{"id":7877,"date":"2024-04-07T13:26:03","date_gmt":"2024-04-07T13:26:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=7877"},"modified":"2024-04-10T15:07:10","modified_gmt":"2024-04-10T15:07:10","slug":"aspects-for-the-week-beginning-7-april-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=7877","title":{"rendered":"Aspects for the week beginning 7 April 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

John Torode and<\/span> Gregg Wallace<\/span> <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Celebrating 20 years of Masterchef<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

“Cooking doesn’t get tougher than this!”<\/em><\/p>\n

~ Gregg Wallace<\/p>\n

John Torode and Gregg Wallace were celebrating 20 years of their collaborative presenting of Masterchef this week (on the This Morning sofa), although perhaps it is more true to say the completion of 20 years, as their format did not actually start until 2005.\u00a0 Originally, the show was presented by Lloyd Grossman.\u00a0 The show is hardly off our screens these days, with variations such as The Professionals, Celebrity Masterchef and Junior MasterChef.<\/p>\n

John Torode<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Birth Chart<\/u><\/p>\n

With the Sun, and Mercury\/Venus in Leo, John has to be the boss.\u00a0 When the two began hosting the re-vamped Masterchef, he was the established name, and Gregg more of a sidekick.\u00a0 Since then, Gregg has made a name for himself.\u00a0 John carries the essence of the Leo individuality in many ways, not least for the fact that his Sun is at 0 degrees Leo and is unaspected.\u00a0 Mercury in Leo likes to win an argument, and Venus in Leo is warm-hearted.\u00a0 His Moon is in the cooking sign of Taurus, though we don’t know its precise position, as we do not have a birth time for him.\u00a0 Mars loosely trine Jupiter provides his personality with energy allied with enthusiasm, while Mars closely trine with the North Node again likes to lead.<\/p>\n

Life and Career<\/u><\/p>\n

John Torode was born in Melbourne, the youngest of three boys, but his mother died when he was four and he moved to New South Wales to live with his grandmother, who introduced him to the joys of cookery. Leaving school at 16 and after apprenticeships in Melbourne, he came to the U.K. in the 1991 (aged 26) and continued to learn his trade as a chef in the Conran Group restaurants.<\/p>\n

From 1996 he began a cookery slot on This Morning, and opened restaurants in London.<\/p>\n

When he was approached in 2004 to front the re-vamped Masterchef, the producers put him together with Gregg Wallace.\u00a0 He had known Gregg Wallace since working at Quaglino’s for the Conran organization, because Gregg had supplied the restaurant’s vegetables.\u00a0 So their paths had already crossed…<\/p>\n

Although the new show was prepared in 2004, its first airing was on 21st February 2005.\u00a0 John’s main transit for that event was Saturn trine his natal Chiron in Pisces, which is constructive in many ways, for the start of a long running show, and gave him the opportunity to show his strengths.<\/p>\n

The interaspects between him and Gregg show a similarity of interests (Mercuries closely sextile, and generational affinity (they were born within 9 months of each other and have the outer planets exactly conjunct).<\/p>\n

Lisa Faulkner<\/u><\/p>\n

Lisa Faulker, who had acting roles in Brookside and Holby City, took part in Masterchef in 2010, and emerged champion.\u00a0 Two and a half years later she began seeing John Torode, and they embarked on a serious relationship.\u00a0 Her Venus is exactly sextile his North Node, so the relationship was very much “meant to be”.\u00a0 Her Saturn is exactly sextile his natal Sun, helping to ground him.<\/p>\n

In recent years, John and Lisa have produced cooking shows together, John And Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen<\/em> which started in March 2019 and John & Lisa’s Food Trip Down Under<\/em>, which aired earlier this year.<\/p>\n

Gregg Wallace<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Birth Chart<\/u><\/p>\n

Gregg has Sun closely conjunct Mercury in Libra, and Libra is an incurable romantic.\u00a0 He certainly did not give up on love, because he has been married four times!\u00a0 The conjunction forms a Grand Air Trine with Saturn in Aquarius, and the North Node in Gemini.\u00a0 This keeps him curious, about love, life and food!\u00a0 He has Venus exactly conjunct Uranus in Virgo, giving him exacting and unusual tastes, which is part of the specialism he has carved for himself.\u00a0 Librans also have a reputation for being sweet-toothed, and he certainly enjoys tasting all those puds which he is required to judge!\u00a0 He has made a living out of a discerning palate (food critic Jay Rayner also has Venus in Virgo).\u00a0 Venus closely conjunct Pluto and exactly opposite Chiron accounts for the ups and downs in his private life.<\/p>\n

Life and Career<\/u><\/p>\n

Gregg Wallace was born in Peckham, and also left school early (aged 15).\u00a0 He worked at Covent Garden Fruit and Veg Market.\u00a0 From there he progressed to setting up his own greengrocery business, and later opened a restaurant in Putney.<\/p>\n

His transits at the beginning of his long stayt at Masterchef were very impactful (more so than those of the more established John):<\/p>\n

Pluto sextile his natal Sun (a profound event in his life), the South Node on his Mercury (a karmic reward in broadcasting) and Jupiter sextile his natal Mars (a chance to express his enthusiasms – he has Mars square Jupiter natally so can go over the top!).<\/p>\n

Since the success of co-presenting Masterchef, he has diversified into various roles on television, such as the programme “Eat Well for Less?” and touring various food and other factories.<\/p>\n

In 2014 he tried his hand at Strictly Come Dancing, leaving the show in the second week.<\/p>\n

Fourth Marriage<\/u><\/p>\n

After his second marriage ended in 2004 (a pivotal year for him) he was awarded full custody of their two children. He found love again in 2013, meeting Anne-Marie Sterpini on Twitter, and marrying her in August 2016.\u00a0 John Torode was his best man.\u00a0 Gregg and Marie have a son, Sid, who was born in May 2019.<\/p>\n

Lloyd Grossman<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Lloyd Grossman was the original host of MasterChef, when it began on 2nd July 1990, with the Sun exactly conjunct Mercury at 10 degrees Cancer.\u00a0 It made an important impact on his life, with the transits of:-<\/p>\n

Saturn exactly trine his Sun, a worthwhile enterprise; Uranus exactly trine his natal Venus, a new food-based venture; and Saturn sextile his natal Mars plus Saturn trine his natal Saturn, transits which reinforced the first two.<\/p>\n

Like Gregg, he has Venus in Virgo (one hallmark of a gourmet).\u00a0 I still buy his sauces, a brand he introduced to the supermarket shelves in 1995.<\/p>\n

Of course, he had also presented Through the Keyhole, which snooped into people’s houses (“who lives in a home like this?”) beginning on 1st February 1983, so he was already a household name. His transits for that earlier breakthrough were Uranus square his natal Venus (surprise), Nodal Axis square his natal Neptune (intrigue) and Jupiter trine his Pluto (power).<\/p>\n

The producers changed the format of MasterChef radically for John and Gregg’s version, and introduces changes all the time, so that we do not get bored.\u00a0 All the different formats seem to work (the home cooks, the professional chefs, the celebrities and the juniors) – well they do for me, though I always have to mentally convert the dishes into vegetarian options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Just the fat, bald bloke on MasterChef who likes pudding”.<\/em><\/p>\n

~ Gregg Wallace, referring to himself<\/p>\n

Aspects<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

It’s a week of conjunctions only, and there are four of them!\u00a0 That means a series of burst of intensity to focus on and work with.<\/p>\n

You’ve probably heard about tomorrow’s Solar eclipse (the Sun conjunct the Moon)… it will be seen in its totality in parts of Mexico, Texas and Canada.\u00a0 Traditionally, it is regarded as a catalyst in the places where it can be seen.\u00a0 It takes place at 19 degrees Aries, so may touch your lives more significantly if you have planets in that degree, or 19 degrees of any other sign.\u00a0 You may find that it is a turning point or new beginning in the House it is placed in your birth chart.\u00a0 Look to the future, unhampered by the past.\u00a0 Set your intentions, wishes, creative visualizations and affirmations from your centre.<\/p>\n

On the same day, we have the second of our conjunctions: that of\u00a0 the Sun conjunct Chiron, also at 19 degrees Aries.\u00a0 This may be a healing crisis, or an awkward situation.\u00a0 Fortunately, Chiron transits often come with their own in-built solutions, because its ultimate purpose is healing.\u00a0 You just need to turn the appropriate key (to go through the key hole – the glyph for Chiron is a key).\u00a0 Something is ready to be released, and if your mind can’t work it out immediately, take a quiet moment and allow the answer to emerge.<\/p>\n

The third conjunction appears on Wednesday (10th), being the combination of Mars and Saturn, at 14 degrees Pisces.\u00a0 Some may find it tough and frustrating, especially if you are not used to your wings being clipped, or your will or energies encountering obstacles.\u00a0 It can however bring an inner steel to concentrate on the job in hand, and even perhaps to live in the moment.\u00a0 It may enable us to focus inward, economize on energy and thought.\u00a0 You may then discover a new occupation which does not expend or over-consume.\u00a0 However, in the current wars (of Ukraine and the Middle East) we may hear of further cruelties exacted upon innocents.<\/p>\n

The last conjunction of the week to be visited upon us is that of the Sun conjunct Mercury at 22 degrees Aries, on Thursday (11th), which may bring an extra special quality to the day.\u00a0 It is a good time to apply your mind with clarity,\u00a0 concentrate and focus,\u00a0 and make important statements.\u00a0 Your perceptions may be heightened, both with regard to the microcosm (seeing the daisies) or the macrocosm (seeing things from a larger perspective than you are accustomed to seeing the issues).<\/p>\n

The week in bullet points:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Tomorrow – turning point; healing directions<\/li>\n
  • Wednesday – the frustration of obstacles<\/li>\n
  • Thursday – seeing into reality<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    John Torode and Gregg Wallace Celebrating 20 years of Masterchef “Cooking doesn’t get tougher than this!” ~ Gregg Wallace John Torode and Gregg Wallace were celebrating 20 years of their collaborative presenting of Masterchef this week (on the This Morning sofa), although perhaps it is more true to say the completion of 20 years, as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7877","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-celebrities"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7877","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7877"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7877\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7882,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7877\/revisions\/7882"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7877"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7877"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7877"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}