TV chef James Martin, who currently hosts his own cooking show, James Martin’s Saturday Morning, every weekend on ITV, has had massive success that has led to a huge net worth.
However, the constant victories have come with its fair share of hustle.
James Martin started as a pot washer at age 11
James’ experience working in kitchens dates back to when he was 11 years old. He got his first chef’s jacket and knives at 12 and started working in Michelin-star restaurants by the time he was 14.
“There was never going to be a gap year, my family had no money to do any of that. I quickly learnt the only way you’ll do anything is if you go out and work for it,” he told Luxury London in 2023.
By the time James was 21, he became the head chef at the Hotel and Bistro du Vin in Winchester. The job was a roaring success.
“The minute we opened the door, it almost became the place to go. We were fully booked and you couldn’t get a table for months. I was only a kid,” he said.
£60 rent above a Chinese restaurant
While working hard in Winchester, James started to make a name with himself. He had high-flying chefs from across the country taking notice of him and they saw huge potential in them.
James received a call for a TV interview but didn’t anticipate much from the opportunity. “I was living above a Chinese restaurant paying £60 a week rent, and then my life changed very, very quickly,” he explained to Luxury London.
His first television job took place in 1996. However, his proper breakthrough wouldn’t take place until a decade later.
James Martin has fronted huge cooking TV shows and opened his own restaurants
From 2006 up until 2016, James hosted Saturday Kitchen on BBC. The following year, he left to join ITV where he currently hosts James Martin’s Saturday Kitchen.
James stated that “television goes through fashion and trends” and that you have to “evolve and change” with the times.
James said it was “my decision to leave the BBC and the Saturday show,” claiming: “It was a huge show which we built it up.”
In addition to his successful career on TV, James has also opened up many of his own restaurants across the UK.
In January 2023, he partnered up with The Lygon Arms to open up two restaurants in the Cotswolds.
“We had been talking about [The Lygon Arms] for two or three years,” he told Luxury London. “I was not ready for it, I needed a good second guy with me and I have that now. I was only going to do this if our team was going to do this. The Lygon Arms has so much history but we can’t learn to run before we can walk.”
James Martin: Net worth
After years of working hard, James has rightly curated a lot of wealth.
As of 2024, he is said to be worth an impressive £4 million), according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Catch James Martin’s Saturday Morning today (February 10) on ITV1 at 9.30am.
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