Whether you're a fan of Marcus as a judge on Masterchef, or you've visited one of his restaurants, he puts all his success down to hard work. We caught up with the celebrity chef to find out more about his new TV series, Tales from a Kitchen Garden, and his family life.
Hard work never hurt anyone
Growing up in Southport in Lancashire my dad Raymond was my biggest influence. He was a fruit and potato merchant. He’s now 83 and although he has smoked most of his life, he is still as sharp today as he was when I was 15.
Dad keeps me grounded with his core Northern values. He taught me how to work hard and how to put in 14 hours day after day. In my school holidays when I was 11, I spent every possible waking hour in his warehouse packing potatoes and I put the money I earned into my Post Office account. I would ride in the wagons with the delivery guys to the markets in Liverpool and Preston and meet such characters.
Family is everything
My family (Marcus is married to Jane and they have three children, Jake, 20, Archie, 17, and Jessie, 14) is everything to me. When the children were young, I never wanted to miss out on them growing up. However exhausted I was after a Friday night service in a restaurant, I would get up early on Saturday to take Jake and Archie to play football. It was so hard as when I dropped them off, I then had to go into work and I wasn’t home until the early hours of Sunday morning.
I’ve learnt to relax
When I left Southport at the age of 18 after studying at catering college, I had such drive that for years my total focus was my career. Chefs are self-driven individuals. But that all changed when I started appearing as a judge on Masterchef: The Professionals in 2014. When I took my chef’s apron off it showed me a whole new world. Now I do relax more and I’ve learnt to manage myself better. If you’re not careful you can become burnt out. I love writing books and making television and watching Liverpool FC on TV.
Variety is the spice of life
I am constantly looking for new inspirations and my new TV series, Tale From a Kitchen Garden, provided just that.
Four and a half years ago I bought a small holding in East Sussex so I could realise my dream of living and cooking in the English countryside. The programme follows my adventures in my own back garden and my journey around the UK visiting the very best of British producers, farmers and gardeners. I’ll also be sharing recipes with viewers.
The pandemic changed me
I think we have all been changed by it. I did vow one thing: I want to be a better person. I have changed the way I work and the way I do things and I am trying to help people get out of what has been a tough time. Mental health problems are a huge thing in my industry. I hope my TV show helps bring people a bit of sunshine.
Before, I used to say to my children, “Go to school, go to uni, get a job” but now I realise “Do you know what? Go and enjoy yourself. Take your time. Enjoy your uni and if you want some time out afterwards, do it.”
What would you tell your 18-year-old self?
Just be true to who you are and don’t change a thing
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