Celebrity Chef Gary Rhodes: A look back on his career making Dubai his home

Celebrity chef Gary Rhodes has died, aged 59. The chef, who gained popularity on shows such as ‘MasterChef’ and ‘Hell’s Kitchen’, died in Dubai on November 26, according to reports. News of his death was confirmed by his family.

“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of beloved husband, father and brother, Gary Rhodes OBE. Gary passed away last evening, Tuesday 26th November 2019, at the age of 59, with his beloved wife Jennie by his side. The family would like to thank everyone for their support and ask for privacy during this time,” the statement read.

The hotels where Rhodes runs succesful restaurants also issued a statement. "The team at Grosvenor House Dubai and Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort and Spa are devastated to hear of the tragic passing of Chef Gary Rhodes OBE. Not only has the industry lost a true culinary legend, we have also lost an inspirational human being and a very dear friend. No words can express our sadness at Gary’s death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Rhodes family."

The father of two moved to the UAE a few years ago and spoke to Gulf News about his joy of finding a new home for his family in Dubai. “I love walking out when I’m at the top. I think it was a great move to make, it was the right move,” he told Gulf News tabloid! in 2017. He said at the time he was coming to the end of a 10-year contract at one of his two Michelin-starred London restaurants and decided he wanted to move his operations to Dubai, where he was already heading Rhodes Mezzanine (the forerunner to Rhodes W1) at the Grosvenor House hotel.

Over the years, Rhodes expanded his restaurant emprire here. Besides the collaboration with Spinneys, film buffs across the region can tuck into foie gras and truffle butter panini at what he calls the movie equivalent of the first-class airline experience with Rhodes’ partnership with Vox Cinemas.

Rhodes was born in South London in 1960 spending most of his childhood years in Gillingham, Kent. He beg an experimenting in the kitchen as a teenager, preparing family meals whilst his mother was at work.

His first major culinary achievement, at the age of 13, was a Sunday roast followed by a classic British dessert - Marguerite Patten's steamed lemon sponge pudding. One look at his family's delighted faces as they got stuck in was enough to convince him that a cook's life was the one for him. After three years training at Thanet technical college (where he met his future wife, Jennie) Rhodes realised that he would need to travel if he was to expand his techniques and fully develop his career.

Rhodes earned his first Michelin star at The Castle Hotel in Taunton. As head chef this is where he really started to make a name for himself - he retained the hotel’s Michelin star, at just 26 years of age. In January 1996, he won a Michelin Star for the Green House in the UK.