Jean-Christophe Novelli

Jean-Christophe Novelli talks to Andy Richardson ahead of his appearance at this weekend’s West Mid Show.

Cooking up a taste of Shropshire will be on the menu for French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli at the West Mid Show this weekend.

The man nominated as the world’s sexiest chef by the New York Times will be the guest of honour during the annual event, in Shrewsbury, on June 27 and 28.

His presence will add a new dimension to this year’s 120th anniversary event.

He will perform three cookery demonstrations per day in the cookery theatre and visitors will have the chance to meet him on both days.

But the Michelin-Star-winning cook is looking forward to learning about Shropshire produce even more than he is looking forward to meeting his public.

“I do love to come out and do this sort of thing,” he says, in his heavily-accented French voice.

Shropshire produce

It is a real thrill not just to discover the people who live around the country but also to find out more about the produce.

“I have been doing these things for some time and I am looking forward to coming to Shropshire.

“The produce around the country seems to get better and better each year and for us it is a learning process.

“We find out about the products that are available around the UK and we bring many of them back to the cookery school and to our restaurants.

“When we do these things, it means we have something new to offer. It’s a great day out for us as well.”

Jean-Christophe will liaise with organisers of the West Mid Show before his appearance to see whether he can use local produce in his cookery demonstrations.

He adds: “We try to get confirmation of what we can get. The whole thing is not about me, it’s about promoting the local food and the local produce.”

Book signing

During his visit to Shrewsbury, the chef will sign scores of books from budding Shropshire cooks who are keen to meet him.

He never gets tired of making personal appearances and meeting those who have eaten in his restaurants or seen him on TV.

He adds: “It’s extraordinary. But the thing that interests me most is where people get all these books from.

“You have people from England, of course, and then Russia, South Africa –in fact, there seem to be people from everywhere in the world except for France.

“It’s quite amazing. For me it is a challenge, I am waiting for someone to come along who has got one of my books from France.”

Italian roots

Novelli was born in 1961 in Arras, Northern France, to a family with Italian roots. He started his cooking career in a bakery before becoming a personal chef to the Rothschild family at the age of 20.

In 1983, he moved to the UK and was appointed head chef at Keith Floyd’s Maltster’s Arms restaurant in Totnes, Devon.

Soon after, he won the first of two Michelin stars at Le Provence, in Lymington, before becoming head chef at the Four Seasons Hotel, on Hyde Park Corner.

His career continued to blossom and in 1996 he founded his restaurant, Maison Novelli, in Clerkenwell, Central London.

Since then, he has continued to expand his culinary activities with new restaurant and gastro-pubs being opened in London, France and South Africa.

Working with Floyd

He says: “Keith Floyd put me in charge straightaway and he was very good. Because Keith is such a perfectionist – such a professional but also very informal –  we were never under stress.

“The place that he used to run was the most beautiful I had known, in Devon. I was exposed to a lot of new influences and did things I had never expected to do.”

But it is as a TV chef that Jean-Christophe has become best known. He was the head chef on Hell’s Kitchen in 2005.

He has also appeared on The X Factor: Battle of the Stars, performing in a group with fellow chefs Aldo Zilli, Paul Rankin and Ross Burden.

He stars regularly on the ITV1 programme … Cooks! He has been a contestant on Family Fortunes and has appeared on other programmes including You’re Fired!, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and much more besides.

In the spotlight

“I like the media work but it is as a chef, rather than an entertainer, that I want to be known.”

In more recent times, he has opened a cooking school called the Novelli Academy, at his Hertfordshire farmhouse.

“I love that,” he says.

“It’s in my blood and the advantage I have now is that I don’t have to cook against the clock any more. I can take my time to cook and interact with the people who come along.

“Food is the best way of making new friendships. We have a great format at the school and anybody can come, whether they are a connoisseur or not.”

Memorably, Jean-Christophe was also voted the sexiest chef in the world by the New York Times. He laughs that off.

“Apparently that was said,” he adds.

“But as long as people take me seriously as a chef, that is all that counts. The rest … I don’t give a toss.”

Relaxing

When he is not cooking, he relaxes at home, driving his Porsche Cayenne or spending time with his 21 dogs, including many Doberman Pinschers.

“I love my animals,” he says.

“Sometimes I think you can get more conversation from animals than human beings. They are very relaxing to be around.”

And with that he is off. It’s time to find more products, cook more dishes and prepare for his appearance in Shrewsbury.