James Martin (Image: undefined)
Celebrity chef James Martin has voiced his profound attachment to Yorkshire, declaring he would be âlynchedâ if he didnât return there regularly. The 53-year-old culinary expert, who grew up on a 100-acre farm within the Castle Howard estate, treasures his trips home. James presently splits his time between several locations, including the Cotswolds, Manchester, and Hampshire, where he runs his three restaurants. His home is in Hampshire, where he records his popular ITV programme, James Martinâs Saturday Morning, in a kitchen purpose-built for the show.
His seven-bedroom Hampshire property boasts an outdoor kitchen, a greenhouse, and encompasses 1.5 acres of grounds. The custom-made outdoor cooking area is fitted with a premium wood-fired pizza oven, a substantial central island, and fashionable green industrial lighting that creates the ideal backdrop for culinary endeavours. The converted garage at his property functions as a filming venue for sections of his ITV programme. It is understood that his residence is conveniently situated near The Kitchen at Chewton Glen Hotel and Spa in New Milton, one of his establishments.
James Martinâs Saturday Morning halted mid-episode to issue special news (Image: undefined)
Despite his present home in the South East, Jamesâ devotion to Yorkshire remains unmistakable. He informed his viewers that he would be heading back to what he fondly terms âGodâs Countyâ during the summer break of his weekend programme, reports Yorkshire Live. Speaking with Food and Travel, James reflected on his early years: âI had an amazing childhood. We farmed 100 acres, so we learned the value of graft, but also about food,â reports Wales Online.
âItâs an amazing lesson in life to learn at that age: to respect the people who produce food, that itâs not just a given â people have to grow it, make it, produce it â and it also gives you a respect doing that as a career. I didnât enjoy school, I hated it, but I loved home life. I was always outdoorsy, mending fences, fixing tractors.â
He reveals that the farm encountered early difficulties as his father âwasnât a farmer by trade,â having worked in catering previously. Despite this, the family pushed through, ultimately introducing chickens and pigs to the farm.
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James Martin has announced he will be returning to the Bolton Food and Drink Festival later this year (Image: ITV)
Yorkshire produce has continually featured prominently in Jamesâ life â he even presented a culinary expedition across the region â and has significantly shaped his cooking philosophy. Yet, he stresses that itâs the local residents that bring him back to Yorkshire repeatedly.
He wittily notes that in London people âthink youâre going to mug themâ if you initiate a conversation, while in Yorkshire, according to James, the locals are âvery honest and much friendlierâ.
James possesses a profound admiration for Yorkshireâs residents, alongside its spectacular coastline, the Moors, and the woodlands, calling the area âmagicalâ and âdiverseâ. Despite his deep love for Yorkshire, James continues to reside in Hampshire, pointing to logistical challenges in moving due to the geographical distance between his various projects. Nevertheless, James insists that he has developed a âroutineâ with his present situation.
He clarifies: âI know where Iâm going on which day, every week, and the travelling isnât too bad.â
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When questioned about the prospect of returning to his origins, James remarks: âIâll get lynched if I donât end up in Yorkshire. I love Yorkshire.â
