A celebrity chef is a kitchen chef who has become a celebrity . Today, chefs often become celebrities by presenting cookery advice and demonstrations, usually through the media of television and radio , or in printed publications . While television is ultimately the primary way for a chef to become a celebrity, some have achieved this through success in the kitchen, cookbook publications, and achieving awards such as Michelin stars , while others are home cooks who won competitions. In South Korea , a celebrity chef is referred as a cheftainer .
39-451: The Hairy Bikers were a pair of English celebrity chefs comprising David Myers and Si King , whose television programmes combined cooking with motorcycling travelogue . Between 2004 and 2024, they hosted over 30 television series and specials for BBC One , BBC Two , Channel 5 , and Good Food ; they also wrote a number of tie-in cookbooks . Myers and King, who both had backgrounds in television production, had known each other since
78-475: A 30-part daytime series for BBC Two , The Hairy Bikers' Food Tour of Britain , which aired weekdays starting on 24 August 2009. The series saw them visit a different county each day and cook what they considered to be that county's signature dish. In October 2009, filming of a BBC Christmas show featuring the Hairy Bikers was halted after King was injured in an accident on Tyneside. King came off his bike when
117-484: A car pulled out in front of him, while he was riding through Gosforth during rush hour. His TV partner Dave Myers was riding some distance behind him. King was taken to Newcastle General Hospital for treatment to bruising to his right leg and ribs. The hour long Hairy Bikers' Twelve Days of Christmas was shown on BBC2, 16 December 2009. A new six part series titled The Hairy Bikers: Mums Know Best commenced broadcast in early January 2010 on BBC2. On 25 October 2010,
156-485: A culture of excess. The earliest chef to be credited with being a celebrity was the 16th century Italian, Bartolomeo Scappi . He was the personal chef to Pope Pius V , and is credited with writing the first cookbook, Opera Dell'arte del Cucinare in 1577. The 19th-century French chef Marie-Antoine Carême has also since been referred to as a celebrity of his era, due to the complexity of his recipes. The first chef to achieve widespread fame and celebrity status
195-491: A deeply personal significance following Dave's treatment. History Channel released an American version of The Hairy Bikers starring Paul Patranella and Bill Allen. The show aired for 10 episodes and was spoofed in the South Park episode " A History Channel Thanksgiving ". Celebrity chef Celebrity chefs can also influence cuisines across countries, with foreign cuisines being introduced in their natural forms for
234-699: A household name and have one of his cookbooks, White Heat , described in 2005 as "possibly the most influential recipe book of the last 20 years" by food critic Jay Rayner . More typical of Michelin-starred restaurants in recent years, the success of Gordon Ramsay led to the commissioning of a five-part television series, Boiling Point , by the UK's Channel 4 , which followed the chef as he opened his first solo restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay . While Joël Robuchon , Alain Ducasse , and Gordon Ramsay all run restaurant empires that each hold more than 10 Michelin stars, Ramsay
273-552: A million copies. His 1854 book A Shilling Cookery for the People was a recipe book for ordinary people who could not afford elaborate kitchen utensils or large amounts of exotic ingredients. Other works included The Gastronomic Regenerator (1846), The modern Housewife or, Ménagère and Soyer's Culinary Campaign (1857). The earliest television celebrity chef in Britain was Philip Harben . The earliest television celebrity female chef in
312-520: A mixture of cookery and travelogue , using a similar format and style to that previously associated with Keith Floyd , including the habit of frequently referring to the cameraman and other crew. Most shows featured the pair riding motorbikes , including the BMW R1200GS , F650GS and Triumph Rocket III . The show also featured elements of the Two Fat Ladies format, including regular banter between
351-460: A new 40-episode series, The Hairy Bikers' Cook Off , was launched on BBC2. The programme included a cook off between two families and celebrity guests. From January to May 2010, the Hairy Bikers performed their "Big Night Out" show in theatres throughout the UK. Directed by Bob Mortimer , the show was a fun mixture of cooking and chat with a little song and dance thrown in. It explored their youth, how they met and their love of food. In October 2010,
390-580: A new series, Meals on Wheels , air on BBC2. The series fronted a campaign to save local 'meals on wheels' services around the UK. From November to December 2011, the Bikers appeared in a 30-part BBC series called Hairy Bikers: Best of British , airing at 3:45 pm on BBC2 (apart from the show's final week, in which it aired on BBC1). The series celebrated British recipes and championed local produce. In January 2012, continuing into February, BBC2 showed hour long re-versions including recipes from various episodes of
429-635: A regular product of the celebrity chefs, from both those who have gained Michelin stars, and homestyle cooks who have had books produced as a tie-in for television shows. Certain endorsements by celebrity chefs have led to high levels of criticism from the food industry and the public. In 2011, Australian chef Darren Simpson created a range of burgers for fast-food restaurant Kentucky Fried Chicken , leading to comments being posted on Twitter such as "Darren Simpson you complete and utter sell-out. KFC? Seriously?". Australian television chef Colin Fassnidge said that
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#1733086241341468-585: A surge in sales of goose fat after including it in recipes, and Ken Hom's first television series caused a surge in sales of Peking ducks . Endorsements by Delia Smith became so well known that the "Delia effect" was added to the British dictionary in 2001. Product range tie-ins on housewares have also becoming a staple part of a celebrity chef's income. More than 4.7 million of Ken Hom-endorsed wok range have been sold in Europe . The writing of cookbooks has also been
507-675: A trademark to market a range of bottled sauces produced by Crosse & Blackwell . Soyer also invented many popular new recipes and foods; he produced and marketed a popular drink made of a variety of fruits mixed with carbonated water, which he called Soyer's Nectar Soda Water. His special dish at the club, Soyer's Lamb Cutlets Reform, is still on the menu today. At the Reform Club, he instituted many innovations, including cooking with gas, refrigerators cooled by cold water, and ovens with adjustable temperatures. His kitchens were so famous that they were opened for conducted tours. When Queen Victoria
546-495: A wider audience. Celebrity chefs have changed the styles of food that the general public consume. For example, despite the fact that Asian cuisine had been available in the UK since before the Victorian era, only due to the influence of chefs such as Ken Hom and Madhur Jaffrey in the early 1980s did the public become aware that these anglicised meals were not the authentic article. Tying into his first television series in 1984,
585-515: Is arguably the more famous chef due to his number of television shows broadcast internationally in the UK, the United States, and around the world. Dedicated food-related television channels have also become a medium for chefs to become household names, for example in the United States, the Food Network features shows from celebrity chefs such as Paula Deen and Bobby Flay . While in the UK,
624-484: The Good Food Channel has shows with chefs such as Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver . Certain chefs, such as Nigella Lawson , have had shows featuring on channels in more than one country. MasterClass has a number of celebrity chefs including Thomas Keller , Massimo Bottura , Alice Waters , Roy Choi , and Gordon Ramsay . Youtube has brought other celebrity chefs such as Chef Jean-Pierre and Jamie Oliver to
663-462: The Roman Empire . The Roman historian Livy dated the advent of Rome's decline with the cook's "rise above his station". "And it was then," he wrote, "that the cook, who had formerly the status of the lowest kind of slave, first acquired prestige, and what had once been servitude came to be thought of as an art." He was not alone in this belief: Roman sumptuary laws were passed to curb what was seen as
702-455: The eleventh series of Strictly Come Dancing , partnering Karen Hauer . On 10 November 2013 he was the sixth celebrity to be eliminated from the contest. In September 2016, the pair premiered The Hairy Bikers – Chicken & Egg on BBC 2. The show featured the pair biking across Europe, America, and the Middle East in search of the best chicken and egg recipes. The six episodes feature
741-679: The 1990s. Their first appearance on UK television as presenters was The Hairy Bikers' Cookbook (2004–2008). Their other series include The Hairy Bikers' Food Tour of Britain (2009), The Hairy Bikers' Asian Adventure (2014), Hairy Bikers: Route 66 (2019), and The Hairy Bikers Go North (2021). They also wrote 27 cookbooks, including eight diet books, and The Hairy Bikers Blood, Sweat and Tyres: The Autobiography (2015). In May 2022, Myers revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer; whilst he received treatment, they made The Hairy Bikers Go Local and The Hairy Bikers: Coming Home for Christmas (both 2023). Myers died on 28 February 2024, during
780-473: The BBC announced the return of the duo with The Hairy Bikers Go West . The series marked a significant moment for fans worldwide, with the inaugural episode airing on 6 February 2024, on BBC Two. Amidst the excitement surrounding their comeback, Si King emphasised the profound significance of the series, particularly for himself and Dave Myers, in an interview. King expressed the series' importance, revealing that it held
819-560: The Hairy Bikers were guests on the BBC TV series Genius hosted by comedian Dave Gorman . In June 2011, the Bikers appeared in the second series of Mum Knows Best . The series, made up of eight episodes, featured three 'Star Mums' whose recipes were tested and shared with the public. In addition, one of the episodes featured the world-famous 'pie village' of Denby Dale , where the Denby Dale Pie Company are based. October 2011 saw
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#1733086241341858-609: The UK was Fanny Cradock . She appeared on British television for over two decades, from the 1950s through the 1970s. She originally became popular following the publication of her first cookbook in 1949, The Practical Cook , and after gaining a cult following with cookery demonstrations in theatres around the country. Her television career came to an end when she appeared as a judge on reality television show The Big Time in 1976. She appeared to pretend to retch as contestant Gwen Troake described her menu for former Prime Minister Edward Heath . Presenter Esther Rantzen later described
897-607: The UK, France, Morocco, US and Israel. In 2018, Hairy Bikers appeared in Hairy Bikers' Mediterranean Adventure on BBC2 This was followed in 2019 by Hairy Bikers: Route 66 , where the duo visited restaurants and producers situated along the iconic American road. During February – March 2020, the Hairy Bikers presented the C5 five-part series The Chocolate Challenge with The Hairy Bikers , where seven chocolatiers battled it out to create, brand, and name their very own chocolate bar. In 2024,
936-506: The airing of their final series, The Hairy Bikers Go West (2024). Both Myers and King had a background in TV and film production. Myers was a professional make-up artist, specialising in prosthetics , while King served as locations manager on numerous productions including the Harry Potter films and Byker Grove . They met in 1995 on the set of a TV drama entitled The Gambling Man , which
975-536: The book Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery sold 1.2 million copies in the UK alone. Chef Jamie Oliver ran a campaign in the UK in his television show Jamie's School Dinners to introduce supposedly better eating habits in school dinners for schoolchildren. The campaign caused a change in food-standard requirements across the United Kingdom. Endorsements by celebrity chefs have led to increased demands for certain food products. Both Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson caused
1014-420: The chefs' recipes met national or international recommendations for a balanced diet. Newcastle General Hospital Newcastle General Hospital (NGH) was for many years the main hospital for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne , England . As part of Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust moving from three to two key sites, the hospital was closed and the majority of services transferred to
1053-610: The city's other two hospitals, the Royal Victoria Infirmary and the Freeman Hospital . The Accident and Emergency Department and Intensive Care closed on 16 November 2010. A walk-in centre for minor ailments and injuries remained on the site. The hospital was originally constructed as the infirmary for the Newcastle Union Workhouse. Building began in 1868 and it opened in 1870. In 1921 the administration of
1092-497: The duo's first series for the channel. UKTV gave a description of the series: "In this ultimate food and music pilgrimage, the perennially popular Hairy Bikers are getting back in the saddle as they explore the length of the iconic Mississippi River in America in pursuit of the delicious roots of soul food and Southern music." The series was produced by Mentorn Media and the Bikers' first interactive iOS app, also produced by Mentorn,
1131-722: The first time due to the work of the chef to inform their viewers. Sales of certain foodstuffs can also be enhanced, such as when Delia Smith caused the sale of white eggs across the United Kingdom to increase by 10% in what has since been termed the "Delia effect". Endorsements are also to be expected from a celebrity chef, such as Ken Hom 's range of bestselling woks in Europe , but can also lead to criticism over which endorsements are chosen such as when Marco Pierre White teamed up with Bernard Matthews Farms , or when Darren Simpson advised and endorsed fast-food restaurant KFC . Cooks rising to prominence date at least as far back as
1170-656: The hospital was separated from the Workhouse and the name was changed to the Wingrove Hospital. In 1948 the name was changed to the Newcastle General Hospital when it became part of the National Health Service . The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust reorganised the way it provided acute and tertiary health care in the city and most of the acute services at the hospital were moved to
1209-516: The incident as like " Cruella de Vil meets Bambi ". Described as America's first celebrity chef, Julia Child first appeared on American television in 1963 on the Boston-based WGBH-TV . She soon starred in her own show, The French Chef , which was followed by other shows. At the time of her death, she was credited by the media as having "demystified the art of cuisine for the home cook and inspired many of today's celebrity chefs". Such
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1248-702: The move by Simpson resulted in him becoming a laughing stock, and that while celebrity chefs can make a fortune from such deals, they also risk their credibility. In the UK, Marco Pierre White drew criticism after teaming up with Bernard Matthews Farms in March 2010 to create a range of ready meals that were dropped after a year of production. A 2012 paper published in the BMJ found that recipes in top-selling books by television chefs (Nigella Lawson, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall , Jamie Oliver, and Lorraine Pascale ) were less healthy than supermarket ready meals . Neither ready meals nor
1287-535: The series. After they had signed new contracts with the BBC in 2011, a new series was commissioned. The Hairy Bikers' Bakeation saw them on a gastronomic road trip, looking at baking across Europe , from Norway , the Low Countries ( Netherlands , Belgium and Luxembourg ), Germany , Eastern Europe ( Slovakia , Hungary and Romania ), Austria , Italy and France to Spain . In March 2012, Good Food commissioned The Hairy Bikers' Mississippi Adventure ,
1326-426: The two stars, use of various unusual cooking locations and the use of motorbikes. The pair have appeared on several episodes of Saturday Kitchen on the BBC, as well as on Richard & Judy on Channel 4 . They both appeared on a celebrity chefs special of The Weakest Link and in the première episode of James Martin's Brittany with Saturday Kitchen presenter James Martin . In summer 2009, they filmed
1365-572: Was Alexis Soyer . Born in France, Soyer became the most celebrated cook in early Victorian England. In 1837, he became chef de cuisine at the Reform Club in London, where he designed the kitchens with Charles Barry . His exceptional cooking skills were combined with an excellent eye to marketing and self-publicity to ensure that he molded the public's perception of him. His image was even successfully used as
1404-546: Was based on a Catherine Cookson novel. King was the second assistant director and Myers was head of prosthetics, hair and make-up on the production. While filming in Argentina in 2006, both men got tattoos of Che Guevara on their right arms. Simon King is a supporter of Newcastle United . Myers died on 28 February 2024 after being diagnosed with cancer. The duo appeared on the BBC 's The Hairy Bikers' Cookbook . Their TV shows were
1443-511: Was crowned on 28 June 1838, he prepared a breakfast for 2,000 people at the club. He was also well known for his philanthropy. During the Great Irish Famine in April 1847, he implemented a network of soup kitchens to feed the poor. His "famine soup" was served to thousands of the poor for free. Soyer wrote a number of bestselling books about cooking, one of them even selling over a quarter of
1482-462: Was her impact on American cuisine, her kitchen has been preserved on display at the Smithsonian Museum of American History . In recent years, gaining a Michelin star has increased chefs' profiles sufficiently for them to be featured on television and become a household name. Marco Pierre White became the youngest chef in the world to achieve three Michelin stars, which went on to make him
1521-736: Was released to accompany the series. In August 2012, Hairy Dieters: How to Love Food and Lose Weight showed how the Hairy Bikers' radically changed lifestyles, but stayed true to their love of great food, as they embarked on a campaign to lose two-and-a-half stone (15.8 kg (35 lb)) in three months, and comfortably passed their target weights. In August 2012, Myers appeared on Channel 4's Countdown in dictionary corner, and again in January 2013. The six-part series The Hairy Bikers' Asian Adventure premiered on BBC2 13 February 2014. The Bikers visited Hong Kong, Bangkok, Thailand, Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Kyoto, Kobe & South Korea. Myers took part in
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