John Torode facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Torode
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Torode in 2010
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John Douglas Torode
23 July 1965 Melbourne, Australia
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| Occupation | Broadcaster, celebrity chef, restaurateur |
| Years active | 1990s–present |
| Employer | BBC (until 2025) |
| Television | MasterChef |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 4 |
John Douglas Torode (born 23 July 1965) is a famous Australian-British celebrity chef and TV presenter. He moved to the UK in the 1990s. There, he started working in well-known restaurants. John became famous for presenting the TV show MasterChef on BBC One. He also owns restaurants and has written many cookbooks. In 2022, he received an award called the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his work in food and for helping charities.
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John Torode's Early Life
John Douglas Torode was born in Melbourne, Australia, on 23 July 1965. He was the youngest of three brothers. When he was four, his mother passed away. He and his brother Andrew then lived with their grandmother in Maitland. His grandmother taught him how to cook.
Later, he lived with his father and brothers in Edithvale, Melbourne. His father often traveled for work. John's first cooking jobs were in restaurants in Melbourne. He has said that roast chicken is still one of his favorite dishes. It reminds him of his childhood.
John Torode's Career Journey
John Torode began his cooking career at 16. He left school to study at a catering college. In 1991, he moved to the United Kingdom. A year later, he started working as a sous-chef for the Conran Group. This is where he first met Gregg Wallace, who supplied vegetables to the restaurant.
TV Appearances and Cookbooks
In 1996, John started cooking on ITV's This Morning. He became a very popular guest chef on the show. In 1998, his cookbook The Mezzo Cookbook won an award for its food photography. He also opened his own restaurants, including Smiths of Smithfield in London in 2000.
John has presented many other TV shows. He co-hosted New British Kitchen on the Good Food channel. This show explored how different foods from other countries influenced British cooking. He also appeared on The Magicians, where he took part in a magic stunt.
Food Tours Around the World
John Torode has hosted several TV series where he travels and explores food. In 2014, he presented John Torode's Australia. This show revisited the flavors and people that inspired him to love food. It was very popular on the BBC Good Food channel.
In 2015, he explored Argentina in John Torode's Argentina. He focused on how the country produces and cooks beef. His 2016 show, John Torode's Malaysian Adventure, explored Malaysian cuisine.
Later, he went on a Korean Food Tour in 2017. He tried many of South Korea's top dishes. He also created his own modern versions of Korean classics. His culinary adventures continued with John Torode's Asia and John Torode's Middle East. In these shows, he looked for inspiring cooks and discovered unique flavors.
Since March 2019, John has hosted John And Lisa's Weekend Kitchen. He presents this Sunday morning cooking show with his wife, Lisa Faulkner. In 2022, John Torode's Ireland premiered, where he explored Ireland's diverse food. In early 2024, John and Lisa presented John & Lisa's Food Trip Down Under. This series explored the food and drink of Western Australia.
MasterChef Success
In 2005, the famous BBC show MasterChef was relaunched. John Torode and Gregg Wallace became the new presenters. John has mentioned that he enjoys how real the show is. The cameras simply capture the true interactions between the judges and the contestants.
The show became very popular and led to a spin-off called Celebrity MasterChef. John also co-presented Junior MasterChef, a version for younger cooks. John's contract with the BBC for MasterChef ended in 2025.
Other TV Appearances
John Torode has been a guest on many other TV shows. These include The One Show, Alan Carr: Chatty Man, The Graham Norton Show, Loose Women, and This Morning. He is also a keen cyclist and appeared on The Cycle Show in 2014.
John Torode's Personal Life
John Torode has four children. He was married to Jessica, and they had a son and a daughter. They divorced in 2014. He also has two other children from earlier relationships.
Since 2015, John has been in a relationship with actress and Celebrity Masterchef winner Lisa Faulkner. They got married on 24 October 2019.
Published Works
- Torode, John (2019) Sydney To Seoul. London: Headline Publishing Group. ISBN: 9781472225863
