Marco Pierre White is the host of NBC's cooking competition series, "The Chopping Block," featuring two teams of four couples running neighboring restaurants in Manhattan, with one couple being removed each week based on his decision. Each team will then participate in various challenges—ranging from designing their space to publicizing their restaurant—before a panel of yet-to-be-announced judges evaluates their efforts. The final remaining couple will be given a large cash prize to be used to purchase a restaurant of their own. The series is being produced by Granada America.
Born in Leeds in 1961, White was the first British chef (and youngest chef anywhere) to win three Michelin stars. His gastronomic empire—Luciano and Marco's restaurants, among others—is rapidly expanding to include ventures in Las Vegas, Shanghai, Jamaica, and Dubai, with more in the works.
White is recognized by patrons and peers alike for having provided a highly creative and innovative impetus into contemporary international cuisine, and is known as much for his quick temper as for his exceptional skills as a chef. White has been dubbed the first celebrity chef, enfant terrible of the UK restaurant scene and the Godfather of modern cooking. Having been awarded three Michelin stars, he has put English cooking on a par with classic haute cuisine.
After leaving high school, White decided to train as a chef. He began his training in the kitchen at the Hotel St George in Harrogate, North Yorkshire and later at the Box Tree in Yorkshire. Arriving in London as a 16-year-old with "£7.36, a box of books and a bag of clothes," he began his classical training as a commis under Albert Roux and Michel Roux at Le Gavroche, a period that would lead Albert to describe him as "my little lamb." He continued his training under Pierre Koffman at La Tante Claire moving to work in the kitchen of Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons and Nico Ladenis of Chez Nico at Ninety Park Lane. He then moved out on his own, working in the kitchen at the Six Bells public house in the Kings Road with assistant Mario Batali.
By the age of 33, White had been awarded three Michelin stars, becoming the youngest Briton bestowed with this accolade. In completion of his training in 1987, White opened Harveys, where he won his first Michelin star almost immediately and was awarded his second in 1988, before moving on to become chef-patron of The Restaurant Marco Pierre White in the dining-room at the former Hyde Park Hotel now Mandarin Oriental, (where he won the third Michelin Star) and then moved to the Oak Room at Le Meridien Piccadilly. During these years, White had working for him Gordon Ramsay, Curtis Stone, Eric Chavot (The Capital), Heston Blumenthal (The Fat Duck), Bryn Williams (The Criterion), Robert Reid, Theirry busset, Jason Atherton and Mario Batali.
Although White worked relentlessly for 17 years to pursue his ambition, he ultimately found that in spite of his accomplishments, recognition and fame, his career did not provide him with adequate returns in his personal life. So in 1999, he gave up his Michelin stars. Although White was the first Briton to be awarded three Michelin stars, he announced his retirement from the kitchen in 1999 to develop his portfolio of restaurants through his eponymous White Star Line company. His London portfolio currently comprises Belvedere, Criterion, Drons, L'Escargot, Luciano's, Mirabelle, Quo Vadis and Frankie's chain of Italian pizzerias in partnership with jockey Frankie Dettori.
During his early career in the kitchen, White regularly ejected patrons from his restaurants if he took offence at their comments. Similarly, when in the 1980s a city trader asked if he could have a side order of chips with his lunch, White hand-cut and personally cooked the chips but charged the customer £25 for the honor. A young chef at Harveys, who once complained of heat in the kitchen, had the back of his chef's jacket and trousers cut open by White wielding a sharp paring knife.
White has published several books, including "White Heat," an autobiography, "White Slave" (entitled "The Devil in the Kitchen" in paperback), and "Wild Food from Land and Sea."
White has acted as a mentor to a number of prominent chefs of the current generation, such as his fellow three-star British recipients Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal. In Australia they have also included: Donovan Cooke and Philippa Sibley, Shannon Bennett of Vue du Monde, Warren Turnbull of Assiette, and Curtis Stone of The Café Royal, Mirabelle and Quo Vadis, among others.
White's recent autobiography includes a picture of Gordon Ramsay in tears, caused by Ramsay making a mistake and White shouting at him. When White was asked about making Ramsay cry, White commented, "I didn't make Gordon cry, he chose to cry!" In 2007, Ramsay admitted stealing the reservations book from his own Chelsea restaurant in 1998 and blaming the theft on White to prevent him being appointed as chef in his place.
In September 2007, White was the Head Chef in ITV's "Hell's Kitchen" television series. Asked in April 2007 whether he'd be following in the manner of the show's previous incumbent, Gordon Ramsay, White said, "Gordon did it his way I'll do it my way. We all have different ways of expressing ourselves. I want my emphasis to be on the food and the kitchens rather than the swearing."
Born in Leeds in 1961, White was the first British chef (and youngest chef anywhere) to win three Michelin stars. His gastronomic empire—Luciano and Marco's restaurants, among others—is rapidly expanding to include ventures in Las Vegas, Shanghai, Jamaica, and Dubai, with more in the works.
White is recognized by patrons and peers alike for having provided a highly creative and innovative impetus into contemporary international cuisine, and is known as much for his quick temper as for his exceptional skills as a chef. White has been dubbed the first celebrity chef, enfant terrible of the UK restaurant scene and the Godfather of modern cooking. Having been awarded three Michelin stars, he has put English cooking on a par with classic haute cuisine.
After leaving high school, White decided to train as a chef. He began his training in the kitchen at the Hotel St George in Harrogate, North Yorkshire and later at the Box Tree in Yorkshire. Arriving in London as a 16-year-old with "£7.36, a box of books and a bag of clothes," he began his classical training as a commis under Albert Roux and Michel Roux at Le Gavroche, a period that would lead Albert to describe him as "my little lamb." He continued his training under Pierre Koffman at La Tante Claire moving to work in the kitchen of Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons and Nico Ladenis of Chez Nico at Ninety Park Lane. He then moved out on his own, working in the kitchen at the Six Bells public house in the Kings Road with assistant Mario Batali.
By the age of 33, White had been awarded three Michelin stars, becoming the youngest Briton bestowed with this accolade. In completion of his training in 1987, White opened Harveys, where he won his first Michelin star almost immediately and was awarded his second in 1988, before moving on to become chef-patron of The Restaurant Marco Pierre White in the dining-room at the former Hyde Park Hotel now Mandarin Oriental, (where he won the third Michelin Star) and then moved to the Oak Room at Le Meridien Piccadilly. During these years, White had working for him Gordon Ramsay, Curtis Stone, Eric Chavot (The Capital), Heston Blumenthal (The Fat Duck), Bryn Williams (The Criterion), Robert Reid, Theirry busset, Jason Atherton and Mario Batali.
Although White worked relentlessly for 17 years to pursue his ambition, he ultimately found that in spite of his accomplishments, recognition and fame, his career did not provide him with adequate returns in his personal life. So in 1999, he gave up his Michelin stars. Although White was the first Briton to be awarded three Michelin stars, he announced his retirement from the kitchen in 1999 to develop his portfolio of restaurants through his eponymous White Star Line company. His London portfolio currently comprises Belvedere, Criterion, Drons, L'Escargot, Luciano's, Mirabelle, Quo Vadis and Frankie's chain of Italian pizzerias in partnership with jockey Frankie Dettori.
During his early career in the kitchen, White regularly ejected patrons from his restaurants if he took offence at their comments. Similarly, when in the 1980s a city trader asked if he could have a side order of chips with his lunch, White hand-cut and personally cooked the chips but charged the customer £25 for the honor. A young chef at Harveys, who once complained of heat in the kitchen, had the back of his chef's jacket and trousers cut open by White wielding a sharp paring knife.
White has published several books, including "White Heat," an autobiography, "White Slave" (entitled "The Devil in the Kitchen" in paperback), and "Wild Food from Land and Sea."
White has acted as a mentor to a number of prominent chefs of the current generation, such as his fellow three-star British recipients Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal. In Australia they have also included: Donovan Cooke and Philippa Sibley, Shannon Bennett of Vue du Monde, Warren Turnbull of Assiette, and Curtis Stone of The Café Royal, Mirabelle and Quo Vadis, among others.
White's recent autobiography includes a picture of Gordon Ramsay in tears, caused by Ramsay making a mistake and White shouting at him. When White was asked about making Ramsay cry, White commented, "I didn't make Gordon cry, he chose to cry!" In 2007, Ramsay admitted stealing the reservations book from his own Chelsea restaurant in 1998 and blaming the theft on White to prevent him being appointed as chef in his place.
In September 2007, White was the Head Chef in ITV's "Hell's Kitchen" television series. Asked in April 2007 whether he'd be following in the manner of the show's previous incumbent, Gordon Ramsay, White said, "Gordon did it his way I'll do it my way. We all have different ways of expressing ourselves. I want my emphasis to be on the food and the kitchens rather than the swearing."