Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has become known for his earthy, back-to-basics approach to cooking.
At the Glenfiddich Food & Drink Awards in May 2002, Hugh was awarded the Glenfiddich Trophy for his outstanding contribution towards widening the understanding and appreciation of excellent food and drink in Britain and for his ambition to alter people's perception of food. His River Cottage Cookbook won the best food book award.
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 came back to England, he joined the River Café in London as a sous chef, although he had to leave because he was too messy!
Hugh has since become a familiar face on TV with his series Cook on the Wild Side and TV Dinners. In 1997, he found River Cottage in Dorset which led to three TV series being filmed there. He is also a keen supporter of the organic movement.
For more information about Hugh Fearnley- Whittingstall click here: http://www.rivercottage.net/
have enjoyed Hugh`s quirky attitude to cooking and love the ways he does things like the high rise chicken coop
Sandy I really enjoy the River Cottage the programe inspires me I do hope the show keeps going for years
Hugh, your beetroot brownies are my favourite!
Hugh is one of my heros. His simple 'have-a-go' approach to life and food is inspirational. Keep up the great work Hugh.
Hi everyone i'm from Western Australia in a suburb called Mandurah, i have been a fan of Hugh's since i first saw his show on foxtel about six months ago. Dear Hugh keep on cooking, i just love the way you make things look so simple to make, and they taste delicous also. I just wish we could get our hands on some of the produce as it's not so easy to find out here. Cheers Trina.
I watch your show eney time I get to
My husband and I love Hugh. The River Cottage series was great, but we really loved the Summer series. We live in country Victoria, Australia and are surrounded by sheep, cattle, ducks, chooks, fish, fruit & veges - all the things Hugh specialises in cooking. We were stunned to see him make wine from gorse flowers - what a hoot, we have acres of the stuff here. Wonder if we'll ever see it at the local farmers' market.
I think Jamie Oliver is stealing ideas from Hugh, and everyone thinks it was all his idea. Its Only because jamie is a bigger celebrity that he gets all the notoriety, I remember the first time i saw hugh he was helping gordon ramsey on the f food and i thought whos this guy. Then I saw him on foxtel and have much more respect for him than Gordon or Jamie, He has much more of the Fresh is best philosophies and much much more witout the greddy money hungry attitudes. they are all great chefs but hugh is way cooler, hes a ner but hes cool.
i love this show it has the lot entertainment what more can you ask for i hope new shows come soon
I think Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is an amazing chef, keep up the amazing cooking (:
Thoroughly enjoy the River Cottage Series. which are both entertaining and enlightening.
Recently saw an episode of River Cottage where one of Hugh's chefs was trying to convince him of the goodness of cauliflower. Presented him with cheese triangles and a cauliflower sauce, which simply blew Hugh away. I would love to know the recipe for this particular dish - I have a couple of children who might just be converts as well..
hugh is one of my favorite chef's, i like the idea he stands for in my understanding -fresh is 100% better - you can use any part of a animal. i also like the town he lives in gets in the spirt of cooking its very cool
Here is a man who has helped to change the world. I am fabulously happy to see ads on TV from the RSPCA against battery hens. Jamie Oliver is now helping him here in Australia. Unless you have personally seen battery hens and I have, you really don't understand why this is so important. Our farms here in Australia are so compacted with chemicals that it will take up to 50 years to get them back to natural for organic. You wonder why people have increased sicknesses in the last 50 years then look at when chemicals were introduced to farming. I was a city person but now live in the country. I was lucky to find a property not full of chemicals - could you? I grow all my own food except staples like grain, sugar etc. Do you know how difficult it is to find organic produce outside of capitol cities - near impossible. Love Hughs website and intend visiting and attending some of his courses - home butchering etc. Just wish out dollar was a little higher so the exchange wasn't so bad.
hugh when are you comeing to australia for series. their are plenty of wild animals to cook in the bush it would be a big hit back home.
I think your recipes are great, I watch your programms religiously, I wish that I could live in Dorset and experience the same things that you do, but that is impossible. I can only try to be green, getting chooks and that sort of stuff.
What a show this is. The concept is just the complete, down to earth, achievable lifestyle we can lead. Informing us all of the dangers in our food and what it can lead to, eg bad health & also processed food is expensive. Not only for the wallet but through paying for bad health. We have our own organic vegetable plot , meat, eggs, honey, almonds. So we understand this awareness and know first hand it is possible. Thank you for the show. Our favourite . Not only for the cooking side of the show but the whole lifestyle connection. Is it possible to visit River Cottage? My partner comments she would like to be apart / book in & experience some time at River Cottage, and meet Hugh. I'll book tomorrow. Aintree Farm . Australia. Thank you.
The whole concept of eating what you grow or rear is very appealing to me. Truly knowing exactly what you are consuming without all the additives and preservatives makes me want to go out into my own garden to plant a vegetable patch and buy some chickens to run free range. That would be a nice start.
Go for it !
I will always remember watching in awe as Hugh cooked a whole venison wrapped in pig fat out on an open spit for a wedding. WOW!!!! Hugh's so great...River Cottage is so addictive!
Hugh this is a personal inquiry. Was your father William studying Librarianship at Queens University in Belfast 1969/70? If so does he remember Bob Donald?
Isn't this guy great. I love his attitude to food - he's so passionate and just wants to give anything a go - he's really inspiring. Makes me wanna pack up and go bush
I just adore Hugh's programs. They are eye opening to a whole different way of life. We all can learn alot from his programs and even if we only take 2-3 ideas from him and put them in to our lifes that got to help our own well being.
I would trade my city lifestyle for his River Cottage lifestyle anytime!!
I collect cook books to read like novels and ponder what is on the menu next. River Cottage plus River Cottage Meat cookbooks came into my possession over a year ago. I loved each of them. The information is honest and straight forward and Hugh's ethical stance on killing and eating your food wiith respect is a refreshing change. Now I subscribe to Foxtel and wonderfully Hugh has been on my TV screen repeatedly since. Fabulous stuff.
I personally love watching Hugh. He is an inspiration to get out their and grow your own food and appreciate what you have once youve grown it yourself. I wish more shows were like his. Bring on more of Hugh's river cottage series. Hugh has such a down to earth personallity it truley is refreshing to watch the shows and laugh at his humour. Great series.
love the river cottage shows, i can watch them over and over again!
I just love Hugh! I can never get enough of watching any of the River Cottage shows, I wish there was more of them!
River cottage is excellent..down to earth and for a change food a person would actually eat. Any shows with this man doing the cooking plus real entertainment is worth watching...Surprise Surprise he does not have to use filthy talk to keep one watching!!!
What a fantastic chef and a great series I always keep an eye out for a new installment of the River cottage.... I hope you keep going Hugh.
I really enjoy the River Cottage series - the whole 'forage and cook' strategy really resonates with me...as WN says above, I hope we see some more of this series from Hugh!
Could not agree more
I can't put my finger on it but all the River Cottage shows fall into the 'so good you can't turn away' category of television.
Probably seen the River Cottage series three times through now yet still will end up watching it if I come across it flicking through stations.
I do believe there is a new series or two to come? Lifestyle Food can we expect to see them?