Food for thought

Tom Kerridge lifts the lid on working in the hospitality industry

-  REBECCA FLETCHER, ALISON SLADE

NEW FACTUAL

The Hidden World of Hospitality with Tom Kerridge

Thursday, 8pm, BBC2

Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge knows a thing or two about giving diners a perfect culinary experience. But his drive for his pubs to be awarded Michelin stars came at a price.

‘I used to be 10st heavier and used alcohol to release the pressure of working 16-18 hours a day,’ explains Kerridge, who celebrates his 50th birthday on 27 July.

‘Alcohol was a release valve for the constant pressure I was putting myself under as I pushed to get better as a chef. It was massively unhealthy and if I’d continued, I doubt that I would have made it to 50.’

In his new BBC2 series The Hidden World of Hospitality with Tom Kerridge, he visits 16 very different food venues around the UK to explore the challenges that come with running a catering business.

Here, Kerridge tells us more…

Why did you want to do a series on the hospitality industry?