Jay Rayner facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jay Rayner
Rayner in 2019
Born	Jason Matthew Rayner (1966-09-14) 14 September 1966 (age 58) Brent, London, England
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)	Claire Rayner (mother)
Awards	British Press Awards

Jason Matthew Rayner (born 14 September 1966) is a well-known British journalist and food critic. He writes about food and restaurants for newspapers and magazines. He was the main restaurant critic for The Observer newspaper for many years, from 1999 until 2024. Now, he writes for the Financial Times. Jay Rayner is also a judge on the popular British cooking show MasterChef. Besides his journalism, he has written several books, including novels and books about food.

Life and Career

Early Life and Newspaper Work

Jay Rayner was born in London on 14 September 1966. His mother, Claire Rayner, was also a journalist. He grew up in Harrow, London. From a young age, he was interested in writing. When he was 14, he was inspired to become a writer by a newspaper column.

He went to University of Leeds to study politics. While there, he became the editor of the university's newspaper, Leeds Student. After finishing university in 1988, Rayner started working for The Observer newspaper. He began as a researcher and then became a diary correspondent. He also worked as a freelance journalist for other newspapers like the Independent on Sunday. In 1996, he returned to The Observer.

In March 1999, Jay Rayner decided he wanted to focus on a special type of journalism. He became The Observer's restaurant critic. This meant he would visit restaurants and write reviews about the food and experience. His reviews were known for being very honest and sometimes quite strong. He often shared his opinions clearly, which made his reviews widely read. In 2017, he was even called "the world's most feared food critic" because of his direct style.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurants faced difficulties. Jay Rayner decided he would only write positive reviews during this time to support them. He later started writing more varied reviews again. In November 2024, he announced he was leaving The Observer to join the Financial Times.

Books and TV Shows

Jay Rayner has written many books. His first book, The Marble Kiss, was published in 1994. It was a romance novel based in Florence, Italy. He also wrote Day of Atonement in 1998, which was recognized with an award nomination. In 2002, he published Star Dust Falling, a book about a real-life plane accident from 1947. He also wrote The Apologist in 2004, which was about a journalist working for the United Nations. His 2007 book, The Oyster House Siege, was about burglars in a restaurant.

Later, many of his books focused on food. These include:

• The Man Who Ate the World (2008): This book shared his experiences eating at fancy Michelin starred restaurants around the world.
• A Greedy Man In a Hungry World (2014): This book explored how food is grown and supplied in a way that can last for the future.
• The Ten (Food) Commandments (2016): This book gave readers ten rules he believed they should follow about food.
• My Last Supper (2019): In this book, he explored his past food experiences by thinking about what his last meal would be.
• Nights Out at Home (2024): This is a cookbook with recipes inspired by meals he enjoyed.

He has also published collections of his restaurant reviews, including My Dining Hell: Twenty Ways to Have a Lousy Night Out (2012) and Wasted Calories and Ruined Nights (2018).

Besides writing, Jay Rayner is a well-known face and voice on TV and radio. He hosts The Food Quiz and The Kitchen Cabinet on BBC Radio 4, which are popular food-related shows. He has also been a critic on the UK version of MasterChef since 2007. In 2023, he won the Battle of the Critics edition of MasterChef. He also appeared on The One Show and has judged other cooking shows like Eating With the Enemy, Top Chef Masters, Tried and Tasted, The Final Table, and The World Cook. His direct style on TV earned him the nickname "Acid Rayner."

Jay Rayner also hosts a podcast called Out to Lunch, where he interviews famous guests while they eat. He is married to Pat Gordon-Smith, who is a singer in his jazz band, the Jay Rayner Sextet.

TV Appearances

Awards and Recognition

• Restaurant Critic of the Year, Glenfiddich Food and Drink Awards (2001)
• Critic of the Year, British Press Awards (2006)
• Beard of the Year, Beard Liberation Front (2011)