John Torode

John Thorough — world-renowned chef, owner of several large restaurants, and television presenter of Australian-British origin. He is best known for his work on the BBC One programme MasterChef (alongside Greg Wallace). Torode is the author and host of several programmes on British television about Asian cuisine. In this article, we will review the professional achievements of this renowned chef and also take a look at his personal life.

Biography of John Torode

The biography of John Torode is of interest to many cooking enthusiasts from around the world.

John Torode's youth

Torode was born in Melbourne, Victoria. His parents had three other sons besides him. At the age of four, John moved with his father and three brothers to Maitland, New South Wales. They went to live with his grandmother, who taught him how to cook. He then lived in Edithvale, Melbourne.

At the age of 16, John Douglas Torode dropped out of school to attend catering college.

Parents

Torode's mother passed away when he was only four years old. He was raised by his father and grandmother. The head of the family was often away from home due to his busy work schedule.

John Torode's career

Torode's career began at Le Coq Au Vin restaurant in Aspendale. He trained at Beaumaris establishments in Melbourne. As a child, Torode admits that he ate simple food. His favourite dishes were roast chicken and breaded lamb cutlets.

TV shows

One of restaurateur John Torode's most popular television projects is Asia. In it, he explores the culinary traditions of Asian cuisine.

In each episode, Torode gets acquainted with colourful street food, reveals the secrets of leading chefs at luxury hotels and restaurants, and participates in tastings of traditional dishes while visiting local residents. This popular television programme dedicated to cooking introduces viewers to the methods of preparing dishes from the diverse and amazing Asian cuisine and how to apply new knowledge in practice.

Torode has made numerous guest appearances on BBC One's The One Show, Alan Carr: Chatty Man and The Graham Norton Show, and on ITV's Loose Women and This Morning.

His hobbies also include cycling, and he was a participant in ITV4The Cycle Show.

In 2014, the project ‘John Torode's Australia’ was released on TV. In 20 episodes, the chef and restaurateur told the audience about the flavours of his childhood and the people who inspired his love of cooking.

This was followed in 2015 by John Torode's Argentina, part of the BBC Two series A Cook Abroad, in which Torode explored the production, preparation and consumption of beef in Argentina.

John Torode's Malaysian Adventure (2016) is another high-rated project, consisting of 10 episodes filmed in Malaysia and the UK, dedicated to Malaysian culinary traditions.

Millions of viewers followed the culinary adventure John Torode's Asia, which ran from 2017 to 2018.

The Korean Food Tour (2017) is a project in which Torode explored South Korean cuisine, introducing viewers to the country's best dishes and creating his own versions of Korean classics with a modern twist.

In 2018, John Torode's Middle East aired on TV, showing the chef travelling around the region in search of delicious food.

Torode hosted John And Lisa's Weekend Kitchen together with Lisa Faulkner. The cooking programme aired on Sunday mornings on ITV.

In 2022, viewers could see the famous restaurateur and chef in the six-part series John Torode's Ireland, in which he explored the diverse cuisine of Ireland.

In early 2024, ITV1 aired John & Lisa's Food Trip Down Under, a five-part series dedicated to the food and drink of Western Australia. It was hosted by Torode and Lisa Faulkner.

Masterchef UK

Thorode gained worldwide fame as the host of what is arguably the most famous TV cooking show, Masterchef UK. He hosted the show, which aired on BBC One from 2005 to 2025, alongside co-host Gregg Wallace.

Thorode received the invitation immediately after the project was relaunched in a new format. John replaced A. A. Gill in this role.

Restaurants

John Torode became famous not only as a TV presenter but also as a successful restaurateur. He opened his first restaurant, called Smiths of Smithfield, in 2001. The restaurant was located in Smithfield, London.

His second restaurant was Cafeteria, which opened a year later near Notting Hill Gate in the capital of Great Britain.

The third restaurant, The Luxe, opened by Torode in 2009, was located in Spitalfields Market, London.

Recently, the chef has been less involved in the restaurant business, focusing on publishing cookbooks and television projects.

John Torode's recipes

John Torode's recipes are famous all over the world. Many cooking enthusiasts try to recreate the dishes prepared by the renowned restaurateur. These include both simple dishes and exquisite ones that are considered royal cuisine. Among the most popular recipes are:

• ginseng soup and ice noodles;
• pancakes with vegetables and tofu;
• kimchi;
• barbecue;
• various seafood dishes.

At home, you can try making, for example, creamy clam soup. The dish consists of smoked fish, leeks and celery, and thick broth.

Thai fish cakes based on Torode's recipe are no less popular among chefs. The chef makes them from salmon fillet, cod, squid, red curry paste, lime leaves and other ingredients.

Also worthy of attention is baked chicken with crème fraîche, new potatoes and watercress salad. And then there are the tomato and pesto tarts. This dish consists of puff pastry, pesto, chopped tomatoes, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Among Korean recipes, chicken soup with ginseng, called samgyetang, stands out. To prepare it, you will need several ingredients:

John Torode is the author of several cookbooks, the most famous of which are Sydney to Seoul, My Kind of Food and John and Lisa's Kitchen. He wrote them together with his wife Lisa Faulkner.

In 2022, the successful chef and TV presenter was awarded the Order of the British Empire for his achievements in the field of food and charity work.

The ceremony took place at Buckingham Palace in 2023, where the restaurateur received the award from Prince William.

In 1998, Torode's cookbook The Mezzo Cookbook was awarded the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Food Photography.

John Torode's personal life

John Torode's personal life is of great interest to anyone who is passionate about cooking. The restaurateur has been balancing his career with family life for many years. In his spare time, he enjoys yoga and meditation, striving to maintain balance in both his personal and professional life.

Wife

In 2000, Torode married Jessica, the mother of his children, but they divorced in 2014, with rumours of a separation as early as 2011. His second wife is Lisa Faulkner, winner of the Masterchef show. They have been in a relationship since 2015. The couple's wedding took place on 24 October 2019 at Aynhoe Park, Oxfordshire.

Children

Torode has four children, two of whom, a son and a daughter, were born during his marriage to Jessica. The restaurateur also has two children from previous relationships.

Net worth

John Torode's net worth is estimated at £7.5-8 million. His sources of income include television salaries (working for the BBC and ITV), royalties, restaurant revenues, advertising contracts, speaking engagements and international gastronomic tours.

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