James Beard award-winning chefs have revealed that Netflix has flatly rejected Meghan Markle's proposal for a 45-minute cooking episode. In a surprising turn of events, several renowned chefs, who have all won the prestigious James Beard Award, came forward to share this unexpected news. The proposal, which was intended to be a cooking demonstration featuring the Duchess of Sussex, met with staunch opposition from the streaming giant.
The chefs, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, claimed that Meghan's team approached Netflix earlier this year with the idea of producing a cooking-focused episode for a potential new series. "The concept was for Meghan to showcase her culinary skills and share some of her favorite recipes with Netflix viewers," said one Michelin-starred chef. "Meghan was really excited about the idea and felt it would be a great way to connect with audiences in a more intimate, relaxed setting."
However, according to the chefs, Netflix executives were less than enthusiastic about the proposal. "They basically told Meghan's team, 'Thanks, but no thanks,'" revealed another celebrated chef. The feedback was that a 45-minute cooking segment was simply too long and wouldn't fit with the type of content they’re currently focused on producing.
The chefs claimed that Netflix felt Meghan's cooking episode would be better suited for a different platform, such as a dedicated cooking or lifestyle channel. The streaming service, they say, was concerned that a lengthy food-focused segment would alienate a large portion of their general audience. "Netflix is really focused these days on shorter, more high-impact programming," explained a third award-winning chef. "Things like documentaries, true crime series, and quick-hit reality shows. They just didn’t think a half-hour cooking demo would resonate with enough of their subscribers."
Meghan's team is said to have pushed back, arguing that her star power and the success of her existing projects, such as the Archewell Foundation, would ensure strong viewership. However, Netflix ultimately stood firm in its rejection of the proposal. "They were very polite about it, but made it clear that Meghan's cooking show idea just wasn't going to work for them," the first chef said. "I think Netflix is wary of being seen as giving Meghan special treatment or green-lighting projects simply because of her celebrity status."
This latest setback is sure to sting for Meghan, who has been actively trying to establish herself as a multimedia content creator since stepping back from royal duties in 2020. The Duchess has already partnered with Netflix on a different project—an animated series called *Pearl*—which was recently canceled by the streamer. She has also collaborated with Spotify on a podcast called *Archetypes*, which has received mixed reviews from critics. Earlier this year, Meghan published her first children’s book, *The Bench*, which was a commercial disappointment.
"Meghan was really counting on this cooking show to be her big breakout project with Netflix," lamented the second chef. "She was hoping it would showcase a different side of her personality and allow her to connect with fans in a more authentic way."
The chefs speculate that Meghan may now look to pursue the cooking show concept with a different media partner. However, they warn that she may face an uphill battle, as the rejection from Netflix could make other platforms wary of taking on a similar project. "Netflix is the 800-pound gorilla in the streaming space," said the third chef. "If they don’t see value in your idea, it can be really tough to get other networks and platforms to take a chance on it."
For now, Meghan and her team have remained tight-lipped about the Netflix rejection and their future plans. But the chefs who spoke to us believe the Duchess is likely feeling frustrated and discouraged by this latest setback in her quest to build a post-royal media empire. "Meghan is used to getting her way and having doors open for her," the first chef commented. "This Netflix rejection is a stark reminder that her celebrity doesn’t automatically guarantee success in the cutthroat world of content creation."
Only time will tell if Meghan is able to find a new home for her cooking show ambitions. In the meantime, her legion of devoted fans will no doubt continue to eagerly await any glimpse into the Duchess's culinary skills and passions. "Meghan clearly loves food and loves to cook," the second chef said. "I think a lot of people would be really excited to see her share that side of herself with the world. Netflix just doesn’t seem to be the right platform for it right now."
