Celebrated TV chef James Martin recently shared a heartfelt apology for a significant kitchen error from his past during an episode of his self-titled show. On the Saturday (January 4) broadcast, the culinary star revealed that he had “ruined somebody’s wedding” due to a grave mistake while working at the Park Lane hotel.
Despite the incident occurring nearly four decades ago, Martin expressed that he still feels “horrific” about it. His confession emerged during a Q&A segment on James Martin’s Saturday Morning when a viewer inquired if the chefs had any embarrassing kitchen mishaps.
Reading the question aloud, Martin said: “Got another one here, Matt from Cumbria had a big accident in the kitchen with an explosive pressure cooker,” and then asked his guest chefs, Galton Blackiston and Tommy Banks, about their most significant errors. After a collective sigh from his peers, Martin offered his own story, admitting: “I was getting Fahrenheit and centigrade wrong when I was about 14 years old in the Park Lane hotel, and I burnt 800 portions of apple tart.”
The TV star went on to apologise, stating: “It was for somebody’s wedding so I do apologise if you’re watching, it was me. I am sorry.”
James Martin,Tommy Banks and Galton Blackiston talk kitchen mistakes
(Image: (Image: ITV))
His co-stars Tommy and Galton could only muster a sympathetic “oohhh” as they listened in silence. “It was pretty horrific,” James admitted, reports the Express.
Away from the screen, he also takes responsibility for his errors, recently discussing some blunders he faced while launching his restaurants. The ITV chef owns various celebrated ventures, including The Kitchen at Chewton Glen and James Martin Manchester in the Manchester235 Casino, as well as two restaurants at the Lygon Arms in Broadway in the Cotswolds.
In a candid chat with The Times, the This Morning favourite reflected on venturing into the culinary business world and its unexpected challenges. At 21 years old, his entrepreneurial journey began with Hotel du Vin in Winchester, following his time as a pastry chef at Chewton Glen Hotel in Hampshire.
Recalling those formative years, he remarked to the newspaper: “If I thought about everything that could go wrong every time I opened a restaurant, I’d be a complete mess.”
He continued, “Ever since I opened my first place at the Hotel du Vin in 1994 I have gone in with complete faith in myself and the people I’m working with.”