Former Love Island USA Host Tried to Sneak Garlic Into Met Gala

Watch: Met Gala 2026 RECAP: Beyoncé’s Big Return, Rihanna Shut the Carpet Down, & More DRAMATIC Looks!

A hot new bombshell almost entered the 2026 Met Gala.

Former Love Island USA host Arielle Vandenberg tried to prank organizers of the May 4 ball, turning up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art without an invite—but with a different kind of accessory.

Indeed, Arielle tried to sneak garlic into the star-studded bash, despite the pungent plant being famously forbidden from the Met Gala menu.

For her stunt, the model teamed up with Hellmann’s to try to sneak a bottle of their garlic aioli sauce into the New York museum, even dressing the part in a sculptural white couture gown made to resemble garlic. (See all the celebrity guests at the ball here.)

“Have you ever not been invited to a party, like fashion’s biggest night?” Arielle quipped in a statement to E! News. “When I realized I wasn’t invited and garlic wasn’t either, I was like… wait, no garlic, no chives, no onions… no flavor? That didn’t make any sense to me.”

Arielle—who hosted the dating show before Sarah Hyland took over in 2022, followed by Ariana Madix in 2024—explained, “So Hellmann’s and I showed up anyway to make sure flavor got its moment… even if they didn’t let us in.”

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And she made sure to dress on theme so she wouldn’t stand out among the A-list attendees—who included co-chairs Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour.

“The look, designed by House of Hellmann’s, captured the condiment’s rich creaminess and garlicky punch,” the brand said in a statement. “The ensemble featured layered, clove-like bulbs that brought the shape of garlic to life, finished with a sparkling choker necklace inspired by Hellmann’s signature bow.”

Hellmann’s added of the prank, “It’s a playful reminder that flavor deserves a seat at any table—even the most exclusive ones.”

Hellmann’s

Indeed, Anna—the Met Gala’s longtime chair—has admitted to vetoing three foods from the dinner menu: chives, onions and garlic.

As she explained to Today’s Jenna Bush Hager in 2023, “Well, those are three things I’m not particularly fond of.”

Instead, Olivier Cheng Catering treated stars this year to a dinner inspired by an Italian garden harvest, beginning with a green tomato salad with burrata, elderflower, pine and gooseberries, according to Vogue. The main course was a rack of lamb, served with morel panna cotta, Parmesan gnocchi and spring vegetables—asparagus, carrots and peas—with mint.

And for a final sweet treat, guest were presented with two types of desserts: a raspberry-infusion chocolate with a red velvet cake, as well as a strawberry pavlova featuring passionfruit curd and microgreens.

“The three chapters really are taking you on this culinary journey that reflects the spirit of the exhibition,” the chef told the outlet, noting each course respectively symbolizes “the garden,” “the statue” and “the silhouette.”

David Fisher/Shutterstock

For more glamorous moments inside the 2026 Met Gala, read on.

Arturo Holmes/MG26/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Rihanna, Heidi Klum & A$AP RockyThe stars prove fashion’s biggest night isn’t that serious.

Bhavita Mandava/Instagram

LISA, JENNIE, Rosé, Jisoo, Margot Robbie, Ayo Edebiri, Gracie Abrams & Rachel SennottThe A-list guests take a break from partying during the biggest night in fashion May 4 to pose for a star-studded bathroom mirror selfie at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.