Gregg Wallace has stirred up a storm in the world of TV cooking with his very public cancellation – but he’s not the only celebrity chef to be mired with controversy.
In November, the former BBC presenter, 60, stepped down from MasterChef after it was revealed that 13 people, including Newsnight host Kirsty Wark, had accused him of ‘wrong’ and inappropriate ‘sexualised’ behaviour during filming.
He later made things worse by saying that backlash had come from ‘middle class women of a certain age’, blaming them for his downfall.
The TV personality later apologised after his controversial comments on Instagram caused another PR storm, blaming ‘a huge amount of stress’ and ‘a lot of emotion’ for the error.
It appears that London-born Wallace has been unequivocally cancelled for his behaviour and subsequent doomed scrambling to save his reputation.
Experts have previously spoken out about the ‘angry’ culture of celebrity cooking – expressing concerns that future generations may even put off by a legacy of scandal and a harsh environment in the kitchen.
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Gregg Wallace has unequivocally been cancelled after stepping down from MasterChef. But who are the famous foodies who have avoided the same fate?
Indeed, big names including Gordon Ramsay, Rick Stein, James Martin and Marco Pierre White have all been at risk of being cancelled themselves over the course their lengthy careers.
From raging temper tantrums to allegations of sexism, bullying and cultural appropriation, it appears TV cooking has barely gone a day without some form of controversy.
Here, FEMAIL takes a look at all the famous foodies who have managed to avoid being cancelled – despite risking their reputations.
Gordon Ramsay
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If there’s one chef known for being able to control their temper, it’s certainly not Gordon Ramsay. Pictured shouting on Hell’s Kitchen
If there’s one chef known for being able to control their temper, it’s certainly not Gordon Ramsay.
Though fans tend to view the chef’s angry outbursts as a source of hilarity, his tempestuous tellings off have risked his reputation in the past.
Ramsay has in the past been accused of ‘glamorising bullying’ and promoting a culture of being aggressive in the kitchen.
His famous angry outbursts on shows such as Hell’s Kitchen have helped him secure his spot in the the cooking hall of fame.
A famous meme, born from a parody sketch on The Late Late Show with James Corden in 2015, shows Gordon Ramsay holding two pieces of bread against the ears of a ‘member of staff’ while asking ‘what are you’ – before she replies ‘an idiot sandwich’.
The theme of shouty chefs has been shown in TV series such as the BBC’s Boiling Point and US hit show The Bear.
But in 2018, after Channel 4 tweeted a highlights reel video featuring Ramsay’s best meltdowns, food experts said his aggressive style has permeated the industry over the last few decades – and said that it is now outdated.
Food experts said that Ramsay’s aggressive style is symptomatic of an ‘abusive’ restaurant kitchen culture that has permeated the industry over the last few decades – and said that it is now outdated.
Gordon Ramsay pressures Costa worker to say ‘I’m an idiot sandwich’
Critics have previously slammed the way notorious Michelin-starred restaurateur Gordon Ramsay rants at cooks on TV shows such as Hell’s Kitchen.
Food critic Jay Rayner and chef Stevie Parle, who owns three British restaurants, were among those to criticise Ramsay’s style of harshly attacking anyone who disappoints him on camera.
Jay Rayner called Ramsay a ‘sad, inadequate man’ for the way in which he rants at other chefs.
He tweeted: ‘This is everything that has been wrong about restaurant kitchen culture.
‘Because he suffered violence and abuse as a young cook, Ramsay thinks it’s character building and so the cycle continues. All he’s doing is glamourising bullying.’
Simon Parle tweeted: ‘Glamourising this type of bull**** really sets us back. No wonder we can’t find any chefs.’
Last year Michel Roux Jr said that the industry would need to move on from the shouty era to make sure the next generation of cooks would ‘fall in love’ with the business.
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The restaurant industry needs to move on from the era of ‘shouty chefs’ to make sure the next generation of cooks ‘fall in love’ with the business, Michel Roux Jr has said
In 2009, the chef’s swearing got so out of hand that viewers were subjected to a curse word every two and a half seconds in his show.
In an episode of Gordon’s Great British Nightmare, he swore 243 times, with the first arriving just 31 seconds into the programme.
Ann Widdecombe led calls for Ramsay to be sacked at the time.
‘Anybody who swears that much on a cooking show must be fired,’ said the former Tory minister. ‘Most people were already fed up with him. This is the final straw.
‘Just how far does he have to go before Channel 4 bosses accept that he has caused real and genuine offence and broken all acceptable boundaries of good taste? What is their limit?’
Rick Stein
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Rick Stein is best associated with his business ventures in Cornwall – but he’s sparked fury from residents on multiple occasions
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Rick Stein owns five restaurants in Padstow which are popular amongst tourists
Rick Stein is best associated with his business ventures in Cornwall – but he’s sparked fury from residents on multiple occasions.
Stein’s string of success in the port town of Padstow on the north coast of Cornwall has even led to it being nicknamed ‘Padstein’.
He’s been accused on multiple occasions of trying to take over Padstow – setting up Rick Stein’s Cafe, Ruby’s Bar, St Petroc’s Bistro, Stein’s Fish and Chips, The Cornish Arms and a fishmonger – all in the upmarket coastal town.
In May last year the 78-year-old was forced to abandon an ‘eyesore’ extension to his luxury hotel on top of his flagship seafood restaurant after the proposals left locals gently simmering.
The multi-millionaire runs a 16 bedroom hotel from the establishment which has spectacular views over the harbour and the Camel Estuary.
Stein wanted to replace a rooftop terrace which had been popular with diners with a large extra en-suite room at the property, parts of which date back to the 19th Century.
The restaurateur said the terrace had not been used since the start of the Covid pandemic and staff shortages meant it had not been possible to reopen it since then.
He commissioned a detailed 56-page heritage assessment report highlighting how the proposals would serve to ‘conserve and enhance’ the Conservation Area the building is set in.
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Stein wanted to replace a rooftop terrace which had been popular with diners at The Seafood Restaurant with a large extra en-suite room at the property
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The celebrity chef withdrew the planning application following complaints by conservation experts
But Stein withdrew his application after conservation experts and the local council disagreed and insisted the development would be out of character for the town.
In 2022 the chef revealed that he’d be driving across Cornwall for his BBC Two series.
But residents soon expressed concerns that the publicity he would bring would encourage more ‘rich people’ to buy ‘second homes’ – thus ousting ‘real people’ from the area.
One person wrote on Facebook: ‘Unfortunately this will just inspire more rich people to buy second homes in Cornwall leaving less and less housing for the real people of Cornwall and thus spoiling the very place Rick claims to love so much.’
In 2020, he upset people again after refusing to pay staff wages when his restaurants closed for the coronavirus pandemic.
The seafood king told staff they would not be paid for over a month while his restaurants were closed.
Workers voiced anger at how Stein – whose restaurant empire started in Cornwall and now stretches across the country – had talked publicly about their importance while leaving them unable to pay their bills.
On the company’s Instagram page he wrote: ‘Our attention is now on how we get through this challenging time so we can continue to look after our people and customers for many years to come.’
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Stein (pictured with his wife Sarah) said the terrace had not been used since the start of the Covid pandemic
British Food vs French Food with Rick Stein
But in a message on the company’s internal message board, managing director Ian Fitzgerald told staff: ‘We cannot afford to pay anybody after March 21. If we were to do that the company will be gone within a few weeks.’
He added: ‘This is a terrible thing to be telling you, but it is the most responsible thing we can do to save your job.’
Stein met first wife Jill in Padstow and they married the year they opened the Seafood Restaurant. They are still in business together along with their three sons, Edward, Jack and Charles.
Stein married second wife Sarah Burns following a five-year affair in October 2011.
But in February last year Stein confessed he doesn’t believe he’s going to ‘last much longer’ after he had open heart surgery.
He said that despite this, he is determined to live life to the full and enjoy the time he has.
James Martin
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It’s been a turbulent few months for James after he was accused of bullying crewmembers and then opened up about unfortunate events in his life, including a shock cancer diagnosis
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Reflecting on the outburst, James admitted that he was dealing with the death of his last living grandparent, his grandfather, a robbery and a cancer diagnosis
In the summer of 2023, James Martin risked being cancelled when he found himself at the centre of a very public scandal when he was accused of bullying and intimidating behaviour by crew working on his ITV food show.
Reports then emerged of a second incident with ITV, as it was claimed the broadcaster had previously been made aware of James’ conduct following a separate incident in 2018.
Subsequently, James apologised for his behaviour and admitted the turmoil that was going on his personal life.
He opened up about unfortunate events in his life, which began with the death of his grandfather, then was followed by a home invasion by masked burglars, and then a shock cancer diagnosis.
Last July, ITV were forced to confirm they had spoken to the star after concerns were raised over the treatment of crew members during the filming of James Martin’s Spanish Adventure in May.
Reports then emerged of a second incident with ITV in 2018, when he launched a foul-mouthed tirade against staff after a drain was blocked at his home during the production of his show, James Martin’s Saturday Morning.
After investigating the matter, ITV chiefs told the programme’s production company Blue Marlin that changes would be made immediately, online news website Deadline reports.
James responded by saying ‘lessons have been learned’ and apologised for ‘acting emotionally’.
Sources at ITV told the Mail that bosses would be taking a ‘close interest in any future filming’ featuring the chef, whose affable demeanour has earned him a huge fan base.
Regarding the reports of this being the second outburst James had been accused of, a Blue Marlin spokesperson addressed the first incident.
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James Martin (pictured on This Morning) previously opened up about his shock cancer diagnosis
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Martin (pictured in 2018) said before the abusive rant he was dealing with the death of his last living grandparent, his grandfather, and that he could not attend his funeral due to work commitments
They said: ‘An unfortunate incident occurred after filming James Martin’s Saturday Morning in 2018 where James’ home was badly damaged.
‘Blue Marlin Television accepted responsibility. James was shocked by what had happened and on reflection acknowledges he responded emotionally, which he wholly regrets.
‘James apologises for any offence or upset caused, as he did at the time to the crew involved.’
They added: ‘Following this and some issues filming James Martin’s Spanish Adventures, James and Blue Marlin Television agree that lessons have been learned which have been discussed with members of the team and with ITV.
‘Blue Marlin Television and James Martin have taken on board ITV’s recommendations and their sharing of best practice, and are in the process of fully implementing.
‘Since the 2018 incident, Blue Marlin Television has continued to film over 500 shows at James’ home.
‘Blue Marlin Television remains committed to ensuring the welfare of all those with whom they work is of the utmost priority.’
An ITV spokesman said: ‘At ITV people and their welfare are our highest priority. The production companies who make shows for us have primary responsibility for the duty of care of everyone they work with, both on and off screen.
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Martin’s furious tirade was leaked following a string of bullying accusations
‘We make clear our expectations in this regard as part of our pre-greenlight duty of care processes. This includes having appropriate independent controls in place to enable everyone who works on their shows to confidently and confidentially raise concerns.
‘Following a complaint we received in May from members of the Blue Marlin production team about the filming of James Martin’s Spanish Adventure, we contacted Blue Marlin to discuss these concerns and to understand how the issues raised were being addressed and what actions were being taken.
‘As a result, we made a number of recommendations for Blue Marlin to implement as soon as possible, sharing best practice of some of our own relevant procedures around staff welfare and reiterating our Supplier Code of Conduct.’
Audio footage of his shocked rant was then leaked to The Sun, and in response to the shock outburst, James said that the end of 2017 was ‘one of the most fraught and difficult periods of my life’.
In the recording, he swore 42 times and says his staff should be ‘f***ing fried’ and orders them to take their lunch break standing in the ‘f***ing rain’.
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Martin said that the end of 2017 was ‘one of the most fraught and difficult periods of my life’
He demanded that his team showed him and his house ‘more f***ing respect’, adding: ‘If not, you’re gone.’
Reflecting on the outburst, he admitted that he was dealing with the death of his last living grandparent, his grandfather, and that he could not attend his funeral due to work commitments.
James added that he was burgled by masked men later that month who entered his home while his partner Louise was at home alone and he was away working.
He then shockingly revealed his cancer diagnosis, adding that he was in a ‘very emotional state’ from all the stress.
James told The Sun: ‘I was then diagnosed with cancer on my face and I had to have surgery, which I couldn’t do until two days before Christmas when we had finished filming. Since then it has returned on several occasions and I have to have regular treatments.’
He said that he became ‘extremely upset’ when his home flooded while filming in 2018. The chef claims the drain blockage caused £30,000 worth of damage.
‘I can only say I am human and following a build-up of personal life pressure, I admit that I overreacted regarding the damage to my home,’ he told The Sun.
Tom Kitchin
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Celebrity chef Tom Kitchin has made the ‘very tough decision’ to close one of his restaurants after two years, explaining he had ‘no option’ amid rising financial costs
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Kora by Tom Kitchin opened its doors in the summer of 2022 in Edinburgh , where the 47-year-old was born and bred
Tom, who is one of Scotland’s leading chefs, revealed on Thursday he had made the ‘very tough’ decision to close his Edinburgh restaurant, blaming the ‘current economic climate’.
In 2022 Tom was forced to hit back after his restaurant staff claimed they were bullied and abused.
A social media page – set up to ‘name and shame’ so-called toxic workplaces across the country – carried allegations by former employees that they had suffered historical incidences of physical and verbal abuse, as well sexual harassment, in Kitchin’s award-winning restaurants in Edinburgh.
Worse still, the celebrity chef himself was personally accused of presiding over ‘a climate of fear and intimidation’, as well as manhandling staff.
However he vehemently denied the allegations. He exclusively told The Mail On Sunday that year that he never got physically violent with staff, though he had lost his temper a few times.
He said: ‘We live and breathe what we do.
‘It is a tough environment, it is full on, 110 miles an hour, especially back when we started our business.
‘Nowadays it is a much different place but don’t get me wrong, and I think this is really important, we still work extremely hard.
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He previously admitted losing his temper with staff and was accused of creating a climate ‘of fear’
‘It’s an environment that’s not for everyone and I’ve a lot of long-serving members of staff who understand the commitment required to operate at the highest levels. If I was such an ogre, I don’t think they would stick around.’
Kitchin, a well-known face on television with appearances on BBC shows Master Chef and Saturday Kitchen, added: ‘Yes, there have been moments in the past where the way I acted was not correct.
‘Shouting and screaming at someone over a carrot….because it’s not cut correctly. Do I shout and scream like that now? No, I do not and the way I was then is not acceptable in today’s modern world and I put my hand up to that.
‘Like many of my fellow chefs, we’ve been striving to make our kitchen and restaurant environments better. Our industry, and this restaurant in particular, has already changed so much in recent years, moving away from the work cultures of the past. We are not perfect but, equally, we have nothing to hide.’
The allegations, which emerged in June 2021, included claims by one former chef, James Dunn, 28, who worked at The Kitchin for six months in 2017, that he witnessed a co-worker being pinned up against a wall by the head chef, while Kitchin was present.
He also claimed the head pastry chef made him catch a hot iron tray on his forearms, burning him, while David Sunderland, 32, who worked at The Kitchin as a commis chef between 2011 and 2012, claimed confusion over a tomato and mackerel dish for a table of VIPs led Kitchin to ‘throw all the plates’, grab him and push him against a door.
In a post on Instagram this week, Kitchin wrote: ‘Thank you to everyone who has supported KORA over the years.
‘We have made the very tough decision to wrap KORA up at the end of this month..
The reasons behind the decision remain unclear, but the eatery did hint at a ‘new project’ in the future when addressing their customers in a statement released on their website
‘KORA by Tom Kitchin has always been a restaurant which we felt really passionate about and we are proud of the great food, service and experiences we have provided to our guests over the past few years.
‘Our regular diners and our suppliers have been instrumental in KORA’s success.
‘Our incredible team has really shown visitors to Edinburgh how incredible Scottish fare is and how proud we are to promote Scottish hospitality.
‘We have every intention to bring the KORA concept back to Edinburgh one day, but there is no hiding that the current economic climate contribute to this difficult decision.
‘We have no option but to exercise our lease break clause which is now due.’
Kitchin has faced tough financial situations previously, having had to close the doors of the Castle Terrace restaurant in 2020, amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sat Bains
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Michelin-starred chef Sat Bains (pictured) refused to offer vegan food at his Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottinghamshire
Double Michelin-starred chef Sat Bains has put himself at risk of cancellation several times – including his belief that vegan food is the ‘biggest rip off’ with cheap ingredients.
In fact, he made headlines in 2020 for refusing to serve vegan food in his £120-a-head restaurant.
Mr Bains, who opened the restaurant nearly 18 years ago, said: ‘It’s not just 10 dishes thrown on a menu – it’s thought about so much in minute detail.
‘We want to give our customers the best food we can.’
Customers visit the ‘niche’ eatery knowing what to expect and the types of ingredients they use on the seven-course menu, costing £105, or ten course at £120.
For this reason, the Great British Menu winner refuses to do ‘certain dietaries’ just as he ‘doesn’t go to a vegan restaurant and ask for a steak’.
He told the Mirror: ‘The amount of research to get the same flavour and texture as fat to give that luxurious mouthful is phenomenal.
‘You can’t go to a heavy metal concert and expect classical music. It’s my business and my business model to do what I want. I don’t do vegan, halal or kosher.’
Mr Bains suggested his restaurant bent over backwards trying to cater for one diner who had a allergy to vegetables from the potato family.
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The restaurant (pictured) would ‘never’ set out to be vegan, according to the Great British Menu winner. He suggested the chefs bent over backwards trying to cater to a diner with a nightshade allergy to certain vegetables and was ‘almost forsaking’ the cooking style
He admitted finding it ‘so hard to get right’ and ‘almost forsaking [the restaurant’s] style’ to meet their needs.
The double Michelin-starred chef is not a ‘specialist’ in vegan food and would ‘never set out’ to be.
MailOnline then went to review the restaurant – and found it lived up to the hype.
In 2016, a mother claimed Bains’s restaurant had sent her a ‘threatening email’ after she cancelled her £95-a-head reservation because her asthmatic daughter, six, was feeling unwell.
Helen Hall had booked a table for the ten-course taster menu at Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms, Nottingham, as a Christmas present for her and her husband Neil.
But, on the day they were due to go, her asthmatic six-year-old daughter Eleanor came down with a chest infection, a condition for which she had previously been hospitalised.
Not wanting to leave her with a babysitter, Mrs Hall , who had paid a £90 deposit per person, phoned the establishment to ask if they could re-book for another day.
However, she claims they told her she would have to find her own replacement for the table, or face losing the £180.
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James Martin is pictured with Bains on James Martin’s Great British Adventure
When she posted unhappy comments on social media, the restaurant agreed to a refund – before sending her ‘offensive’ email in which she claims they accused her of being a bad mother.
In the personal email, the restaurant manager also told Mrs Hall, who works at Center Parcs, that she would be warning her boss about her ‘rude behaviour’.
The email then accused Mrs Hall of ‘prioritising a cancellation policy over a severely poorly child’, adding: ‘May I suggest that you spend more time looking after your daughter than writing hilarious remarks about us on social media.
‘What does surprise me is that if my child was as poorly as yours, i’d be at my wits end and not pestering a restaurant.’
Speaking to MailOnline at the time, Mrs Hall said she was ‘shocked’ when she read the email.
‘I spent the night in A&E with my daughter until 3am. I had obviously really wanted to go to the restaurant but Eleanor was severely unwell and I didn’t want to leave her,’ she said.
‘The next day, I saw this email and it was the last thing I needed.
‘They were basically accusing me of being a bad mother. I also got quite worried about what they were going to say to my manager.
‘I found it very threatening and a personal insult. I don’t care how well respected the restaurant is – no one should go around saying things like that.’
Marco Pierre White
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Marco Pierre White has shown some controversial behaviour over the years, even being accused of cultural appropriation. Pictured in a separate advert for Knorr stock cubes in 2009
Marco Pierre White has displayed some controversial behaviour over the years.
In 2013, the chef was even accused of ‘cultural appropriation’ by Lola Okolosie in The Guardian.
During an advert for Knorr stock cubes, the chef showed viewers how to make a Jamaican dish of rice and peas with chicken.
One commenter told him to ‘kindly refrain from referring to that mess you made as a Jamaican dish lest you get sued for defamation of our good cooking reputation’.
This sparked an online petition demanding a public apology from Knorr and the chef.
Okolosie pointed out White had used brown rice, garden peas and stock cubes in the dish, which would never be used traditionally.
She wrote: ‘I may not be Jamaican, but you don’t have to be to recognise that this is as close to the original as chicken, tinned tomatoes and a few Knorr jelly blocks is to chicken tikka masala.’
She added: ‘Beneath the tears of laughter at the hilarity of the video was the palpable and justified anger at an attempt to disregard the expertise behind Jamaican cooking.
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Marco Pierre White’s (pictured) London Steakhouse has come under fire over the introduction of charges for tablecloths and napkins
‘The community’s outrage at the hot mess cobbled together by MPW as “Jamaican-style” is however not just about the misrepresentation of their culinary skills.
‘The evident lack of respect, mingled with an intention to create a marketable product was another example of cultural appropriation for wider consumption.’
White later apologised for the video.
He first got his big break in the culinary industry when he was just 16, becoming an apprentice chef with Albert and Michel Roux.
But as reported in HELLO! Magazine, he’s had no hesitation in removing customers from his restaurants if he disagrees with their verdict on his food.
Other stories include charging his customers £25 when they ordered chips with their lunch.
He told the Observer in 2001: ‘This guy was just trying to show off in front of his city boys – there were no chips on the menu, but he asked for some. Fine.
‘So I spent a long careful time on them – hand-cut, blanched, lovingly fried, served up with a little silver plate of sauce.
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Marco Pierre White Jr was arrested again in Decembe after a spate of burglaries and a decade of trouble under the spotlight
‘An hour of my time. £25. He hadn’t thought to ask the price.’
In 2019, Pierre White came under fire for claiming men are better than women at handling pressure in the kitchen, and saying women are too emotional to be chefs.
In an interview with the Irish Independent, he said: ‘The real positive with men is that men can absorb pressure better, that’s the main difference, because they are not as emotional and they don’t take things personally.
‘Look at the size of some of the pans you are carrying. Can you imagine you’re a lady in the kitchen and saying: ‘Will you carry that pan for me?’
Just a week previously, he hit headlines for calling Jamie Oliver ‘delusional’ for blaming the collapse of his restaurant chain on uncertainty resulting from Brexit.
In 2017, during an appearance on Hell’s Kitchen, he came under fire for comments on a contestant’s salmon dish.
Clearly not impressed with the meal, which was made by a female contestant, he said: ‘And you hope to keep a husband.’
Fury erupted last month after it was revealed Pierre White’s trendy London steakhouse restaurant was charging £1.50 per head for tablecloths and napkins.
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The son of the youngest ever cook to attain the coveted three Michelin stars, Marco Jr has secured his own space in the headlines thanks to his wildly rebellious antics
The restaurant, located near Liverpool Street train station, has stated that this will be a fixed fee ‘to cover the cost of table linen and napkins’, with a discretionary service charge of 9.5 per cent also appearing on bills.
The charges for the linen are displayed on the restaurant’s à la carte menu, with the set menus seeing additional charges such as a £1 head cover fee.
A 12.5 per cent service charge is also added to set menu bills, as the self-proclaimed ‘linen-topped table dining’ establishment seemingly seeks more ways to charge patrons.
Consumer specialist Jane Hawkes told the Telegraph that the introduction of such fees is unfair on diners and that customers should be made to feel valued by businesses, rather than ‘bamboozled’.
Meanwhile the chef’s convict son, whom he shares with third wife Mati Conejero, has repeatedly made headlines over the years thanks to his wildly rebellious antics.
He was arrested again in December after a spate of burglaries but avoided jail after being sentenced to a suspended 30-week prison sentence for a spate of burglaries in his hometown.
He admitted the offences and was sentenced at North Somerset Magistrates’ Court.
His multiple previous offences include shoplifting, possessing a knife, and possessing drugs.
Heston Blumenthal
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In 2019, Heston Blumenthal came under fire for claiming fewer female chefs make it to the top because their ‘biological clock’ kicks in
In 2019, Heston Blumenthal came under fire for claiming fewer female chefs make it to the top because their ‘biological clock’ kicks in and they’re ‘not as good at lifting pots and pans’ after childbirth.
London-born Blumenthal, 58, who has five Michelin stars across two restaurants, made the comments after being asked why there aren’t more women represented at the top level of the industry.
He told the Economic Times: ‘I have always employed female chefs, but historically and ultimately, the body clock starts working.
‘It’s evolution, and it is one thing to have a 9-5 job and quite another to be a chef with kids. So, that makes it difficult, the physical strain of lifting heavy pots and pans.’
His comments provoked a backlash on social media, with some people accusing him of sexism.
One irate commentator wrote at the time: ‘Thank goodness they can find the strength to lift their children.’
Another wrote: ‘Blumenthal, who followed his biological clock in marrying a woman 20 years his junior. This is hilarious.’
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Pictured: The team outside the Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire
Despite his comments, the celebrity chef added he believed the industry was much better than 15 years previously, when women had to be ‘tough as old boots’ to be successful.
He said they are less likely to put up with sexist behaviour in the kitchen and fight back when it does occur.
In March 2023 Blumenthal tied the knot for a third time after previously marrying Stephanie Gouveia in 2018 .
The owner of the Michelin-starred Fat Duck restaurant, who’s known for delighting diners with surprising dishes such as snail porridge and egg-and-bacon ice cream, exchanged vows with entrepreneur Melanie Ceysson in her native France.
In 2017 he was granted a divorce from his now ex-wife Zanna after 28 years of marriage.
Blumenthal has also been criticised in the past for his expensive prices at his restaurants.
In 2023 he introduced a £425 Christmas menu, which even included edible mould for dessert.
Diners finished off their meal with ‘Botrytis Cinerea’ – which is more commonly known as mould.
Keith McNally
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New York restaurateur Keith McNally has been slammed after going on a bizarre rant against British restaurant critics, claiming he ‘bought’ reviews when he opened Covent Garden bistro Balthazar
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Mr McNally, 69, launched a tirade against Evening Standard and Tatler food critic Fay Maschler (pictured) claiming she only gave his restaurant a ‘stupendous’ review because they were good friends
In 2022, New York restaurateur Keith McNally was slammed after going on a bizarre rant where he said London restaurant critics were ‘corrupt with Putin-like power’.
McNally launched a tirade against Evening Standard and Tatler food critic Fay Maschler, claiming she only gave his restaurant a ‘stupendous’ review because they were good friends.
In a scathing attack posted to his Instagram page, he said that ‘four or five of London restaurant critics have so much Putin-like power that the people who slave away cooking and serving the food are scared s***less to publicly find fault with them’ and said that Italian restaurant Brutto ‘greatly benefited’ from the owner’s friendship with Sunday Times’ restaurant critic Marina O’Loughlin.
In he own Instagram post, Ms O’Loughlin said: ‘I’m not sure he realises the horrible story he paints about himself’ before accusing him of speaking ‘utter b*******’ for accusing her of ‘fictitious corruption’.
Taking to Instagram, Mr McNally – who describes himself as a ‘Deadbeat New York Restaurateur’ posted a pictured of Faye Maschler receiving her MBE and wrote: ‘LONDON RESTAURANT CRITICS ARE RIFE WITH CORRUPTION. ME TOO.
‘In 2013, a few months before opening Balthazar in London, I became friends with the restaurant critic, Fay Maschler MBE, and her husband, the painter Reg Gadney.
‘We met for dinner – once with AA Gill in Barnes – and watched one or two movies together. My then wife, Alina, sat for a portrait painting, for Fay’s husband. I even cooked dinner for the two of them. All in all, we were good friends. The elephant in the room, of course, was the opening of Balthazar and Fay’s impending review of it.
‘Balthazar opened in the spring of 2013 and Fay gave it a stupendous review. The rest of the English critics gave it a f****** awful one. (And perhaps deservingly so.)
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In a scathing attack posted to his Instagram page , he said that ‘four or five of London restaurant critics have so much Putin-like power that the people who slave away cooking and serving the food are scared s***less to publicly find fault with them’
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Mr McNally is no stranger to controversy and feuding and has previously banned high-profile guests from his New York restaurant.
‘Without Fay Maschler’s ‘bought’ review, which I take 50% responsibility for, Balthazar would have closed. Despite my suspect character, I’ve felt guilty about this ‘bought’ review ever since. However, Fay Maschler MBE is not the culprit. The culprit is the immense – and unchecked – power of London’s restaurant critics.
‘In London’s food industry it’s an open secret that many of London’s restaurant critics are open to corruption.
‘The recently opened Brutto – an excellent restaurant – greatly benefited from the owner’s friendship with Marina O’Loughlin, the Sunday Times food critic.
‘After exposing this fact on Instagram I was deluged with emails and D.M.s from the owners, chefs and managers of London restaurants – Hawksmoor, The Delaunay and St John included – agreeing with me, but absolutely terrified to talk about it publicly.
‘Four or five of London restaurant critics have so much Putin-like power that the people who slave away cooking and serving the food are scared shitless to publicly find fault with them, or even talk openly about the restaurant critics’ colossal power. Something is Extremely Rotten in the State of Russia’.
He has also received criticism in the past after banning high-profile guests from his New York restaurant.
That same year, he wrote a furious post on Instagram denouncing the behaviour of former Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter who had booked a table for 12 on a Wednesday lunchtime but not showed up.
‘Unless Graydon kisses my feet, the ban’s forever,’ he said.
He also nearly banned brazen real estate developer Michael Shvo who barged into his restaurant, claiming he had waltzed past staff and sat himself at the eatery’s best table.
