Jackie Azulai on MasterChef Comeback and Financial Realities

Since her breakout on MasterChef, Jackie Azulai has experienced it all—from culinary success and a high-profile divorce to severe financial struggles that forced her to take on any work she could find. Returning to the kitchen for a recent special season, Azulai reminded everyone why she remains an integral part of the Israeli culinary world. In a candid interview with Nadav Bornstein, she opened up about her television comeback, her decision to speak out about financial hardship, and why she believes a warm, home-cooked meal after school is more important than ever.

Reflecting on her career and cultural background, Azulai touched upon the dynamics of her clientele. "All my clients are Ashkenazi; Moroccan women don't buy from me," she shared. In her view, this stems from different domestic priorities in her youth: "In Ashkenazi homes, they were encouraged to focus on things outside of cooking—they pushed for careers and academics, while we were taught to cook. Which way is better today? I don't know. As a child, one of the greatest comforts—and I'm still in shock when a child comes home to no good smell in the house—is walking into a warm kitchen. Where else does a kid belong?"

Culinary entrepreneur Efrat Anzel joined the discussion, noting that she too used to cook daily for her children before opening her successful delicatessen, Ayla, made balancing things much harder. "I experienced both phases," Anzel said. "Until I opened the business, my children got a hot lunch every single day. I've been self-employed my whole life and always made sure to wait for them with warm food. Since I opened Ayla, it's different. I bring food from the shop or try to rush home, but my son still tests me. Often I bring bolognese, he asks if I made it, tastes it, and says, 'You didn't make this.' He can still tell the difference."

Surviving the Pressure of Reality TV

Discussing her return to MasterChef, Azulai admitted the experience was a double-edged sword. "It was fun, but it was also very hard suddenly going back to that pace because I'm not used to it anymore. I thought of myself as a colleague to the professional chefs by now. On TV it looks like an hour, but give us time! I hesitated to go back because of the grueling schedule and pressure, but I couldn't say no to MasterChef. That's where I started, and it felt wrong to turn it down. I told myself, whatever happens, happens. I wasn't afraid of my food—I am a hundred percent confident in my touch—but I was terrified of the pressure and the clock."

Michal Epstein, who made a similar comeback in the previous season and ultimately won the competition, deeply empathized. "I relate so much to what Jackie is saying," Epstein noted. "When they approached me, my immediate instinct was to say no, and then I tried to understand why. It was obvious I was just terrified of failing, especially since I already have my own businesses, clients, and a recognized name in the industry. It's a lot to process, but I felt I would regret it if I didn't give myself another shot. But it's brutal—the first day of shooting is an absolute shock to the system."

Breaking the Silence on Financial Struggles

In an interview with mako last month, Azulai candidly revealed that she had taken on cleaning jobs to make ends meet. It was a bold and unfiltered confession, but one she firmly stands behind. "It felt good to finally release that secret," she explained. "There is a real fear in the industry of telling the truth, especially regarding money. I've seen other public figures talk about how hard things are financially, and I didn't see anyone rushing to reward them with major brand campaigns—it just drags you down further. There's this pervasive fear that if you admit you're struggling, people will marginalize you, so you always have to project that everything is fine. So it felt liberating to finally say it out there."

When asked about working in cleaning during tough times, Azulai showed zero remorse. "I'm not ashamed of it, not then and not now. The opportunity arose to reveal it, so I did. There's also something intensely annoying about people assuming you're a millionaire just because you're on TV, treating you as if you're 'sitting on piles of cash.' No, I have four children, and when you're single, you need to bring home a mountain of money. We had a war, we had COVID, and in our line of work, when there's no work, there's no income. You can't just suddenly transition to a standard nine-to-five job; when a major project hits, you have to be fully present. It's incredibly hard, and you have to keep pushing. I need to put food on the table, and I don't care how, where, how much, or why."

"There's a saying that you don't die when you fall into a river; you die when you sink in it. So you're allowed to fall, but you must not sink. I always get back up; I am a hard worker."

Looking Ahead

What doors has MasterChef opened since her return? "Many things," Azulai smiles. People often ask her, 'Are you still doing food?' But food will be part of our lives forever. I always say that just like breathing, food is who I am. You don't always see it on television—sometimes I go to private homes, cook, and do projects behind the scenes. So yes, doors opened, new work came in, and I am grateful to keep the culinary wheel turning and sharing it with the world once again.