Loyd Grossman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Loyd Grossman
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Grossman in 1999
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Loyd Daniel Gilman Grossman
16 September 1950 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Boston University (BA) LSE (MSc) University of Cambridge (MPhil, PhD) |
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Deborah Puttnam
(m. 1985; div. 2004)Melissa Knatchbull
(m. 2024) |
| Children | 2 |
Sir Loyd Daniel Gilman Grossman is a well-known American-British person. He has done many things in the United Kingdom. He is an author, a TV presenter, a musician, and a businessman. He also works to protect arts and history. Many people know him from TV shows like MasterChef (1990-2000) and Through the Keyhole (1987-2003).
Contents
Early Life and Education
Loyd Grossman was born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on September 16, 1950. He grew up in Marblehead, Massachusetts. His father, David K. Grossman, was an antique dealer. Many people in his father's family also dealt with art and antiques.
Loyd went to school in Marblehead. He later studied history at Boston University. In 1975, he moved to the United Kingdom. There, he studied economic history at the London School of Economics. He also studied art history at Magdalene College, Cambridge.
Loyd Grossman's Career
Journalism and Writing
Loyd Grossman started writing when he was at university. He wrote for music magazines like Rolling Stone. After finishing his studies, he worked for Harpers & Queen magazine. He also wrote for The Sunday Times.
He has written for many British newspapers. He is a regular writer for Country Life magazine. For 13 years, he was also a restaurant critic. He wrote about restaurants for GQ and The Sunday Times.
Television Work
Loyd Grossman's TV career began in 1983. He appeared on TV-am, a morning TV show. He helped create a short segment called Through the Keyhole. This segment became a full TV show on ITV in 1987. Loyd continued on the show until 2003.
He became very famous for presenting MasterChef from 1990 to 2000. He also presented Junior Masterchef. Loyd presented many other shows too. These included Loyd on Location and The History of British Sculpture. He also hosted a radio show called Composers at Home on BBC Radio 3.
Music Career
Loyd Grossman is also a guitarist. He played with a punk band called Jet Bronx And The Forbidden. Their song "Ain't Doin' Nothing" reached number 47 in the UK charts in 1977.
He started playing music again in 2008. He then formed a new band called The New Forbidden. This band has played at the famous Glastonbury Festival eight times. Loyd also sometimes plays with the band Jethro Tull. They play concerts to help English cathedrals.
Food Products
In 1995, Loyd Grossman launched his own brand of cooking sauces. These sauces became very popular. A survey in 2003 found them to be the most successful celebrity food brand in the UK. The sauces are made by Premier Foods.
In 2000, he was asked to help improve food in British hospitals. He wanted to make hospital food better. However, he found there wasn't much money or support to make big changes.
Protecting Heritage and Arts
Loyd Grossman has always loved history and the arts. He has worked with many important organizations. He was a commissioner for English Heritage. This group protects historic buildings and places. He also helped with the Blue Plaques Panel. This panel puts special plaques on buildings where famous people lived.
He was a founding member of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. He also chaired the National Museums Liverpool. He helped create the 24 Hour Museum, which is now called Culture24. This website helps people find out about museums and galleries.
From 2007 to 2016, he was chairman of the Churches Conservation Trust. This group looks after old churches. In 2009, he became chairman of the Heritage Alliance. This is a big group that represents over 100 heritage organizations in the UK. He was re-elected three times. In 2016, he became chairman of The Royal Parks.
Current Roles
Loyd Grossman is still chairman of The Royal Parks. He was reappointed for this role in July 2020. He is also president of the Arts Society. He is a patron of the Association for Heritage Interpretation.
Other Activities
Loyd Grossman is involved with several old London guilds. He is Master of the Worshipful Company of Carpenters. He is also a fellow of many learned societies. These include the Society of Antiquaries. He is also a big fan of Everton Football Club.
Personal Life
Loyd Grossman was married to Deborah Puttnam from 1985 to 2004. They have two daughters. In 2024, he married Melissa Knatchbull. He enjoys scuba diving. He is also a lifelong fan of the Boston Red Sox baseball team.
His unique accent comes from growing up in Boston. It has often been copied, even in adverts for his own sauces.
Honours and Awards
Loyd Grossman has received many awards for his work. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003. This was for his work to improve patient care. He was promoted to Commander of the same Order (CBE) in 2015. This was for his work in heritage.
In 2025, he was knighted. This means he received the title "Sir" for his services to heritage.
He has also received honorary degrees from several universities. These include the University of Chester and the University of Lincoln. These degrees recognize his important work for heritage and tourism.
Loyd Grossman is a Fellow of many important societies. These include the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA). He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA).
