Pete Evans: Controversial celebrity chef discusses downfall after My Kitchen Rules and media attacks

Pete Evans has opened up about the downfall of his celebrity chef status that played out in the media following his decision to turn to the paleo diet.

The 52-year-old chef and former My Kitchen Rules judge told American doctor Will Cole about how he went from being “celebrated and adored” to being hated by Australia.

Evans said the hate started after he discovered and began advocating the paleo diet — also known as the caveman diet, based on the idea of eating foods that were available to hunter-gatherers during the Paleolithic era.

“Up until that time, I was celebrated, adored by the Australian media and public until I started talking about paleo, ancestral diets”, he told Dr Cole on his podcast The Art of Being Well.

“I was attacked straight away. It was bizarre, I was like, why is this so challenging, triggering, why is this happening, because I started sharing anecdotal stories of people improving their health who had adopted this way of life.

The Melbourne-born chef said he was labelled by the media and health experts as “crazy and dangerous”.

“Dietitians would say this is completely unfounded, dangerous, he’s not a doctor, he’s just a chef, even though the information I was sharing was from doctors,” he said.

The controversial wellness advocate said Australians had been “brainwashed” by dietitians promoting dietary guidelines on the “morning news”.

As a result, he has to settle for getting his message and way of life out to the public through podcasting.

Evans was aware his beliefs would be “rejected”, but didn’t want to force it on people.

Evans also set the record straight on the fact he is “not opposed to modern technology in medicine at all”.

The prominent sceptic of COVID-19 vaccines and masks was dropped from his hosting role on the popular Seven reality cooking show in May 2020 over his outspoken views.

In November that year, he was engulfed in further controversy after posting a cartoon on Instagram featuring a nazi “black sun” symbol. He lost 15 business partnerships as a result of the post.

Evans continues to spark debate over his non-traditional lifestyle of a mainly carnivorous diet, experience with plant medicines and using psychedelics as a way of therapy.

Before COVID-19, a pandemic he called a hoax and questioned the effects of masks and social distancing, Evans filmed his documentary, The Magic Pill, which sees doctors, farmers and chefs weigh in on the ketogenic diet and its potential to eradicate illness.

The Australian Medical Association at the time campaigned for it to be removed from Netflix for spreading “dangerous” messaging about health.

Evans is currently on holiday in the US and will next visit Salt Lake City.