Tom Kerridge Books In Order

Publication Order of Cookbooks

Tom Kerridge is a bestselling author and celebrated English chef that is best known for his European fusion dishes. Kerridge primarily writes about food.

+Biography
Tom Kerridge was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire in England in 1973. His parents’ marriage ended just as he approached his teens. The occurrence took a toll on the family.

His mother had to hold multiple jobs down as she struggled to keep the family afloat. As a result, Kerridge was always on the move, traversing housing estates as his mother did what she could to establish a stable home.

Kerridge was still in school when he took to cooking. A former student of Saintbridge Secondary School, it eventually became necessary for the author to cook for himself and his brother when he came back from school because their mother was occupied with work.

He got pretty good at it. But strangely enough, it would be several years before the desire to pursue a career in cooking took root in Tom Kerridge’s heart. The fact that he got into acting as a teen might have had something to do with it.

Not many people know that Kerridge was a child actor. His chance to take the stage came when he attended a theatre workshop as a young boy and someone took note of his talent.

Kerridge ended up on a Christmas special for a show called Miss Marple. The chef proved that he was just as proficient at acting as he was at cooking and before long, he started landing small roles on television.

But the young man’s bright acting prospects suddenly died when Tom Kerridge turned eighteen and decided that, rather than pursuing acting gigs, he would enroll at a cooking school.

Kerridge did just that, going to Cheltenham, securing a spot at a catering college and growing deeply familiar with Marco Pierre White and his book ‘White Heat’.

There were definitely a few naysayers who thought that the author had thrown away a perfectly appealing opportunity to succeed in the movie and television business. Those naysayers were forced to eat their words in the early 2000s when Kerridge joined the Bellamys Dining Room staff as head chef.

The position was hard won and it came after the author proved himself as a sous chef at places like Calcot Manor (Tetbury) and Rhodes in the Square. Bellamys Dining Room was the height of Tom Kerridge’s career at the time but he wasn’t finished ascending.

His migration to Great Fosters (Surrey) should have been a great cooking opportunity. But the author has admitted that he became quickly overwhelmed by the responsibilities he was suddenly expected to shoulder.

Kerridge’s work was all-consuming. He arrived at work before the sun rose and left long after midnight. And he worked six out of every seven days in a week. Most chefs would have cracked but Kerridge survived his new position for over three years primarily because he loved the pace, the pressure and the buzz he got whenever he met impossible goals.

Kerridge headed a few more kitchens in the years that followed before finally opening ‘The Hand and Flowers’, the pub for which he is most famous. ‘The Hands and Flowers’ is an actual pub and yet Kerridge’s management style was such that it became the first pub ever to earn two Michelin stars.

Strangely enough, Tom Kerridge opened the pub primarily because he never saw himself as one of those stuffy chefs who won Michelin stars. When he opened the pub with his wife, Kerridge wanted it to be a sanctuary to which he could run to enjoy his days off.

That meant creating a comfortable atmosphere that welcomed everyone and was free of pretentious menus. That being said, the author was adamant about providing the best possible food to his guests; simple, approachable food that was also professionally made.

The approach worked, winning the author a lot of loyalty on the local scene.

Whether or not he sought the spotlight, it eventually found him when the BBC came knocking, offering the talented chef his own cooking shows.

Tom Kerridge has appeared on ‘Great British Menu’, ‘Saturday Kitchen’, ‘Food and Drink’, and ‘Spring Kitchen with Tom Kerridge’ to mention but a few.

For all his success on TV, ‘The Hands and Flowers’ has always been Kerridge’s first priority.

On the personal front, the chef is married to Beth Cullen-Kerridge, a sculptor. Their relationship got off to a rocky start primarily because of Kerridge’s work. All Kerridge did was work and every penny the couple earned always went right back into his business. That strained both Beth and Kerridge.

However, despite leaving him on multiple occasions, Beth eventually acclimated to the world of celebrity cooking. Surviving the pressures of Kerridge’s work made them a far stronger couple.

They became partners both at home and in Tom Kerridge’s businesses.

+Proper Pub Food
Tom Kerridge isn’t a fussy chef. He knows that people go to pubs to relax and to feel at home. So what he provides in this book is a diverse collection of ideas for those individuals and families looking to cook proper pub food in their kitchens.

From long lunches to simple breakfasts and teatime snacks, there are over a hundred recipes in this book, some of which will guide you as you create those dishes that Kerridge himself consumed as a child.

+My Low Carb, Stay-Happy Way to Lose Weight
Long-term diets are difficult to maintain. Tom Kerridge knows this because he has actually tried and succeeded in losing weight. This book breaks down the approach Kerridge used to shed all his excess fat without falling into highly distressing waters.

The chef believes that it is possible to lose weight without suffering the discomfort that calorie deficiencies and dieting meals typically elicit. The recipes he provides in this book will help you make those foods that compel your brain to release hormones that make you happy.

The author advises readers to eliminate starchy carbs and processed beverages in favor of dairy products, fruits, and vegetables. Kerridge shows that it is possible to eat meals that will burn your fat away while leaving you feeling happy.