A regular on our TV screens for the past decade and the new BBC ‘Face of Food’, James Martin presents ‘Saturday Kitchen’ live on BBC1 each week, is a regular on Ready Steady Cook and is the author of 6 books. 

James grew up in Castle Howard in Yorkshire – he was brought up in a farmhouse - and at the tender of just five he made his debut in the kitchen. His father ran the catering at the stately home Castle Howard and by the age of 12, the young Yorkshire lad had already cooked for the Queen Mother.

At 16 he went to Scarborough Technical College to learn his trade and it was here he shone, as Student of the Year for three years running.

Anthony Worrall Thompson spotted him during this time and brought him to London to work in the kitchens of celebrated restaurants 190 Queensgate and dell'Ugo. He then headed to France, where he spent some time working in traditional chateaux, often working side by side with the mothers and grandmothers of the grand old families. On his return to England, he worked at luxury hotel Chewton Glen in Hampshire for 2 years.

At 22 (according to the book – on his website it says 21), James opened the Hotel and Bistro du Vin in Winchester as Head Chef, where he daringly changed the menu every day.  Mixing Modern British with Mediterranean, James' restaurant became a huge success.

In 1996, James began what has been an extensive TV career. He soon became a favourite, regularly appearing on such shows as Ready Steady Cook, Junior Master Chef and Light Lunch. After stints co-presenting Good Food Live, he hosted UKTV series Deck Dates and now presents Saturday Kitchen live on BBC One.  His long list of TV credits include Delicious!, James Martin Sweet and Yorkshire’s Finest as well as Castle in the Country and Stately Suppers for the BBC. In 2006 he impressed fans with his dancing skills in Strictly Come Dancing.

James also has the bistro restaurants on Ocean Village 1 & 2 cruise liners – he has even given them a little demonstration of his ballroom dancing technique when he flew his partner from the Strictly Come Dancing out to one of the boats to give a demonstration.  He says he is still dancing.  

His other big passion in life is cars (and also bikes).  He owns quite a few and prefers cars of the very fast variety.  

‘Desserts’ is his sixth book and accompanies the BBC series ‘Sweet Baby James’.   It’s published by Quadrille.