James Martin: his partner, restaurants and life lessons

There's more to James Martin than delicious food!

Updated on28th March 2022 at 4.24pm

The British chef and television presenter first appeared on TV in 1996 with programmes including Ready Steady Cook, James Martin: Yorkshire's Finest and The Big Breakfast.

He has since gone on to appear in numerous programmes for both ITV and BBC including James Martin's Food Map of Britain, Meet the Street, Junior Bake Off and This Morning.

How old is James Martin?

James was born 30 June 1972, making him currently 49 years old.

James Martin's wife

Despite being a regular face on our TV screens, James likes to keep his personal life relatively private, rarely sharing personal photos online.

He's been in a relationship with TV producer Louise Davies since 2011 when they met on Celebrity Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in 2010. The couple currently have no plans to get married.

James Martin Saturday morning

James is well known for presenting the BBC cookery show Saturday Kitchen from 2006 until 2016, before he made the decision to leave the BBC.

Since September 2017, James has presented a similar show, Saturday Morning with James Martin for ITV.

James Martin restaurants

The TV presenter has opened and closed several restaurants. Currently, he owns James Martin Manchester, specialising in modern British cuisine as well as four branches of James Martin Kitchen bakery and cafe.

James also teaches at The Kitchen – Cookery School at Chewton Glen hotel.

James shares his life lessons

Always strive to do your best

I am a north Yorkshire lad, brought up on the Castle Howard estate where my parents were farmers. It taught me the meaning of graft and also gave me a respect for produce and animals and their welfare, which has stayed with me all my life. My parents told me, ‘You’re getting nowt, because there isn’t owt.’ I knew there was no house or business I was going to inherit, so I learnt from a young age, that if I wanted to succeed, I was going to have to work for it.

I am dyslexic…

… but I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 32. I failed all my exams at school and hated it. But I always had drive and helped my mum in the kitchen on the estate, and after I left school at 16 I went to catering college. I have a strong work ethic built into me from an early age; my mum Sue still works and she’s 72. I can work seven days a week sometimes. I am always motivated and busy. If you put the work in, you get the rewards out.

Giving time is precious

I do a lot of work for hospices. Whenever I’m in an area, I try to pop into one, as they do tremendous work. I don’t put my chef’s hat on and cook, I just listen. At a hospice in Ireland, some of the people I met were very unwell, so we just sat chatting. I was so touched afterwards when I got wonderful letters from their families. I didn’t do anything, I just gave them my time. Raising money is fine but giving your time is more precious than any chequebook.

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New adventures are great

It’s good to expand your horizons whatever your age. For a previous series, Islands to Highlands, I cooked and ate everywhere from Cornwall to Scilly, Jersey and Guernsey, Isle of Man to Shetland, the Peak District, Lake District and Yorkshire Moors, and from Wales to Skye. I’ve got a motorhome and I could drive around the UK all day long. I absolutely love it.

I love cooking

I have loved food since I was little. My granddad used to say, ‘Why don’t you get a proper job?’ He wanted me to play cricket for Yorkshire. But cooking for people is all I have ever wanted to do. I think my job is the best in the world.

Save for something special

I set myself a goal every year, work towards it and then treat myself. Cars are a big passion so last year I bought an old Ford GT40. When I was a young kid, I’d get pocket money for gardening, paper rounds, and washing up, and I would always put the money to one side and save up to buy something nice that I could keep. I still have the BMX bike I bought when I was ten and all my Evel Knievel toys in a box in my Boy’s Room!