Marco Pierre White is often credited with being the first celebrity chef. Due to his fiery temperament, he has also earned the nickname of the ‘enfant terrible’ of the culinary world. Although he has a stare that can send chills through the hearts of anyone who works with him, there is no doubting his talents as a chef. At ‘The Fruity Tart’, we are undoubtedly fans of the temperamental chef, so we are posting some Marco Pierre White facts for fellow fans to enjoy.
Our facts about Marco Pierre White include information about his personal life, his career as a chef, his television appearance, Marco Pierre White’s net worth, and some other facts about the celebrity chef. Here are our fun Marco Pierre White facts that you might not know.
Marco Pierre White Facts: His Early Life
- He Is a Yorkshireman
Marco Pierre White is a Yorkshire man born and bred. According to Wikipedia, White was born on 11 December 1961 in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire.
2. His Dad was a Chef
White’s father, Frank White, was an English chef, so White clearly inherited his father’s culinary talents. His mother, Maria-Rosa Gallina, was an Italian emigrant who originally came from Veneto in Italy. The couple had four sons, of which Marco was the third.
3. He Left School with No Qualifications
Marco Pierre White was a student at Allerton High School in Leeds. He left school without any qualifications, but he did not let it affect achieving success in his chosen career.
Facts About Marco Pierre White’s Personal Life and Family
4. Is Marco Pierre White Married?
White has been married three times, and he is currently separated from his third wife. His first marriage was to Alex McArthur, and their wedding took place in 1988. Their marriage was short-lived, and it ended two years later. White’s second wife was model Lisa Butcher, who was just 21 when they met in 1992. They were engaged within three weeks and engaged for just two months before marrying in Brompton Oratory. Butcher sold the rights to the wedding coverage to Hello! magazine for £20,000. Unfortunately, the marriage ended in divorce the same year. Marco Pierre White’s third wife was Matilde ‘Mati’ Conejero, who he met in 1992 and did not marry until 2000. However, the couple has since separated.
5. Does Marco Pierre White Have Children?
Who are Marco Pierre White’s children? Marco Pierre White has four children from his two marriages. From his first marriage, he has a daughter, Letitia. He has no children from his second marriage. With his third wife, he has two sons and a daughter. One of his sons is Marco Jr., who was a controversial contestant in Big Brother.
6. Where Does Marco Pierre White Live?
Marco Pierre White lives in a house close to Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire. Since he separated from his third wife, he lives alone.
His Early Career
7. His First Kitchen Job was in Harrogate
While he was in high school, Marco Pierre White already knew that he wanted to become a chef like his father. His first job in a kitchen was at the Hotel St. George, a hotel in Harrogate. His next kitchen job was at the Box Tree in Ilkley.
8. He Arrived in London with only £7.36
According to Marco Pierre White’s website, he moved to London at just 16 after gaining no high school qualifications. When he arrived in London, he had just £7.36, a bag of clothes, and a box of books.
9. He Began His Classical Training at Le Gavroche
After moving to London, White got himself a job working as a commis chef at Le Gavroche. It was there that he began his classical training under Albert Roux and Michel Roux. He later continued his training under Pierre Koffman and then Raymond Blanc. He completed his training with Nico Ladenis.
Marco Pierre White’s Success as a Chef
10. He Was the Youngest British Chef to Receive Three Michelin Stars
You might have wondered, how many Michelin Stars does Marco Pierre White have? Marco Pierre White became the first British chef and the youngest chef ever to achieve three Michelin stars when he was awarded his third Michelin star in 1994 when he was 32. He was awarded his first Michelin star in 1987, followed by his second a year later. White’s record has since been superseded by Massimiliano Alajmo, who achieved three stars in 2002 at the age of 28.
11. Marco Pierre White Released an Autobiography
Although better known for his cookbooks, Marco Pierre White also released a very revealing autobiography called ‘White Slave’, although the paperback version and the American version were titled ‘The Devil in the Kitchen’. White also released the book ‘Marco Pierre White in Hell’s Kitchen’ to accompany the ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ television series.
12. He Has Also Released Several Cookbooks
Throughout his career, Marco Pierre White has released several cookbooks. His most famous cookbook is ‘White Heat’, which Marcus Wareing has said has inspired him as a chef. Another of his books is ‘Wild Food from Land and Sea’.
13. He Retired as a Full-Time Chef in 1999
Many people still refer to Marco Pierre White as being a chef, so it may surprise people to learn that one of the facts about Marco Pierre White is that he retired as a full-time chef in 199. Instead, he chose to focus on being a restaurateur and spend more time with his family. However, he has continued to cook in various capacities, including on television and at cooking events. On his retirement, he returned his Michelin stars.
His Work with Other Chefs
14. He Has Trained Many Notable Chefs
During his career, Marco Pierre White has trained some notable chefs who have gone on to achieve personal career success, which shows his talents as a teacher and mentor. Some of these include Gordon Ramsay, Shannon Bennett, Curtis Stone, and Mario Batali.
15. He Famously Made Gordon Ramsay Cry
One of the Marco Pierre White facts that surprises many people is that he once made Gordon Ramsay cry. It is hard to imagine anyone bringing Ramsay to tears, but White achieved this feat while Ramsay was training with him. White has spoken about the incident and says he cannot recall all the details. However, White had yelled at Ramsay, who broke down in tears and crouched in the corner of the kitchen.
Marco Pierre White Facts: His Restaurants
16.He Opened His First Restaurant in 1987
White opened his first restaurant, Harveys, in 1987. The restaurant was in Wandsworth Common in London. It was at this restaurant that White won his first Michelin star. While at this restaurant, White became known for throwing out the patrons if they said something he did not like.
17. He Was the Chef-Patron at The Restaurant Marco Pierre White
White’s second restaurant was The Restaurant Marco Pierre White, of which he was the chef-patron. The restaurant was within the former Hyde Park Hotel. He won his third Michelin star at this restaurant. The restaurant later moved to Le Meridien Piccadilly Hotel’s Oak Room.
18. White is in Partnership with James Robertson
In 2008, White began a partnership with James Robertson when they opened the MPW Steak & Alehouse in the Square Mile in London together. Two years later, they also opened the Kings road Steakhouse & Grill. Since 2016, the restaurants have become the London Steakhouse Co.
19. He Is Also in Partnership with Businessman Nick Taplin
White has been in partnership with businessman Nick Taplin since 2013. The pair met in 2010 when Taplin sought White’s advice regarding improving the restaurant at his hotel estate. Taplin became a franchisee and opened a Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill. Three years later, the duo launched Black and White Hospitality in response to further requests about franchising White’s restaurants.
Facts About Marco Pierre White: His Television Career
20. He Is Famous for Being the Head Chef in Hell’s Kitchen
Marco Pierre achieved widespread fame when he became the head chef in the British cooking competition ‘Hell’s Kitchen’. He joined the series in 2007 for season three and returned for season four in 2009. More recently, White presented the Australian version of the cooking competition in 2017. He left MasterChef Australia and joined the rival cooking competition following a disagreement with Matt Preston.
21. He Was a Regular Guest Judge and Mentor on MasterChef Australia
Between 2011 and 2017, Marco Pierre White made regular appearances on MasterChef Australia as a guest judge and mentor, alongside Gary Mehigan, Matt Preston, and George Calombaris. Other guest judges have included Nigella Lawson, Rachel Khoo, and Heston Blumenthal.
22. His Other MasterChef Connections
Appearing as a guest judge and mentor on MasterChef Australia is not White’s only link to the franchised cooking competition. He is also one of the main judges on ‘MasterChef Australia: The Professionals’ and began co-hosting the show with Matt Preston in 2013. He has also appeared as a guest chef on MasterChef New Zealand and MasterChef South Africa.
23. White’s Other Television Appearances
Marco Pierre White briefly hosted ‘The Chopping Block’, although the show was dropped due to poor ratings. He was also the host of ‘Marco Pierre White’s Kitchen Wars’ in 2012. The celebrity chef has also appeared on television in some shows that are not food-related. For example, he made a guest appearance on Big Brother to lead a cooking challenge.
Marco Pierre White on Cooking at Home
24. He Has a Vintage Refrigerator
White told Good Food that he has a large vintage refrigerator at home that was made in France in 1932. It has worn brass handles, wooden doors, and galvanized shelves. He always has marmalades, preserves, jams, chutneys, cheese, and cold meats in his fridge.
25. His Favourite Meal is a Ham and Piccalilli Sandwich
Marco Pierre White has surprisingly simple tastes, despite being a world-renowned chef. He claims that when he is at home, his favourite meal is a ham sandwich with piccalilli. White likes to wash it down with a cup of tea. He also likes to eat bacon and sausage for breakfast and always adds some HP brown sauce.
26. He Uses Very Little Kitchen Equipment
White says that he uses very little cooking equipment in his kitchen, and all he needs is a chopping board, a knife, and a pan. He has a Japanese sashimi knife with a European wooden handle, and he uses it to complete most of his food prep tasks.
Other Marco Pierre White Facts
27. What is Marco Pierre White’s Net Worth?
According to Wealthy Gorilla, Marco Pierre White’s net worth is $40 million, which is approximately £30 million. He has made his money through his success as a chef and restaurateur and also from his television appearances. White is one of the richest celebrity chefs in the world, although he is not as rich as Gordon Ramsay or Jamie Oliver. He is richer than Guy Fieri and Robert Irvine.
28. He is In a Feud with Matt Preston
Despite regularly appearing together on MasterChef Australia, Marco Pierre White and food critic Matt Preston are in a feud. The feud began when Preston appeared on ‘The Kyle and Jacki O Show’ and was asked about White’s son. Preston said that he had gone off the rails, and the drugs were a worry. White says he will never forgive Preston and has sworn revenge.
29. White Was a Brand Ambassador for Knorr
At one point, Marco Pierre White was a brand ambassador for Knorr. He appeared in UK adverts promoting the brands stock pots and stock cubes. However, he felt that acting as a brand ambassador was selling out as a chef.
30. He Has Spent Time in a Police Cell
One of the Marco Pierre White facts that many people do not know is that he once spent 14 hours in a police cell in Notting Hill following an argument with his third wife. She had accused him of having an affair with city financier Robin Saunders. The incident occurred in January 2005.
Read More…
If you have enjoyed reading our Marco Pierre White Facts, you might also like to read our facts about other celebrity chefs.
- Gino D’Acampo
- Fred Sirieix
- Ina Garten
- Mary Berry
- Prue Leith
- Monica Galletti
- Nigella Lawson
- James Martin
- Hairy Bikers
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