Jean-Christophe Novelli visits Kilmarnock's Braehead Cook School

Nov 20 2009 by Stef Lach, Kilmarnock Standard

LEGENDARY TV chef Jean-Christophe Novelli dropped into Kilmarnock this week to Scotland’s brightest cooking prospects in action at the Braehead Cook School.

The French heart-throb, probably most well-known for his star turn on Hell’s Kitchen, is an hugely-successful award-winning chef, with five AA rosettes and a Michelin star.

He started his career at the age of 14 as a baker in his home town of Arras, Northern France, becoming private head chef to Elie de Rothschild in Paris before the age of 20.

Jean-Christophe's life changed completely when he arrived in Great Britain in 1983. He spent a year taking care of Keith Floyd's pub, ‘The Maltsters', as head chef while Keith was filming his famous TV shows.

n 1996, Jean-Christophe opened his first restaurant, Maison Novelli in Clerkenwell, London, followed quickly by Novelli W8, Novelli EC1 and Les Saveurs in Mayfair.

He was using his superior skills and knowledge in the Kilmarnock 5-star facility as guest judge of ‘The Chef’s Apprentice’.

The competition has been running at the cook school for several weeks and is being filmed by STV for the Hour Show.