Tom Aikens appears as a guest judge on Great British Menu this week (beginning Wednesday May 05 2021), but who is Tom Aikens?
What is he famous for and how many Michelin stars does he have?
Here’s everything you need to know about the chef.
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Who is Tom Aikens?
Tom Aikens is known as one of the UK’s best chefs.
First of all, he started working at three-Michelin-starred La Tante Claire under Pierre Koffman.
In 1993, he worked as a sous-chef at Pied à Terre, a London restaurant located at Charlotte Street.
Tom returned to Pied à Terre in 1996 and was appointed head chef, after a spell working for Joël Robuchon in Paris.
He went on to establish his own restaurant Tom Aikens in 2003, which eventually closed in 2014.
On 2 November 2006, he opened a newer restaurant called Tom’s Kitchen, more like a gastropub than fine dining.
He’s also opened fish-and-chip restaurant Tom’s Place, and three eateries at The Abu Dhabi Edition hotel.
Finally, he opened Muse in 2020.
He always aims to use the finest local and sustainable produce.
Tom appeared in the March 2004 episode of the BBC series Trouble at the Top.
He also regularly appears on Saturday Kitchen and the Great British Menu.
Where does he work now?
Tom Aikens opened a 25-seater fine dining restaurant called Muse in January 2020.
The restaurant is located at Belgravia and already has a Michelin star.
Muse is based in an intimate 25-cover converted mews house.
His menus at Muse “have been inspired by nostalgia and the pivotal moments and key people from Tom’s personal life and career”.
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How many Michelin stars does Tom Aikens have?
At 26, Tom became the youngest British chef ever to be awarded two Michelin stars.
Pied à Terre earned two Michelin stars in January 1997, with Tom as its chef patron and co-owner.
He was the youngest to earn Michelin stars since Harveys under Marco Pierre White (age 27) in 1990.
In 2004, his restaurant Tom Aikens received its first Michelin star, and its second in 2008 until the restaurant subsequently closed down.
In January 2021, Tom’s latest venture Muse earned its first Michelin star.
How old is he and where is he from?
Tom was born in 1970 and is currently 50 years old.
He was born in Norwich, England.
He attended the Hotel School at City College Norwich at age 16 and earned a two-year Advanced Catering Diploma in 1989.
Tom has said: “It was at the age of 13 that I first seriously thought about becoming a chef.
“I wasn’t a great student at school and I knew that I didn’t want to be stuck behind a desk in an office.”
Consequently, Tom became a chef and the rest is history!
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Is he married or single?
Tom married his partner of nine years Justine Dobbs-Higginson, a former Goldman Sachs banker, in Corsica in September 2018.
He and his third wife have two daughters.
He was previously married to his then-business partner Laura Vanninen from 1997 to 2004.
They split up one year after they established his first eponymous restaurant.
His second marriage to Amber Nuttall, daughter of the late engineer Nicholas Nuttall, lasted from June 2007 to November 2010.
Does Tom Aikens have a twin?
Tom has an identical twin brother called Robert.
Furthermore, Robert is also a chef like his brother!
Robert is currently executive chef at New York restaurant Rainbow Room.
Great British Menu continues on BBC Two on Wednesday May 5 2021, Thursday May 6 2021 and Friday May 7 2021 at 8pm.
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