Martin Blunos
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Martin Blunos is one of the country’s greatest chefs.
Having held two Michelin stars for more than fifteen years, this blond haired, walrus-moustached Baltic giant of a man has a wicked sense of humour and is a most colourful character. He was born and bought up near Bath, his parents having come to England from Latvia just after the Second World War.
Martin recently appeared in the new Channel 4 series ‘IRON CHEF UK’, the ITV series Daily Cooks and Australia’s most popular show “Master Chef Australia.” In Spring 2010 Martin demonstrated at the Ideal Home Show and Vitality Show in London, and will be an ambassador for Holland America Baltic Cruises this summer.
He is a regular columnist for Air Baltic In Flight Magazine and summer 2010 will see him embarking on a new project with POM Juices - as brand ambassador.
Martin appears regularly on television and radio with regular slots as Guest Chef on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen with James Martin, ITV Daily Cooks, BBC Great Food Live! and Food Uncut, ITV’s Saturday Cooks, BBC 2 Food Poker, ITV 1 Britain’s Best Dish, BBC Market Kitchen, Channel 5 Cooking the Books, BBC James Martin’s Feasts.
He made ‘Tasting Times with Martin Blunos’ a ten part series for ITV and was chosen to cook for Her Majesty The Queen during her Jubilee year which was documented in a 30 minute television programme and recently appeared on BBC1 in ‘All The Queen’s Cooks’. He recently appeared in a new BBC series of ‘Supersizers’ with Giles Coren and Sue Perkins.
In 2010 Martin Blunos is again the figurehead of the Mendip Food Festival and also the ‘face’ of the Melksham Food Festival. He is appears in the ITV series ‘Taste the Nation’ and demonstrates throughout the UK during the summer including the Taste festivals in London, Birmingham and Edinburgh and Foodies Festivals. He also demonstrates at major food festivals throughout the world.
Influenced by his mother’s wholesome cooking from her homeland and Russian relatives, Martin has today become one of the finest chefs in the UK. In each of his restaurants he earned two prestigious Michelin Stars. After nine years he opened a larger version of Lettonie in Bath and added letting rooms. Food writers, critics and contempories were regular customers and Martin’s eclectic cooking attracts journalists of leading food publications from all around the globe.
Unlike many of his peers, he hasn’t learnt his craft from other master chefs. He went to college in Cheltenham, did a spell at the Strand Palace Hotel in London, a season in Switzerland and many cruises on a Greek tycoon’s yacht before finding a job at Lampwick’s in London’s Battersea Road, where the main competition came from Nico Ladenis in his early nouvelle cuisine phase.
Martin was invited to meet Prime Minister Tony Blair at the Foreign & Commonwealth Institute to celebrate Latvia joining the EU. He appeared on SKY TV’s Worlds Greatest Dishes and has also appeared on BBC 1 Holiday Programme, BBC 2 Master Chef Goes Large and presenting his own Christmas programmes for HTV. He appeared again with James Martin at the BBC Good Food Show and demonstrated at the Ideal Home Exhibition and Organic Show in London. As the figurehead for the Mendip Food Festival he will be hosting and appearing at regional and media events throughout the year.
In addition to his cooking Martin is much in demand for public appearances, talks and demonstrations, he has appeared as guest chef at the Gourmet Food Festivals in Johannesburg and Capetown, South Africa and recently returned from Mexico where he attended and consulted for a new food event organised by the British High Commission. Martin was a consultant to the food operation at the exciting new Thermae Bath Spa in Bath and a consultant for Hotel & Leisure Group Hillwood Hotels. Currently he is a consultant to a hotel group.
Martin lives in Bath with his wife Sian, a trained chef herself; food writer and published author. They have two sons Leon and Max and beautiful daughter Coco and in his spare time Martin is a passionate Bristol City FC fan and a born again ‘roadie’ to Max’s rock group Blackchalk……
© Biography Celebrity Chefs UK 2010
