Alastair Little
Alastair is a self-taught chef and former head chef at Old Compton Wine Bar London, from 1974 to 1976. His cookery has been a major catalyst in the evolution of modern British cuisine. Pedigree As a boy, Alastair travelled widely across Europe because his father was a naval officer. His travels ignited his passion for food, although he didn’t study cooking formally, preferring to read archaeology at Cambridge. After university, he returned to the kitchen and learned his trade at London venues, before setting up on his own, first with Suffolk restaurant Le Routier and then Simpsons in Putney. Alistair’s eponymous restaurant, which he opened in Soho in 1985, soon became known as one of the great London eateries. It eventually closed in 2009. Alastair Little was also a chef at L’Escargot restuarant in London from 1981 to 82. He Continue Reading »
Anthony Bourdain
Anthony is a chef, author and television host who has worked at the highest levels in the culinary world for a number of years. Pedigree He first gained notoriety when he published the behind the scenes tell all “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.” The book became an overnight success, as did Bourdain, who was at the time working at Brasseries Les Halles. He is also well-known as the host of the Travel Channel show “No Reservations,” in which he travels the world examining different cultures and their cuisines and definitely does not shy away from trying unusual foods. He graduated from Englewood School for Boys in 1973 and attended Vassar College before dropping out after two years, but later graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1978. He went on to run various restaurant kitchens in New Continue Reading »
Antony Worrall-Thompson
Antony is an award winning celebrity chef, author, television presenter and broadcaster. His appearances in shows such as Ready Steady Cook, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, and as the host of BBC2’s Saturday Kitchen, have made him one of the most popular chefs in Britain. Pedigree He studied hotel management at Westminster Kingsway College taking his first catering job in Essex. In 1978, he moved to London and became sous-chef at Brinkley’s Restaurant in the Fulham Road, becoming head chef one year later. The following year he took a sabbatical in France, eating and working his way around the local cuisine. After this he returned to England and started producing pans with his business partner Hassan. Antony Worrall Thompson opened his first restaurant – Ménage à Trois – in Knightsbridge in 1981, notable for only serving starters Continue Reading »
Atul Kochhar
Atul is renowned for the vibrancy of his food and his subtle use of spices. Now a familiar face on television, Atul has appeared on shows such as; Masterchef Goes Large and Great British Menu. He is also a regular guest on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen and in 2010 launched his own series: Atul’s Spice Kitchen: Malaysia. Pedigree Born in Jamshedpur, eastern India, Atul Kochhar was trained and worked under the Oberoi Hotel Group in New Delhi where he established himself as one of the leading chefs of his generation. His reputation brought him to London in 1994 where he was appointed head chef at Tamarind restaurant in Mayfair. By the age of 31, he had become the first Indian chef to be awarded the coveted Michelin star. Renowned for the vibrancy of his food and the subtlety of his spice mixes, Continue Reading »
Buddy Valastro
Buddy is one of the most successful and renowned cake artists in the United States and star of the hit TLC reality show Cake Boss, which chronicles Buddy’s over-arching desire to achieve his late father’s dream of making Carlo’s Bake Shop a household name with or without the help of his family. Pedigree Using his father’s recipes, Buddy took Carlo’s Bakery to new heights, even creating a reality TV show on TLC based on the bakery and its staff, called Cake Boss. At an early age, Buddy Valastro showed that he was a natural by displaying his amazing talent for baking and cake decorating. Aside from that passion, he loved spending quality time with his father as his apprentice. Countless hours were spent in the bakery where Buddy’s father, a master baker, taught him all his old world secrets of Continue Reading »
