She mightn’t have been crowned queen of the jungle, but Justine Schofield was most definitely queen of the campers stomachs.
The former MasterChef contestant was eliminated from the jungle on Thursday night’s episode after 28 gruelling days in the wild South African location.
And while the 33-year-old was glad to see the back of the jungle (and see to a decent tucker), there was one very surprising food skill she picked up that transformed the way the campers ate their bland meals of beans and rice….
Justine made the best of a dire food situation. (Image: Network Ten)
As she was announced the next celebrity to be leaving the jungle, Justine’s relief was clear – “Hamburger!” she yelled, gleefully throwing her hands into the air.
But she didn’t leave without making one final grand gesture – she proudly produced several sachets of sugar, salt and saffron from her backpack, showering them over the delighted remaining campers.
It was a glorious moment, and while her joy in the knowledge that she was finally free of the jungle’s perils with the promise of a steak, burger and hot chips just around the corner, there was one teeny snag – what would the campsite do now that they’d lost their pro chef!?
“I hope they haven’t burnt the beans, I hope I’ve taught them well!”, Justine tells Now To Love exclusively.
And as unappetising as it sounds, Justine was adamant that they had all the tools to make them taste delicious!
“By day 28, those rice and beans were never going to get better, we’d be frying them up in oil making them super crispy and pretending that they were crunchy, then we were making them creamy almost making it like risotto,” she explained.
“It was using our imagination to get the best out of what we had.”
Spoken like a true chef!
WATCH: I’m A Celebrity’s Justin Lacko doesn’t recognise Shane Crawford. Story continues after video…
Justine’s positive contribution to the campsite’s kitchen wasn’t the only thing the talented chef brought to the table during her time on the show.
In a touching moment, Justine opened up to gossip columnist Richard Reid about why she’d decided to put herself through the many challenges the I’m A Celeb jungle presents.
“I’ve got to get out of my comfort zone and this is why this is the first step to just branching out,” she told him.
And it seems it was definitely worth it for the Masterchef alum.
“I hate saying this but it was a bit life-changing for me… It’s made me a little bit more humble, to appreciate what I have,” she said shortly after exiting the jungle.
But there are still a few things lurking on Justine’s mind as she heads back to her home comforts. Keep scrolling as we chat to the fierce femme herself about her I’m A Celeb experience…
Welcome back Justine! How are you feeling after your crazy experience?
It’s kind of surreal to be out, I was in there for four weeks, but it feels like four months!
Being with all of these people I’ve become very very close with them and your life essentially revolves around them, the trials and your next meal.
To do that is sort of like groundhog day every day and it was really really hard. But totally worth it.
How are you feeling about leaving the rest of the camp to cook for themselves now!?
I hope they haven’t burnt and beans, I hope I’ve taught them well!
My job is to cook and to teach people how to cook so I was loving it in there, even just the simple things like rice and beans was okay – like at the beginning it was a bit bland, but by day 28, those rice and beans were never going to get better.
We’d be frying them up in oil making them super crispy and pretending that they were crunchy, then we were making them creamy almost making it like risotto.
It was using our imagination to get the best out of what we had.
How did it compare to your other reality TV stint on MasterChef?
Sometimes I felt like I was on MasterChef again actually, because you get the surprise ingredients to cook with.
But then you’ve got the other celebs going ‘How is dinner going? When is it going to be ready? How long now? Can you just cook it the fastest way? We’re hungry!
I had to be quick in the [jungle] kitchen for sure.
Justine and journalist Natasha Exelby struck up a close bond in the jungle. (Image: Network Ten)
How did you manage to go so long with that sugar and salt in your bag!?
It was so hard, I think the hardest was the last week when I was craving salt so much and I did actually put my hand in my bag a few times to sneak it into my dish but I just couldn’t do it. I’d either have to give it to everyone or not have it at all.
In the end I did actually manage to get a good handful of salt in two dishes we had, so everyone was happy but they had to cover it up – we’d have been in so much trouble!
Then, I made a promise to myself to not bring it out until I was eliminated. And to hide it I had to keep it anywhere and everywhere – I had salt in my locket, I had salt in my shoes, I had salt in my bras – I had it everywhere!
Did anyone else sneak their own food in?
Luke was ballsy, he bought in Tim Tams and Kit Kats and had them in his bag – he had no shame to leave it in there but he was caught with it!
How much weight did you lose?
I’m tiny already so I just thought maybe I’d lose like a kilo, but after my weigh-in it looks like I’ve lost five kilos which is a lot for me.
But that’s exciting because it means I can just gorge myself on many many hamburgers!
You were candid about wanting to get out of your comfort zone while you were in the jungle, how are you feeling about it all now?
It was 100% worth it. I feel like a changed person now.
For me, the whole purpose of going on the show was to have a disruption in my life and to have a quick detox before the year started and it’s absolutely done that and so much more.
I’ve made great friends, I’ve learnt to be more humble and appreciate what I have.
It was a great way to just cut yourself off from the world and think about life and think about giving back to others and that’s why my charity was so important.
Justine’s charity is Share the Dignity.
