Angela Hartnett is a British chef and television personality best known for her appearances on the Great British Menu. Although fans of the series are familiar with the chef, there are many facts about Angela Hartnett that they do not know. Here are some Angela Hartnett facts you may find interesting.
Angela Hartnett Facts: Early and Personal Life
Where Was Angela Hartnett Born?
Angela Hartnett was born in Canterbury, Kent, England, in September 1968. Her mother is of Italian descent, while her father, who died when Hartnett was seven, was an Irish sailor in the Merchant Navy. Following her father’s death, Hartnett’s mother moved the family to Upminster in Outer London, closer to the children’s grandparents.
Is Angela Hartnett Married?
Angela Hartnett is married to fellow chef Neil Borthwick. The couple met when they both worked in the kitchen at The Connaught. Hartnett was the head chef, while Borthwick, who is 12 years younger than Hartnett, was a kitchen junior. Borthwick is now head chef at Hartnett’s restaurant Merchant’s Tavern.
Does Angela Hartnett Have Children?
Angela Hartnett and her husband, Neil, do not have children.
Where Does Angela Hartnett Live?
Hartnett and her husband live in Spitalfields, a district in the East End of London. They share their home, which is owned by Hartnett and her brother, with Hartnett’s sister.
What Did Angela Hartnett Do Before She Became a Chef?
Before Hartnett became a chef, she studied for a degree in history at Cambridge Polytechnic. One of the Angela Hartnett facts that many people do not know is that she also spent a year working as an au pair in Italy.
Her Culinary Career
Where Did Angela Hartnett Train as a Chef?
Hartnett began her culinary career in a hotel in Cambridge, then got a job working in the kitchen at Sandy Lane Hotel restaurant in Barbados. When she returned to the UK in 1994, she went for a one-day trial at Aubergine, Gordon Ramsay’s first restaurant. Her trial went well, and she continued to work there, undergoing her training with Marcus Wareing. Hartnett then worked at two more of Ramsay’s restaurants, L’Oranger and Zafferano, before becoming Marcus Wareing’s sous chef at Petrus. She later supported the launch of another two restaurants owned by Gordon Ramsay and ran Angela Hartnett at The Connaught, which was also owned by Ramsay.
When Did Hartnett Open Her First Restaurant?
Hartnett opened the London restaurant Murano in 2008. Although it was initially a joint venture with Gordon Ramsay, she bought him out in 2010 to become the sole owner. In 2009, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star, which it has retained ever since.
How Many Restaurants Does Angela Hartnett Own?
Currently, Angela Hartnett owns four restaurants. These include Murano, Café Murano, Merchant’s Tavern, and Hartnett Holder & Co.
Angela Hartnett Facts: Her Television Career
Her First Television Appearance Was on Hell’s Kitchen
The first time Angela Hartnett appeared on television was in 2004 when her mentor, Gordon Ramsay, asked her to appear on Hell’s Kitchen. Three years later, Hartnett appeared alongside John Burton Race in Kitchen Criminals. She also saw the final task in the 2015 season of MasterChef UK.
She Has Been a Judge on the Great British Menu
Angela Hartnett is one of the regular judges on the Great British Menu in the regional heats. The format of the show involves professional chefs cooking dishes in regional heats that are judged by another professional chef. The dishes of the two best chefs are then presented to a panel of judges at the end of the week. Those who have appeared on the panel have included Prue Leith, Oliver Peyton, Matthew Fort, Tom Kerridge, Nisha Katona, Ed Gamble, Rachel Khoo, and Andi Oliver. Other chefs you may know from the series include Galton Blackiston, Atul Kotchar, and Marcus Wareing.
She Is a Judge on Best Home Cook
Best Home Cook is a cooking competition series that was originally hosted by Chris Bavin, Dan Doherty and Mary Berry and first aired in 2019. In 2020, Angela Hartnett replaced Doherty to judge alongside Berry. Hartnett also presented the 2016 series Tomorrow’s Food with Bavin and Dara O’Briain.
Other Angela Hartnett Facts
What Is Angela Hartnett’s Favourite Food?
Although Angela Hartnett is known for cooking Italian cuisine, it is not the only food the chef enjoys. In an interview with YOU, Hartnett said that her favourite food after a long service was crackers and cheese with a nice bottle of wine. She also loves roast chicken.
She Visits Italy Every Year
Each year, Angela Hartnett and her husband spend a week in Bardi, a town in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Most of the Welsh-based Italian families can trace their origins back to Bardi.
Hartnett is an MBE
In 2017, Angela Hartnett was included in the New Year Honours List for her services to the hospitality industry. She was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
Hartnett is a Dog Lover
Angela Hartnett is a dog lover and shares her home with two dogs. Otis is a Beagle previously owned by her sister, while Alfie is a Jack Russell she rescued in 2007 from Battersea Dogs Home.
We hope you enjoyed reading our Angela Hartnett facts.