MANU'S EMOTIONAL REUNION WITH HIS DAD!

Raised by a single mum, he needed to complete the family recipe

- Brigid Auchettl

He's known for his vibrant personality as host of MKR New Zealand, but acclaimed chef Manu Feildel got raw and vulnerable as he explored his family history in the Aussie version of genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are?.

Having left France in his early twenties, Manu, now 50, travelled back to his homeland for the show to reconnect with his estranged father.

It was an emotionally charged day for the beloved TV chef, who confesses to Woman's Day that he broke down in tears when he and his dad Patrick laid eyes on each other for the first time in seven years.

"When I saw him, the tears pooled in my eyes instantly," admits Manu, adding that his motivation to go on the show stemmed from a desire to better understand his father's side of the family.

"I was brought up by a single mother, so I knew much more about my mother's side. I didn't know anything about my father's side, so when that came on offer, I thought, 'I want to know all of it."