Jay Rayner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jay Rayner
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Rayner in 2019
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| Born |
Jason Matthew Rayner
14 September 1966 |
| Education | Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School |
| Alma mater | University of Leeds |
| Occupation | Broadcaster, writer, journalist, food critic |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Employer | Financial Times BBC Channel 4 Formerly, The Observer |
| Spouse(s) | Pat Gordon-Smith |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | Desmond Rayner Claire Rayner |
| Awards | British Press Awards |
Jason Matthew Rayner (born on September 14, 1966) is a well-known British journalist and food critic. He used to write for newspapers like The Observer and The Independent on Sunday. From 1999 to 2024, he was the main restaurant critic for The Observer newspaper. Now, he writes for the Financial Times. Jay Rayner is also a judge on the British cooking show MasterChef and has written several books.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jay Rayner was born on September 14, 1966. His parents are Desmond Rayner and the famous journalist Claire Rayner. His family is Jewish. He grew up in the Sudbury Hill area of Harrow, London.
He went to an independent school called Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School. Later, he studied politics at the University of Leeds. While there, he was the editor of the student newspaper, Leeds Student. He finished his studies in 1988.
Jay Rayner's Journalism Career
After graduating, Jay Rayner started working as a freelance journalist. This means he wrote for many different newspapers. These included The Observer and The Independent on Sunday.
In 1992, he won an important award. He was named Young Journalist of the Year at the British Press Awards. He then worked as a feature writer for The Guardian, The Mail on Sunday, and The Observer. In 1999, he became the main restaurant critic for The Observer.
Restaurant Reviews During COVID-19
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurants had to close. Jay Rayner decided he would not write any negative reviews during this time. He explained that he would not give good reviews to bad places. Instead, if he couldn't be mostly positive, he would just not review that restaurant. He would move on to another one.
Writing Books and Magazines
Jay Rayner has written for many popular magazines. These include GQ, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, the New Statesman, and Granta.
He has also written several books:
- His first novel, The Marble Kiss, came out in 1994. It was nominated for the Authors' Club Best First Novel Award.
- His second novel, Day of Atonement (1998), was nominated for the Jewish Quarterly Prize for Fiction.
- His first non-fiction book, Stardust Falling, was published in 2002.
- His third novel, The Apologist, was published in 2004.
Radio and TV Work
Jay Rayner has also worked a lot in radio and television.
- In 1997, he won a Sony Radio Award. This was for a BBC Radio 5 Live show called Papertalk. It was a magazine program about the newspaper business, and he was the presenter.
- He leads the food discussion show The Kitchen Cabinet on BBC Radio 4.
- He is a judge on the UK version of MasterChef.
- He reports on food for the BBC show The One Show.
- He was a judge on the American cooking show Top Chef Masters.
- He was also a guest judge on an episode of The Final Table.
- Jay Rayner hosts a podcast called Out to Lunch. In each episode, he interviews a famous guest while they have lunch.
Moving to the Financial Times
In November 2024, Jay Rayner announced he was leaving The Observer. He then joined the Financial Times as their new restaurant critic. This move was part of the Financial Times' plan to expand its food and drink coverage on weekends.
Personal Life and Interests
In 2011, Jay Rayner was given the title Beard of the Year. This award is given by the Beard Liberation Front.
He also plays the piano with his own jazz band. The band is called the Jay Rayner Sextet. He describes himself as a non-practicing Jew.
Awards and Recognition
- Restaurant Critic of the Year, Glenfiddich Food and Drink Awards (2001)
- Critic of the Year, British Press Awards (2006)
