Tom Kerridge facts for kids
Kerridge speaks to the British Library in 2020
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| Born | Thomas Kerridge 27 July 1973 Salisbury, England |
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| Cooking style | British/French |
| Spouse | Beth Cullen-Kerridge (m. 2000) |
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Rating(s)
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Current restaurant(s)
 The Butcher's Tap Kerridge’s Bar & Grill |
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Previous restaurant(s)
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Television show(s)
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Thomas Kerridge, born on July 27, 1973, is a famous English chef. He is known for his amazing cooking and for owning restaurants that have won special awards called Michelin stars. He also appears on many TV cooking shows, sharing his love for food with everyone.
With his wife, Beth Cullen-Kerridge, Tom opened his first pub, The Hand & Flowers, in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, in 2005. This pub quickly became very successful, earning its first Michelin star within a year. In 2012, it made history by becoming the first pub ever to win a second Michelin star! Tom has since opened other popular places like The Coach and The Butcher's Tap. He also has a restaurant in London.
You might have seen Tom on TV shows like Great British Menu, MasterChef, and Saturday Kitchen. He has also hosted his own shows, including How to Lose Weight For Good and Top of the Shop.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps
Growing Up and Discovering Cooking
Tom Kerridge grew up in Gloucester, England. He is the older of two brothers. From a young age, he started cooking for himself and his younger brother after school. He enjoyed riding his bike and visiting places like Westonbirt Arboretum.
From Acting to Chef
When he was a teenager, Tom even had some small acting roles on TV! He appeared in a BBC1 show called Miss Marple in 1991. But by the age of 18, he decided that his true passion was cooking. He found a cookbook called White Heat by Marco Pierre White very inspiring. This book encouraged him to go to catering college in Cheltenham to become a professional chef.
Tom Kerridge's Cooking Journey
Starting in Professional Kitchens
Tom's first job in a professional kitchen was in 1991 at Calcot Manor in Tetbury. He then worked in several famous restaurants in London, learning from experienced chefs. He spent time at the Capital Hotel and the Stephen Bull restaurant. He worked his way up, becoming a chef de partie and then a sous chef under well-known chefs like Gary Rhodes.
Becoming a Head Chef
In 2001, Tom became a head chef for the first time at Bellamys Dining Room. He then moved to Great Fosters in Surrey. Before opening his own place, he was also head chef at Adlards in Norwich.
Opening His Own Pubs
In 2005, Tom and his wife opened their own gastropub called The Hand & Flowers in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. A gastropub is a pub that serves really high-quality food. This pub quickly earned its first Michelin star in 2006. A Michelin star is a very special award given to restaurants that offer excellent food. In 2012, The Hand & Flowers became the first pub ever to get two Michelin stars!
Tom says he chose to open a gastropub because he wanted to create a relaxed place with amazing food, rather than a very formal restaurant. One of his special dishes is his unique way of cooking pork belly, which is part of a pig roast.
More Restaurants and Awards
Tom continued to open more successful places. In 2015, his second pub in Marlow, The Coach, also won a Michelin star. He also opened The Butcher's Tap, which is a butcher shop and a pub all in one! In 2018, he opened his first London restaurant, Kerridge’s Bar & Grill, at the Corinthia Hotel London.
Tom's hard work has earned him many awards, including the AA Chefs' Chef of the Year Award and GQ's Chef of the Year award. His pub, The Hand & Flowers, has also been named the UK's top gastropub multiple times.
Tom Kerridge on Television
Cooking Shows and Hosting
Tom Kerridge is a familiar face on TV. He has appeared as a contestant on the Great British Menu multiple times, even supplying main courses for the final banquets. He has also been a judge on the show. You might have seen him on Saturday Kitchen too.
In 2013, he hosted his own BBC Two show called Tom Kerridge's Proper Pub Food. He also co-presented Food and Drink starting in 2015. Tom has hosted other shows like Bake Off: Crème de la Crème (a baking competition) and Tom Kerridge: Lose Weight For Good, where he shared his own health journey.
More recently, Tom has hosted shows like Tom Kerridge's American Feast, where he explored food across America, and Lose Weight and Get Fit with Tom Kerridge. In 2021, he joined the judging panel for Great British Menu again.
Personal Life
Family and Hobbies
Tom Kerridge is married to the sculptor Beth Cullen-Kerridge. They have one child named Acey, who was born in 2015. Tom doesn't cook much at home, preferring to relax when he's not working.
He is a big fan of football! He supports Manchester United and even has a tattoo of the number 7 in honor of his favorite player, Bryan Robson. He also has a season ticket for his local team, Marlow F.C..
Health Journey
After turning 40, Tom decided to make some big changes to his health. He managed to lose a lot of weight over five years by swimming, cutting down on alcohol, and changing his diet. He has shared his journey and tips in his TV shows and books to help others.
Restaurants
England
| Restaurant | Location | Rating | Date opened | Date closed | Ref |
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| The Hand & Flowers | Marlow, Buckinghamshire |  |
February 2005 | - | |
| The Coach | Marlow, Buckinghamshire | |
1 December 2015 | - | |
| The Butcher's Tap | Marlow, Buckinghamshire | 17 November 2017 | - | ||
| Kerridge’s Bar & Grill | Corinthia Hotel London, Westminster, London | 10 September 2018 | - | ||
| The Bull & Bear | Stock Exchange Hotel, Manchester | 15 November 2019 | 31 December 2022 | ||
| Kerridge’s Fish & Chips | Harrods, London | 11 June 2021 | - | ||
| The Butcher’s Tap & Grill, Chelsea | Chelsea, London | 5 December 2023 | - |
Filmography
| Year | Television series | Role | Notes | Ref |
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| 2010 & 2011 | Great British Menu | Contestant | 2 Series | |
| 2013 | Tom Kerridge's Proper Pub Food | Host | 6 episodes | |
| 2014 | Spring Kitchen with Tom Kerridge | Host | 14 episodes | |
| Tom Kerridge's Best Ever Dishes | Host | 6 episodes | ||
| 2016 | The Food Detectives | Co-host | Series 1; 6 episodes | |
| Bake Off Creme de la Creme | Host | Series 1; 8 episodes | ||
| 2018 | Tom Kerridge's Lose Weight for Good | Host | 6 episodes | |
| Top of the Shop with Tom Kerridge | Host | Series 1; 8 episodes | ||
| 2019 | Tom Kerridge's American Feast | Host | 10 episodes | |
| Tom Kerridge's Fresh Start | Host | 6 episodes | ||
| 2020 | Lose Weight and Get Fit with Tom Kerridge | Host | 6 episodes | |
| Tom Kerridge Barbecues | Host | 12 episodes | ||
| Saving Britain's Pubs with Tom Kerridge | Host | 4 episodes | ||
| 2022 | Great British Menu | Judge | Series 17 | |
| Tom Kerridge’s Sunday Lunch | Host | Food Network series; 6 x episodes & 1 Christmas special | ||
| 2023 | The Hidden World of Hospitality with Tom Kerridge | Host | 8 episodes | |
| 2024 | Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain | Host | Six-part series | |
| Tom Kerridge: Secrets of The Pub Kitchen | Host | Upcoming ten-part series |
Books
- Tom Kerridge's Proper Pub Food (17 December 2013) ISBN: 9781472903532
- Tom Kerridge’s Best Ever Dishes (23 October 2014) ISBN: 9781472909411
- Tom's Table: My Favourite Everyday Recipes (3 December 2015) ISBN: 9781472909435
- Tom Kerridge's Dopamine Diet (14 March 2017) ISBN: 9781472935410
- Lose Weight for Good (19 March 2019) ISBN: 9781472949295
- Lose Weight & Get Fit (14 January 2020) ISBN: 9781472962829
- The Hand & Flowers Cookbook (12 January 2021) ISBN: 9781472935397
- Tom Kerridge's Outdoor Cooking: The Ultimate Modern Barbecue Bible (27 May 2021) ISBN: 9781526641427
- Real Life Recipes (1 September 2022) ISBN: 9781472981646
- Pub Kitchen: The Ultimate Modern British Food Bible (14 September 2023) ISBN: 9781472981646
- Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain (6 June 2024) ISBN: 9781526671936
