Marco's Great British Feast

I must admit, I've not had much experience with British chef, Marco Pierre White, until yesterday. Sure, I've seen (and purchased) his Beka copper cookware at the greatest store of all time, TJ Maxx, and I've seen him interviewed, talking about Gordon Ramsay, but I've never actually seen him in his element, the kitchen.

I must say that I have come to realize that White is a complete enigma. I've been watching episodes of his show, Marco's Great British Feast and it's an absolutely incredible show. It really encompasses the best portrait of the person that Marco is today.

His brutal honesty is definitely comparable to his protege, Gordon Ramsay, but you'll notice that Marco really doesn't swear very often. He's also not as confrontational as Ramsay, but certainly has his moments. One moment in particular is when he receives frozen smoked eel on his show and begins to lose it. He immediately demands that the cameras are turned off as the camera crew keeps filming. "Do not film what I say, do not film me. Have some fucking respect. Do not push me. I don't think you understand what I am, I control myself very well", White warns. This, coming from the man who made Gordon Ramsay cry, seems like a pretty viable threat.


Anger aside, White is absolutely electric on the television. His personality is so eccentric, that his brilliance is absolutely magnetic, drawing you into the show. As soon as I started watching, I couldn't tear myself away from the show.

Lastly, the recipes are extremely varied. White cooks everything from fish n' chips to squirrel pie. A couple of my particular favorites are venison tartare and celeriac salad that he pairs with an aged ham that hangs in sacks from an ancient oak tree with a cage around it, to keep out the squirrels. In the show, White goes over great British classics, but makes them feel fresh, new and vibrant.

You can watch episodes of his show for free on Youtube:

Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4

And to see a particularly interesting portrait of White (and Ramsay) from quite a while ago:

Marco Pierre White Cooks for Raymond Blanc