The Most Famous British Chefs

The Most Famous British Chefs

Traditional the British are popularly known for their tea, scorns, fish and chips. However, today due to the advances in technology, the food scenery of Britain has incorporated other cuisine from different region.

The best British chefs have not only learned how to prepare international meals, but also learned the delicate skill of  incorporating British ingredients and traditions when preparing these meals.

Below are the most Famous British Chefs;

1. Heston Marc Blumenthal

Heston Blumenthal – Wikipedia

Heston Marc Blumenthal OBE HonFRSC is a British celebrity chef, TV personality and food writer. He is known for his scientific approach to cooking and is considered the pioneer of multisensory cooking and unusual flavour pairing.

Blumenthal’s interest in cooking began at the age of sixteen, when he dined at the 3-Michelin-starred restaurant L’Oustau de Baumanière. He was inspired by the quality of the food and “the whole multisensory experience.”

He is the proprietor of the Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, a three Michelin star restaurant which is widely regarded as one of the best in the world. Blumenthal also owns Dinner, a two-Michelin star restaurant in London, and two pubs in Bray: The Hind’s Head, with one Michelin star, and the Crown at Bray.

2. Merrilees Parker

The Lansdowne in Primrose Hill in London – Pinterest

Merrilees Parker is a British celebrity chef and television presenter known for her no-nonsense cooking style.

She is known for presenting television programmes combining food and travel (Planet Food and Full-on Food) as well as various more traditional cookery programmes and for the menu she presented working for the pub The Lansdowne in Primrose Hill in London

Parker was passionate about cooking as a young girl, at which time she helped her grandmother in the kitchen.

She now runs her own catering company called Pink, together with Bernadette Fitzpatrick, also of Worrall Thompson’s company.

3. Gordon Ramsay

Gordon Ramsay – Wikipedia

Gordon Ramsay OBE is a British chef, restaurateur, television personality, food critic and writer known for his bluntness, fiery temper, strict demeanor, and frequent use of profanity.

Gordon’s interest in cooking began in his teenage years. At age 19 he enrolled in North Oxfordshire Technical College, to study hotel management. He was mentored by Guy Savoy, a Michelin-starred chef.

In 1998, Ramsay opened his own restaurant in Chelsea, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. After establishing his first restaurant, Ramsay’s empire expanded rapidly.

Ramsay was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 New Year Honours list for services to the hospitality industry. In July 2006, he won the Catey Award for Independent Restaurateur of the Year, becoming only the third person to have won three Catey Awards.

4. Delia Smith

Delia Smith – Flickr

Delia Ann Smith CH CBE is one of the best-known celebrity chefs in British popular culture, known for teaching basic cookery skills in a no-nonsense style.

Her cooking career began at age 21, she started work in a small restaurant in Paddington, initially washing dishes before moving on to waitressing and eventually being allowed to help with the cooking.

She is associated with the “Delia effect”. A commonly used phrase to describe a run on a previously poor-selling product as a result of a high-profile recommendation.

She is also famous for her role as joint majority shareholder at Norwich City F.C.

5. Michael Caines

Michael Caines on the left – Flickr

Michael Andrew Caines MBE D is currently the executive chef of the Lympstone Manor hotel between Exeter and Exmouth.

Caines attended Exeter Catering College. For three years, he worked under his mentor Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons in Oxfordshire. He then moved to France to study under Bernard Loiseau in Saulieu and Joël Robuchon in Paris.

Michael was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) on 17 June 2006.

In addition to his Michelin-starred Lympstone Manor Hotel and Restaurant and The Cove Restaurant, Caines owns and operates the Harbourside Refuge in Porthleven, Mickeys Beach Bar and Restaurant in Exmouth, and Café Pâtisserie Glacerie.

6. Jason Atherton

Jason Atherton – Wikipedia

Jason Atherton is an English Michelin starred chef, author of four cookbooks, television personality who has appeared on several TV programmes and restaurateur.

He trained at Boston College, Lincolnshire. After which he spent six weeks training with the Army Catering Corps, which he hated. He later went on to work alongside great chefs including Pierre Koffmann, Marco Pierre White, Nico Ladenis and Ferran Adria at el Bulli, before joining the Gordon Ramsay Holdings in 2001.

Jason was the Executive Chef at Gordon Ramsay’s Michelin starred Maze in London until 30 April 2010. He left Gordon Ramsay Holdings to launch his own restaurant company.

His flagship restaurant Pollen Street opened in April 2011 in Mayfair and was awarded a Michelin star within just six months of opening, alongside 5 AA Rosettes and no.3 in The Good Food Guide’s best UK restaurants.

7. Mary Berry

Mary Berry – Wikipedia

Dame Mary Rosa Alleyne Hunnings DBE is an English food writer, chef, baker and television presenter.

Mary was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to culinary arts. She was also appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to broadcasting, the culinary arts and charity.

After being encouraged in domestic science classes at school, she studied catering and shipping management at Bath College of Domestic Science. She then moved to France to study at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school, before working in a number of cooking-related jobs.

She has published more than 75 cookery books and hosted several television series for the BBC and Thames Television.

8. Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver – Flickr

James Trevor Oliver MBE OSI is a British chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author known for his casual approach to cuisine, which has led him to front numerous television shows and open many restaurants.

Oliver practiced cooking in his parent’s pub/restaurant kitchen. His first job was a pastry chef at Antonio Carluccio’s Neal Street restaurant, where he first gained experience at preparing Italian cuisine, and developed a relationship with his mentor Gennaro Contaldo.

His TED Talk won him the 2010 TED Prize. In June 2003, Oliver was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for “services to the hospitality industry”.

9. Selin Kiazim

Oklava in London – Flickr

Selin Kiazim is a British chef of Turkish Cypriot heritage who owns and runs the restaurant Oklava in London. The restaurant serves Turkish-Cypriot cuisine, with fusion elements, and features a completely Turkish wine list.

She trained in catering at Westminster Kingsway College, where she earned her Professional Chef’s Diploma in 2008. She began working with chef Peter Gordon after she won the 2007 UK-NZ Culinary Challenge.

In 2017, she was one of the winners of the BBC Two television series Great British Menu.

10. Ainsley Harriott

Ainsley Harriott – Wikipedia

Ainsley Harriott MBE is an English chef and television presenter known for his BBC cooking game shows Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook and Ready Steady Cook.

Harriot attended Wandsworth Comprehensive School then trained at Westminster Kingsway College (formerly Westminster Technical College), and obtained an apprenticeship at Verrey’s restaurant in London’s West End, later working as a commis chef.

He is also a best-selling author, publishing twelve books as well as numerous others in conjunction with his television shows.