Eden Harel admits: "No one understood the level of stress it created for me, including me"

TV presenter Eden Harel, who in recent years has focused mainly on hosting, returns to the kitchen in MasterChef: Dream Team, a decade after participating in the VIP season of the original show (a new episode airs tonight, Thursday, on Keshet 12). When asked in an interview with +12 why she decided to return, she replied simply: to get out of her comfort zone.

Someone who has become accustomed to broadcasting, leading podcasts, hosting retreats for women, and maintaining a community of over 300,000 followers, realized the time had come for a new challenge. "Suddenly I said to myself: if I don't push myself into new places, new things won't happen. I decided to set out and see what would happen," she said.

Is there anything she wouldn't be willing to cook? "I won't cook non-kosher; that won't happen. It's forbidden anyway, but even if it were allowed, I wouldn't be able to taste everyone's food because I keep kosher. I'm not worried, though; the best ones in this season are those who cook kosher."

Are you afraid that participating might hurt your career? "No. Even if I take the line of salads I market, in the end, it's tasty. If you offer something tasty, it won't hurt. The recipes I upload to the web are popular and loved. This can only add to my profile, and it's not like I'm a professional chef. I don't have the weight of a title on my head; I came to have fun."

What food does your family like best that you cook? "The truth is that there are many styles in our house. If I take the Shabbat table, there are plenty of ingredients, and it's very fusion. On Oded's plate, there will be matbucha, eggplants, Japanese-style fish, or spicy fish. We've evolved; we cook all kinds of things. Everyone likes something different, but by and large, they like my food, which is what's important."

The interview with Eden Harel is available for viewing now on +12

Harel, who has always stood out for her particularly developed sense of humor, knows how to admit when things go less well culinarily. "I tried to make Szechuan sauce, and it didn't work. There was teasing, and I said: 'Enough, I tried something new.' I really like to experiment; I don't like to cook the same food, and they know it," she recalled with a smile. "Sometimes it bums them out, and sometimes it doesn't come out the way I imagined it in my mind."

Do you worry about always having your food at home? "Yes, I take care of them. It's important to me that there is food at home. I don't know if it stems from being a boarding school girl who has been out of the house since age 11, but it's important to me that they have food from my hands and from home."

How did they react to your return to the program? "The truth is that I think none of us understood the level of stress it created for me, including me. By and large, everyone is very happy. My big advantage is that there are now six children and a husband who are praying for me like crazy, so I have heavenly assistance—who can beat that? The truth is, I'm a little sorry that I can't calm down; I need to work on it."

How do you and Oded combine your schedules? "We are quite used to it. I admit that when we broadcast on Channel 14, it was easier to go in the morning for a few hours and return home. I've already passed the age of long days, but here I am, so good luck to me."

Harel also shared her thoughts on the contestants she will compete against this season. "I don't feel threatened. There are people with overlapping styles; for example, it is likely there will be dishes where Jackie and I will be on the same interface. There is a good atmosphere; I didn't come to sabotage or for someone to sabotage me. In the end, you have to maintain free love," she said, referring to her chances of winning: "In the end, it's not in our hands, nor in the hands of the judges—only in His hands. We do good and hope for the best."

Interviewer: Noa Barkai