Heston Blumenthal is one of the most acclaimed celebrity chefs in the UK, and he has become famous across the globe for his unusual and innovative approach to cooking. He is known for his sensory approach to food, the use of molecular gastronomy, and for his unusual flavour combinations. Due to his unique approach, many food lovers are keen to learn more Heston Blumenthal facts.
Therefore, The Fruity Tart has compiled a list of interesting facts about Heston Blumenthal. These include facts about his career, information about his early and family life, Heston Blumenthal’s net worth, and many more Heston Blumenthal facts that we hope you find interesting. If you want to learn more, then read on.
His Early Life
- Blumenthal Was Born in Shepherd’s Bush
Heston Marc Blumenthal was born on 27 May 1966 in Shepherd’s Bush, London. He was originally raised in Paddington and then moved to various other locations in South London. Some of the schools of which he was a student include Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith, St John’s Church of England School in Lacey Green, Buckinghamshire, and John Hampden Grammar School in High Wycombe.
2. He is Jewish
Heston Blumenthal’s father is Jewish and was born in Southern Rhodesia, says Wikipedia. Upon marriage, Blumenthal’s mother also converted to Judaism, and Heston Blumenthal considers himself Jewish.
Heston Blumenthal Facts: His Relationships and Family
3. Who Is Heston Blumenthal’s First Wife?
Heston Blumenthal has been married twice. His first wife was Zanna, who he met in his late teens, says The Daily Mail. At that time, he was working as a credit controller, and she was a nurse. The couple married in 1989, and had three children together, Jack, Jessie, and Joy. Heston and Zanna split in 2011, although they did not finalize their divorce until 2018.
4. He Dated Suzanne Pirret
From 2011 to 2018, Heston Blumenthal was in a relationship with American cookery writer Suzanne Pirret. Although he was separated from his first wife at that time, they had not finalized their divorce.
5. Who is Heston Blumenthal’s Wife Now?
Just a few months after finalizing his divorce, Heston Blumenthal became a father to his fourth child with younger girlfriend Stephanie Gouveia. The couple decided to keep the details of their child out of the public eye. Just a few months later, the couple married on the exclusive island Soneva Fushi in the Maldives in a last-minute wedding.
Heston Blumenthal Facts: His Cooking Inspiration
6. A Family Holiday in France Ignited His Culinary Passion
The celebrity chef’s first culinary experience that gave him inspiration was dining out at the three-Michelin-starred restaurant L’Oustau de Baumaniere during a family holiday in Provence, France. His memory of the meal is of a multisensory experience, as he can remember the sounds, smells, and sights as well as the taste of the meal. It is what became his inspiration for his multisensory approach to cooking.
7. His Apprenticeship with Raymond Le Blanc Gave Him a Taste for Cooking
At the age of 18, Heston Blumenthal was given an apprenticeship at Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons. However, he left after just one week’s probation. Despite his short time at the restaurant, it gave Blumenthal a taste of working in a kitchen.
8. Reading Harold McGee’s Book Taught Him to Question Everything
Another big inspiration for Heston Blumenthal was ‘On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen’, a cookbook by Harold McGee. The cookbook questions traditional cooking methods, and it encouraged Blumenthal to question cooking techniques and flavour combinations. It is the inspiration behind Blumenthal’s catchphrase ‘question everything’.
9. He Uses Historical Recipes for Inspiration
A further source of inspiration for Heston Blumenthal is history. He enjoys researching British history and historical recipes to inspire the dishes he creates. He has also worked alongside food historians to learn more about traditional ingredients and cooking methods used in the past. Blumenthal often uses historical books and manuscripts as part of the recipe development process.
10. He Taught Himself to Cook
Other than a weeks’ apprenticeship at 18, Heston Blumenthal has no formal culinary training. After leaving the apprenticeship, Heston Blumenthal worked in various jobs, such as a debt collector and repo man, during the day. At night, he taught himself to cook a French classical repertoire.
Heston Blumenthal’s Restaurants
11. His Signature Restaurant is The Fat Duck
One of the Heston Blumenthal facts that most people know is that his signature restaurant is The Fat Duck. He bought a run-down pub in Bray, Berkshire, in 1995. Although it was originally called The Ringers, Blumenthal changed its name to The Fat Duck. It is now a three-Michelin-starred establishment and one of the most critically acclaimed restaurants in the world.
12. Blumenthal’s Second Restaurant is Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Blumenthal’s first restaurant outside Bray was Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, which is at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London. The celebrity chef sought the assistance of historians when devising the menu for this restaurant. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal was awarded its first Michelin Star in 2012, then a second in 2014.
13. He Also Owns Two Pubs
One of the Heston Blumenthal facts that some people do not know is that he also owns two pubs. Firstly, he bought the Hinds Head, in 2004. It is a 15th-century tavern in Bray, close to The Fat Duck. The restaurant has one Michelin star, and the Michelin Pub Guide also named it the Pub of the Year in 2011. It serves traditional, historic British dishes using seasonal ingredients. Blumenthal then bought his second pub The Crown, also in Bray.
14. He Has a Restaurant in Australia
During a refurbishment of The Fat Duck in 2015, Heston decided to move his restaurant to Melbourne, Australia, temporarily. Following the completion of The Fat Duck’s refurbishment, Blumenthal kept the Melbourne location open as a permanent Dinner by Heston Blumenthal.
15. Blumenthal Has Another Restaurant at Heathrow Airport
Another Heston Blumenthal fact that some people do not know is that he has another restaurant in Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport. It is called The Perfectionist’s Café, and it has been open since 2014.
Heston Blumenthal Facts: Television Career
16. Blumenthal First Appeared on Television in 2002
Heston Blumenthal’s first television appearance was in 2002. He made the six-part series ‘Kitchen Chemistry with Heston Blumenthal’. Originally, the series was on Discovery Science, then repeats were shown on the Community Channel.
17. He Rose to Prominence in 2004
Heston did not rise to prominence until 2004 when he reached a wider audience. Between 2004 and 2007, Blumenthal made two series for the BBC; ‘Heston Blumenthal: In Search of Perfection’ and ‘Heston Blumenthal: Further Adventures in Search of Perfection.’
18. Blumenthal Improved the Little Chef Restaurants’ Menu
Heston Blumenthal participated in a three-part 2009 Channel 4 documentary. The series aim was to improve the Little Chef motorway restaurants’ menu. Initially, 12 restaurants used the new menu. However, a decision in 2013 meant that Blumenthal’s dishes were no longer part of the menus.
19. He Was the Star of Two Series of Heston’s Feasts
‘Heston’s Feasts’ was an opportunity for Blumenthal to show off his unique approach to cooking. In the 2009 series, he created various themed banquets. It then aired for a second series in 2010.
20. He Made a Series to Improve Food in Various Industries
Following his series’s success in improving the Little Chef menu, Blumenthal’s next television series was ‘Heston’s Mission Impossible’ in 2011. The aim was to improve the food of various industries. For example, he improved the food served by air travel companies.
21. Blumenthal Has Starred in Three Further Series
Between 2012 and 2014, Heston starred in another three series. In January 2012, he was the presenter for ‘How to Cook Like Heston’. Then, in November 2012, he hosted ‘Heston’s Fantastical Food’. Two years later, he was the presenter of ‘Heston’s Great British Food’. Furthermore, he has appeared as a mentor on MasterChef Australia alongside judges George Calombaris, Matt Preston, and Gary Mehigan.
Facts About Heston Blumenthal: His Cookbooks
22. Blumenthal Had a Book to Accompany His First Television Series
When Blumenthal first appeared on a Discovery Channel series, there was a book to accompany the series. Accompanying the original series was the book ‘Kitchen Chemistry’, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
23. His First Book Was Published in 2005
Blumenthal had one of his own books published for the first time in 2005, and it was instantly a success. Moreover, the book, ‘Family Food: A New Approach to Cooking’, won two Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.
24. He Has Published Nine Cookbooks
Overall, Heston Blumenthal has published nine cookbooks. In addition to the books as mentioned earlier, his other cookbooks include ‘In Search of Perfection’, ‘Further Adventures in Search of Perfection’, ‘The Fat Duck Cookbook’, ‘Total Perfection: In Search of Total Perfection’, ‘Heston’s Fantastical Feasts’, ‘Heston Blumenthal At Home’, and ‘Historic Heston’.
25. Blumenthal Writes for Multiple Publications
Throughout his culinary career, Heston Blumenthal has written columns for multiple publications. Some of these include GQ, The Times, T2, and The Guardian.
Other Heston Blumenthal Facts
26. He Has His Own Coat of Arms
Heston Blumenthal has his own coat of arms. The College of Arms designed it for him in 2013. The motto to accompany the coat of arms is his personal catchphrase ‘Question Everything’.
27. Heston Blumenthal’s Net Worth
Estimates of Heston Blumenthal’s net worth vary slightly. However, Pure Net Worth says that Heston Blumenthal’s net worth is $11 million, which is approximately £8.25 million. He has made his money as a chef, restaurateur, television personality, and also as a cookbook author. However, he is not one of the richest celebrity chefs, and British chefs with a higher net worth include Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver, and Levi Roots.
28. He Has Several Honorary Degrees
Due to his work in the food industry, Heston Blumenthal has multiple honorary degrees. He has an honorary Master of Science from Bristol University and honorary Doctor of Science degrees from both Reading University and the University of London. Furthermore, he also became the first chef to receive an Honorary Fellowship by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Furthermore, for his services to British gastronomy, Heston Blumenthal was appointed an OBE in the New Years Honours List in 2006.
29. Blumenthal Has Won Various Chef of the Year Awards
Throughout his career, Heston Blumenthal has won multiple awards. He won Chef of the Year Awards from the Good Food Guide in 2001, the AA Guide Publications in 2002, and the GQ Magazine Man of the Year Awards in 2004, 2010, and 2011.
30. He Has a Range of Products with Waitrose
Like many other celebrity chefs, Heston Blumenthal has worked with a supermarket chain to produce a range of food. Blumenthal has a range of food with Waitrose.
Further Reading…
We hope you have thoroughly enjoyed reading our Heston Blumenthal facts. You might also like to read facts about other celebrity chefs. If so, then read the following articles:
- Gino D’Acampo
- Nigella Lawson
- Mary Berry
- Paul Hollywood
- Marcus Wareing
- Monica Galetti
- Gregg Wallace
- John Torode
- James Martin
- Hairy Bikers
- Prue Leith
- Matt Preston
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