Marco Pierre White facts for kids
White in 2012
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| Born | 11 December 1961 Leeds, England |
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Alex McArthur
(m. 1988; div. 1990)Lisa Butcher
(m. 1992; div. 1992)Mati Conejero
(m. 2000, separated) |
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Rating(s)
Michelin stars
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Current restaurant(s)
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Previous restaurant(s)
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Television show(s)
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Marco Pierre White (born 11 December 1961) is a famous English chef, restaurant owner, and TV personality. In 1995, he became the youngest chef ever to earn three Michelin stars. These stars are a very high award for restaurants. He has taught many other famous chefs, including Gordon Ramsay and Curtis Stone. People often call him "the first celebrity chef" because he became so well-known.
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Early Life and First Steps
Marco Pierre White was born in Leeds, England, on 11 December 1961. He was the third of four sons. His mother, Maria-Rosa Gallina, was from Italy, and his father, Frank White, was also a chef. When Marco was six, his mother passed away due to health problems. He left school without any special qualifications. He then decided to follow in his father's footsteps and train to become a chef.
Becoming a Chef
White started his chef training at the Hotel St George in Harrogate. He then worked at the Box Tree in Ilkley. In 1981, he moved to London with very little money. He began his classical training with famous chefs Albert Roux and Michel Roux at Le Gavroche. He continued to learn from other top chefs like Pierre Koffman and Raymond Blanc.
In 1987, White opened his own restaurant called Harveys in London. He quickly earned his first Michelin star there. A year later, he earned his second star. Many talented chefs, including Gordon Ramsay, worked with him at Harveys.
He later became the head chef at The Restaurant Marco Pierre White. This is where he earned his third Michelin star. In 1994, he became the youngest chef to achieve this amazing feat.
Even though he worked for seventeen years to reach his goal, White felt that his career was not giving him enough personal happiness. So, in 1999, he decided to retire from cooking in professional kitchens. He also gave back his Michelin stars. He explained that he felt judged by people who knew less than him. He wanted to spend more time with his children and try new things.
New Ventures
After retiring from cooking, White became a restaurateur, meaning he owned and managed restaurants. He partnered with Jimmy Lahoud to create White Star Line Ltd. They worked together for several years.
In 2008, White opened his first steakhouse in London. It was called "MPW Steak & Alehouse." He later opened more steakhouses. In 2010, he met Nick Taplin, a hotel owner. They worked together to open Marco Pierre White restaurants in hotels.
In 2013, White and Taplin launched Black And White Hospitality. This company helps other property owners open one of White's restaurants. There are several types of Marco Pierre White restaurants, including steakhouses, fish and chips places, and Italian restaurants.
White has also written several books. These include the cookbook White Heat and his autobiography, The Devil in the Kitchen.
TV Appearances
Hell's Kitchen
In September 2007, White was the head chef on the TV show Hell's Kitchen in the UK. He returned to present the show again in 2009.
White also presented Hell's Kitchen Australia in 2017. He had previously worked on Masterchef Australia. He left Masterchef after disagreements with one of the judges.
Knorr Adverts
White has appeared in TV adverts for Knorr stock cubes. Some people criticized him for this, saying he was "selling out." But White said that working with Knorr allowed him to reach more people. He also said that his Michelin stars were part of his past. In 2013, he faced some criticism for a video he made for Knorr about cooking rice and peas.
Other TV Shows
In 2008, White hosted an American cooking competition show called The Chopping Block.
He has also been a guest judge and mentor on Masterchef Australia several times, starting in 2011. He appeared on the show in 2014, 2015, and 2016. In 2013, he was a main judge on Masterchef Australia: The Professionals. He also appeared on the South African and New Zealand versions of Masterchef.
In 2024, he worked with the BBC to create a digital cooking course.
Personal Life
Marco Pierre White has been married three times. His first wife was Alex McArthur, and they had a daughter named Letitia. He later married model Lisa Butcher. After that, he married Matilde Conejero. They had two sons and a daughter. They later separated.
White supports the Conservative Party and the Manchester City Football Club.
See also
