James Martin
James Martin is one of Britain’s favourite chefs. He has made a great impact since he began to appear on television in November ’96 and has rarely been off screen since.
Since his first appearance on Ready, Steady, Cook in 1996 and the publication of his first book Eating in with James Martin in 1998, James Martin has become one of Britain’s best-loved celebrity chefs. Since then he has rarely been off-screen, most recently charming viewers by making it to the semi-final of Strictly Come Dancing 2005 and taking over in 2006 as presenter of BBC1’s popular Saturday Kitchen.
In addition to his many on-screen responsibilities, James is involved in several food-related businesses. He has his own range of cookware produced by Wahl, in addition to being co-proprietor of Underwood & James, a St. Albans kitchen shop which also offers bespoke kitchens. James is also head chef of the Bistro aboard Ocean Village cruise ship; involved in every aspect of the restaurant’s development from décor to wine to chef training, he oversees the creation of every dish on the menu and, several times a year, spends time cooking for lucky passengers aboard the ship.
You could say that cooking is in James’s blood; his father ran the catering at Castle Howard, a stately home in Yorkshire, and he began cooking there while still a child. At sixteen he enrolled at Scarborough Technical College, where he was Student of the Year and where his work was noticed by Antony Worrall Thompson, who brought him to London to cook in prestigious restaurants including 190 Queensgate and dell’Ugo. At just 21, James was head chef at the Hotel du Vin and Bistro in Winchester, where he still lives.
Great British Winter is James’s latest book in his popular “Great British” series. James shares delicious ways to celebrate the special days which mark a traditional British winter – marshmallows for Bonfire Night, a roast with all the trimmings for Christmas lunch, and simple, stylish canapes for a memorable New Year’s Day get-together. He also provides terrific ideas for edible gifts which are sure to be appreciated, and uses his vast experience as a pastry chef to guide you through the trickiest techniques, so you end up with perfect holiday baking every time.
