Anyone got any goss on James Martin?
Yeah he's an absolute prick!
I sort of worked with him a few years ago, by sort of he came to our teaching college to host an event. I was working a few jobs as well as attending college and turned up later in the day. I spoke to one of the tutors who told me he had been unbelievably rude to the students, not interested in the pre planned Q&A and spent most of his time playing video games with the head chef from the visiting hotel. It was an event, people paid for tables wanting to see him and he couldn't care less! Didn't lift a finger to help prep or cook, just barked. Think Gordan Ramsey in Hell's kitchen with 16 year olds.
As I walk into the kitchen, he's pacing at the pass, bumps into me with enough force to make me stumble (didn't hurt much but he wouldn't have missed that he made contact) I look up at him (he's tall, I'm short) to apologise and he doesn't acknowledge me, doesn't even stop, as if I wasn't there at all. I think that annoyed me more than if he were to have had a go at me. Completely ignoring me, we were the only 2 people in the area, it wasn't noisy. He's rude to everyone, belittled the students in the kitchen, I was so happy I was front of house. The students cooked his menu but he criticises everything they've done, and gets them to make it again. He had planned some really poncy shite too, think quails scotch eggs with a soft yolk!
The worst part in my opinion, was when he came out towards the end of the evening to have a chat with the guests. As he walked through the door, you could see his stage persona come out almost instantly. It was so weird and hypocritical. He's laughing and joking, great showman and story teller, saying how well the students in the kitchen have done, how amazing the day has been, blah blah. Everyone is lapping it up. He walks back in, straight back to playing video games, not helping to finish service or clear down. Doesn't care about being there, like the whole day was an inconvenience for him.
We had a few chefs come over. Cyrus Todiwala was the best, Raymond Blanc was creepy and arrogant.