Heston Blumenthal Celebrity chef
At the age of 16, Heston Blumenthal travelled to France with his family for the first time and became fascinated with the world of food. On his return to the UK, he tried to gain a position in the kitchens of London's hotels and restaurants, but this proved too daunting a task. Unabashed, Heston spent the next decade learning the basics of French cuisine from books and worked in various jobs to fund his research trips to France.
One of the books that most influenced him was On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee, which questioned the fundamental rules of the kitchen and explored the science of cooking.
Heston has been described as a 'culinary alchemist' for his innovative style of cuisine. His work researches the molecular compounds of dishes to enable a greater understanding of taste and flavour. This approach to cooking has earned him many awards as well as recognition from the scientific community, including an Honorary Royal Society of Chemistry Fellowship in July 2006.
Heston Blumenthal is chef-patron of The Fat Duck in Bray, which has been awarded three Michelin stars. He also owns the Hinds Head Hotel, a village public house, also in Bray.
Heston's TV series, In Search of Perfection, in which he applies his trademark scientific, investigative approach to classic dishes, aired in autumn 2006. The second series aired on BBC Two in autumn 2007.