the Netflix execs, they shut it down almost immediately.”
According to the chefs, Netflix executives were adamant that a 45-minute cooking show featuring the Duchess of Sussex was simply not compelling enough for their viewers. “They told Meghan that people just aren’t that interested in watching royals cook, no matter how good the food might be,” shared another award-winning chef. “Netflix wants high drama, high stakes content—not just someone puttering around a kitchen, even if that someone happens to be a member of the Windsor family.”
The rejection was apparently a major blow to Meghan, who had been hoping the cooking show would allow her to showcase a more relatable, accessible side of herself and the royal family. “She was really disappointed,” the first chef said. “Meghan was convinced that viewers would love seeing her make some of her favorite healthy, easy-to-prepare meals. She thought it would be a nice change of pace from all the salacious royal drama that’s usually reported on.”
But Netflix remained unconvinced. “They told Meghan that unless she was willing to do something more along the lines of ‘The Great British Baking Show’ but with a royal twist, they just couldn’t justify green-lighting a standalone cooking program,” revealed the second chef. “Meghan was adamant that she didn’t want to turn it into some over-the-top competition. She really just wanted to share her love of food and cooking in a more casual, intimate setting.”
Ultimately, Netflix’s decision appears to have been driven by a perceived lack of commercial viability. “The Netflix execs were very clear that a 45-minute cooking show, no matter who was doing the cooking, was not going to pull in the kind of viewership numbers they need to justify the production costs,” explained the first chef. “They want big, flashy, must-see TV, not a leisurely exploration of someone’s favorite recipes.”
When reached for comment, a spokesperson for Netflix declined to confirm or deny the details shared by the chefs. “We don’t discuss the specifics of projects that don’t come to fruition,” the spokesperson said. “Netflix is committed to working with a wide range of creative talent to develop compelling content for our global audience.”
Meghan’s representatives also refused to comment on the rejected cooking show pitch. However, sources close to the Duchess suggest that she remains undeterred and is actively exploring other avenues to share her culinary expertise with the public. “This isn’t the end of Meghan’s cooking show dreams,” said one insider. “She’s determined to find a way to bring her vision to life, whether it’s through a partnership with a different platform or by self-funding a project. Meghan truly believes there’s an appetite for this kind of intimate, unintimidating cooking content, and she’s not going to let Netflix’s decision stop her.”
Only time will tell if Meghan is able to find a home for her cooking show ambitions. In the meantime, the rejected Netflix pitch has left many royal fans and foodies alike wondering what might have been and hoping that the Duchess of Sussex will find a way to share her kitchen prowess with the world.
