He grew up in a small Essex village called Clavering. He formed the band Scarlet Division with Leigh Haggerwood in 1989. His first TV break came in 1996 when he was "discovered" by television producer – Pat Llewellyn – while working at the River Café in London. She saw him on a documentary called "Christmas at the River Café" – and recognised his star potential immediately.
Two highly successful series of "The Naked Chef" were filmed in 1998 and 1999. And On June 24, 2000 he married Juliette Norton, also known as Jools. The couple currently have two daughters – Poppy Honey and Daisy Boo.
In June 2003 he was appointed an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List. He set up the Fifteen charity restaurant where he trains 15 disadvantaged young people to work in the hospitality industry. He hopes to set up similar restaurants elsewhere in the UK as well as Sydney and New York City.
He recently announced plans to relocate to a country house outside New York City. He told Night and Day magazine: "It's my wife's idea. She's talked about it for three years. I haven't a clue why."
He has also written columns for The Times of London.
