Gordon Ramsay’s Daughter Tilly Is Following In Dad’s Footsteps With New ‘MasterChef Junior’ Gig

“Getting asked to do a full season was a dream come true.”

Tilly Ramsay, a.k.a. the daughter of Gordon Ramsay, is no stranger to television screens. In fact, the burgeoning chef and TV personality has appeared alongside her famous dad for years. But now, she is joining him for a more permanent residency.

MasterChef Junior returned for Season 9 last night with returning judges Daphne Oz, Aarón Sánchez, and Gordon himself, as well as Tilly Ramsay. The 22-year-old—who has long been a guest star on the series, including her one-episode judging stint just last season—is now joining the judging table permanently.

“I’ve grown up watching my dad go to work and I was able to sit on the side of a set and watch him as a judge and watch him with the kids,” Tilly told Parade. “I was always admiring him from afar. When he talked to me about doing the Christmas special, I was so excited. After that when he talked about being a judge for the full season, it was like a dream come true. I love cooking, I love a competition show, it was amazing.”

The younger Ramsay first appeared on the series when she was just 12, and told Tasting Table that she would sit on set and watch throughout her childhood.

“When I was asked to do the Christmas special, that was important to me,” she told the outlet. “I had so much fun doing that. It was a very fun time. And then getting asked to do a full season was a dream come true because I got to do everything I’ve admired my dad doing for years.”

And while Tilly may be following in papa Gordon’s footsteps, she says he let her do her own thing while on set. “He knows how hard I want to work, and it’s a big thing,” she continued. “I’ve grown up with both my parents busy in different jobs and doing different things and I’ve seen their work ethic and it’s always inspired me to be like them.”

That doesn’t, however, mean she isn’t taking his advice to heart. According to Tilly, he always said, “you put in the hours, you get results,” which is exactly what she’s done.

“I’d like to think he didn’t have to feel like he had to turn off dad mode. That he could see that I was trying my best to be as good as I could be in a new situation.”