Gary Rhodes, Chef dies at 59….

Gary Rhodes sudden death at the young age of fifty nine should serve as a reminder of his invaluable contribution to British cuisine, Long before gastro pubs and Heston Blumenthal began reworking old English favourites, Gary Rhodes broke away from the staunchly French fine dining scene of London and began serving classic British dishes at the Castle Hotel with legendary owner Kit Chapman before opening his highly regarded The Greenhouse restaurant in London.

Rhodes championed British food and suppliers long before the craze took hold, he was an engaging figure on television in the early 90s and soon became famous for his spiky hair and appearances on Ready, Steady, Cook and MasterChef as well as his own programmes.

He paved the way for a return to menus of old fashioned puddings, offal and meat dishes, game birds and simple fish recipes using cheaper cuts of meat. A leading figure in British gastronomy in the last thirty five years he deserves far greater credit than he ever really received. Rhodes served very well cooked dishes simply presented without the nonsense of molecular science and ‘grazing menus’. Along with Marco Pierre White he finally put London on the map of great gastronomic restaurants and inspired a generation of chefs and restaurants to follow. The tributes from the top modern day chefs on social media reflects his outstanding contribution to his craft.

Rest in Peace.