Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has become known for his earthy, back-to-basics approach to cooking. Born in London, but raised in Gloucestershire, Hugh has been keen on cookery since he was a child.

He didn't train professionally, but instead studied at Oxford and travelled to Africa to do conservation work. When he returned to England, he joined The River Café in London, where he worked as a sous chef. He established the original River Cottage Headquarters near Bridport in Dorset in 2004, moving it to Park Farm on the Devon and Dorset border two years later; today, River Cottage is an establishment synonymous with a bucolic ‘grow your own’ philosophy fostered by Hugh’s work.