“I would like them to make a public apology”: Jamil, from “MasterChef Ecuador”, explains why he felt offended and decided to speak about his attention deficit in the program

Jamil Faour, contestant of the fourth and current season MasterChef Ecuador, explained that he no personality disorder and that this rumor originated from two competitors reality kitchen, from whom he expects a public apology for calling him a ‘lunatic’.

“All this came out on the air because they asked me a question:Why couldn’t Alexandra and Victoria look me in the eye?“. (Refers to the episode aired on Wednesday, March 8). The reason, he says, is that he heard them from the dressing room just as they were telling someone that he (Jamil) was “crazy” and without medication for alleged personality disorder.

On what basis did they make those comments? “I simply commented on it to another participant I have taken Ritalin in the past because I have attention deficit disorder, and that I thought I could do better if I had pills to concentrate more on studying, while cooking. In bad faith, Aleksandra starts telling everyone that I’m crazy.

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Ritalin (methylphenidate) is an approved medication for attention deficit disorder (ADD) and other medical conditions. When accompanied by hyperactivity, the acronym changes to ADHD. Its main characteristic is difficulty in concentration. It usually begins in childhood and may persist into adulthood.

I would like them to ask for a public apology, because it is a violation of the image, but I have no interest in escalating, creating polemics.

“To say I have a personality disorder is very serious,” says Jamil, a chef from Guayaquil who also runs a marketing agency (The Inbound Project). He believes that the comments show unscrupulousness, because opinions about family, ethnic groups, in his case, there were several speculations about his sexual orientation.

But now he insists on clarifying the issue of mental health, which seems extremely important to him. He assures that he faced the mentioned contestants in front of the judges. What did they answer? “They said it was a misunderstanding,” he says ironically, while claiming that they discovered he was bipolar and “tripolar” and that he was dangerous for everyone in the house. Just because someone has attention deficit and takes medication (which I am not currently taking) does not mean that they are a danger to society.

Jamil was diagnosed with ADHD as a child and the family decided not to take his medication due to concerns about side effects. “Because I was in college, under so much pressure, I went to a psychiatrist, they rediagnosed me and I was able to buy my pills (Methylphenidate can only be taken with a prescription) and it helped me in my studies.”

I entered (the program) to cook, not to lead a polemic; I’m not talking about people, I’m talking about dishes. My thing is food and marketing.

Currently, he does not take drugs, except in moments of great stress, “to survive, It’s not like I have to take medicine, because it’s not a disease.” He believes that it is a condition that makes it difficult for him to concentrate, because of which he “loses his thread”, but on the other hand, it benefits him in the creative process, both in cooking and in marketing. “It’s not an obstacle, I feel like I’m thinking too much and I’m leaving.” During the shoot without medication, he coped with the pressure on the set because he forgot to take his pills. – I didn’t think I would have this much stress.

Jamil from ‘MasterChef Ecuador’ revealed that he has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Mental health does not have to be a reason for ridicule

You can have some kind of disorder and lead a normal life, he adds, as long as you do the necessary work. “My thing is not an illness, it’s a lack of attention (…). Sometimes I feel like a super power, I don’t know how to explain it, but I am not in a disadvantageous position in front of anyone; maybe in certain aspects, when I have to concentrate, but I feel that I am very productive, I never sit still.

I am an acquired taste. Many people don’t understand my personality and call me hateful and unbearable until they get to know me.

Apart from marketing, Jamil continues his venture, Maison Faour. “Since before master chefI do tasting scenes, pasta workshops, of pizza, I create gastronomic content”. He has a website where he sells products such as peanut butter, chocomani butter and dried fruit butter.

Exercise in your free time cross fit, volleyball and goes jogging. “I use it as a means to tire myself out, because if I don’t feel that all emotions and thoughts overwhelm me. (Exercise) keeps me focused and helps me reach my goals.”

What are you expecting from this episode with your followers? “I would like them to ask for a public apology, because it is bad for the image, but I have no interest in escalating, in creating polemics. Many people are not aware of what they are talking about when they express their opinion about mental health. We must not stigmatize people because they have been diagnosed with something we do not understand. Personally, I don’t understand much about mental health, I don’t know how to differentiate between some things, but that’s why I read before I speak.

Jamil claims that apart from the clarification, will not take any further action regarding this incident, as he describes himself as a calm personHappy and open, he does not want to relive the stress and is focused on other projects, such as opening a restaurant in the future. “I have a passion for cooking, my family passed it on to me and I am very competitive, but I entered (the program) to cook, not to create controversy; I’m not talking about people, I’m talking about dishes. My thing is food and marketing”.

As for his picture in Show, he is aware that he has experienced a turn in popularity with the audience and on social networks. “I am an acquired taste. Many people don’t understand my personality and call me hateful and unbearable until they get to know me. Look at my relationship with Sara, with Sonja and with Johanna; In the beginning, they couldn’t stand me, but now we are very close friends,” he assures. And criticism? “People are not used to frontality.” (AND)