Currently, being a chef is not just about cooking, creating recipes and running a restaurant or kitchen. A successful chef with good look can become ‘celebrity chef,’ just like in the case of Chef James Martin. While Chef Martin spent years learning about catering, savory cooking and pastry making, he is also well known in England and even in the world through his various TV shows since 1996.
Background
Born in 1972 in Yorkshire, England, Martin was originally a farmer kid who enjoyed cooking with his mother. He continued his interest in coking via a professional study in Scarborough Technical College, were he studied catering and had training at several famous restaurants, including Hostellerie De Plaisance in France.
With such impressive background, Martin was able to find his first job before age 20 as staff at Maison Troisgros, also in France. He then returned to England and worked at several famous restaurants there such as One Ninety Queen’s Gat, The Square and Harvey’s, before becoming pastry chef at Chewton Glen Hotel.
First TV Debut
Chef Martin first became TV celebrity in 1996 when he appeared in James Martin: Yorkshire’s Finest, in which he explored the culinary richness of his hometown. However, his name then started to soar when he appeared in BBC 2 cooking program, called Ready Steady Cook. Interestingly, at one point during his appearance in that program, he also gained world record as the fastest carrot chopper in the world, when he peeled and chopped 515 grams (almost a quarter pound) of carrots in 60 seconds.
Further Celebrity Debut
Chef Martin appeared in BBF Food show Stately Supers as well as reality show in Channel 4, where he and the host visited home cooks at their own houses for comfort food cooking challenge. Then, he got his first presenter gig in BBC1 in a weekend show called Saturday Kitchen. By this time, his name soared among BBC viewers as one of their celebrity chefs.
After Saturday Kitchen, Martin appeared in various shows such as Can You Cook It?, The Great British Village Show, James Martin’s Christmas Feast and Eating with the Enemy. One of his most successful programs was Operation Hospital Food, where he improved menu quality at Scarborough General Hospital. This show was highly appreciated by viewers, and becoming one of Chef Martin’s most successful shows.
TV Appearances in 2013
Chef Martin apparently has not lost his celebrity charm. This 2013, he appeared at several shows. Between February and March, Chef Martin explored United States and sampled various cakes and snacks before reviewing them in United Cakes of America. He was also involved in judging panel in June show, The Roux Scholarship, together with Angela Hartnett and Raymond Blanc.
His most recent appearance was in June, when he appeared in The Great British Budget Menu and showed various nutritious, delicious recipes with cheap ingredients. Besides all his TV appearances, Chef Martin is also a successful restaurant owner with two restaurants; The Leeds Kitchen at Alea Casino (closed due to the closing of the casino) and the latest one in The Talbot Hotel in North Yorkshire.
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