Loyd Grossman
Encyclopedia
Loyd Daniel Gilman Grossman, OBE
, FSA
(born 16 September 1950) is an American-British
television presenter, chef
and musician
who has mainly worked in the UK.
, Massachusetts
. His father was Jewish and worked as an antiques dealer. He graduated from Boston University
(B.A. History) before going to the United Kingdom
in 1975 to study at the London School of Economics
(M.Sc.EconHist), where he is currently a member of the Council and the Court of Governors. He became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London
in 2003. On 9 November 2007, he became an Honorary
Graduand
of the University of Chester
where he was presented for admission to the degree of Doctor of Letters
, honoris causa. In September 2008 he took up a place at Magdalene College, Cambridge
, to read for a Master's degree in History of Art. He was granted armorial bearings by letters patent of the English College of Arms on the 5 March 2004.
band Jet Bronx And The Forbidden, who reached number 49 in the UK singles chart
in December 1977 with "Ain't Doin' Nothing". He relived this period of his life in 2008. Following a guest appearance playing "Ain't Doin Nothin" with the Pork Dukes
at the Vienna Rebellion punk festival on 27 April 2008, he played with his new band Jet Bronx and the New Forbidden at the 2008 Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, UK.
Grossman went on to become a restaurant reviewer for Harpers & Queen and The Sunday Times
.
He has since presented Through the Keyhole
(1987 to 2003), a television programme examining the homes of public figures, MasterChef (1990 to 2000), a competitive cooking programme
, the History of British Sculpture (2003), and cookery show Step up to the Plate (2008) with Anton du Beke
in which 3 amateur chefs competed against 2 professionals to produce the best three course meal.
In 2000 he was appointed to head the £40 million project to improve the quality of food served in British NHS
hospitals and visited the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
in December 2002 to raise awareness of the Better Hospital Foods project. His name has been lent to a number of cookery goods, particularly pasta
and curry
sauces, manufactured by Premier Foods
. An advertisement campaign for his range of sauces began in the UK in April 2008.
Grossman is also involved in charity
work. He is particularly associated with the work of museum
s in the UK, being chairman of the Blue Plaque
s Panel, the Churches Conservation Trust
, the Campaign for Museums, the Public Monuments and Sculpture Association
, National Museums Liverpool
, the vice-chair of the Liverpool Culture Company and a trustee of St Deiniol's Library
. In 2007 he was appointed Chairman of the Churches Conservation Trust
by Prime Minister
Gordon Brown
.
He won an edition of the BBC's "Celebrity Mastermind" on 27 December 2009. His specialist subject was 18th century art and artists.
On 11th May 2011 he also made a guest appearance on the infamous Egg Monroe Radio Show on Surge (radio station). Critics claim it is his best radio appearance to date.
, and has two daughters. The couple divorced in 2004. His current partner is British aristocrat Lady Jane Wellesley, a daughter of the 8th Duke of Wellington.
His Mid-Atlantic
accent reflects his Boston origins as well as the many years he has spent in the UK. It sounds strange to many Britons and Americans. It is often the subject of parody, including in ads for his own sauces, where home cooks imitate his speech as they use sauces that are promoted as having a "distinctive voice."
He was parodied by Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer in The Smell Of Reeves And Mortimer in a Masterchef sketch.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, FSA
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
(born 16 September 1950) is an American-British
Americans in the United Kingdom
Americans in the United Kingdom includes Britons born to American parents or parents with American citizenship, people from the United States who are or have become residents or citizens of the United Kingdom as well as Britons granted American citizenship....
television presenter, chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
who has mainly worked in the UK.
Early life, education and honours
Grossman was born in MarbleheadMarblehead, Massachusetts
Marblehead is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,808 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and Devereux Beach...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. His father was Jewish and worked as an antiques dealer. He graduated from Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
(B.A. History) before going to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1975 to study at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(M.Sc.EconHist), where he is currently a member of the Council and the Court of Governors. He became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
in 2003. On 9 November 2007, he became an Honorary
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
Graduand
Graduand
Graduand refers to the status of an undergraduate or graduate student in the United Kingdom and certain Commonwealth states who has finished his or her studies at university, but not yet graduated in a formal ceremony....
of the University of Chester
University of Chester
The University of Chester is a public research university located in Chester, United Kingdom. The University, based on a main campus in Chester and a smaller campus in Warrington, offers a range of foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as undertaking academic research.Chester...
where he was presented for admission to the degree of Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
, honoris causa. In September 2008 he took up a place at Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...
, to read for a Master's degree in History of Art. He was granted armorial bearings by letters patent of the English College of Arms on the 5 March 2004.
Career
Grossman had a short-lived career as a singer with punkPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Jet Bronx And The Forbidden, who reached number 49 in the UK singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in December 1977 with "Ain't Doin' Nothing". He relived this period of his life in 2008. Following a guest appearance playing "Ain't Doin Nothin" with the Pork Dukes
Pork Dukes
-Singles:* "Bend and Flush" b/w "Throbbing Gristle" * "Making Bacon" b/w "Tight Pussy" * "Telephone Masturbator" b/w "Melody Makers" * "Pop Stars" b/w "Save the Pigs, Burn the Fucking Farmers "...
at the Vienna Rebellion punk festival on 27 April 2008, he played with his new band Jet Bronx and the New Forbidden at the 2008 Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, UK.
Grossman went on to become a restaurant reviewer for Harpers & Queen and The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
.
He has since presented Through the Keyhole
Through the Keyhole
Through the Keyhole was a British panel game, hosted by Sir David Frost where panellists are given a video tour of a mystery famous guest's property and attempt to identify them. As of 1996, it is produced by David Frost's own production company, Paradine Productions at The Leeds Studios , and has...
(1987 to 2003), a television programme examining the homes of public figures, MasterChef (1990 to 2000), a competitive cooking programme
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
, the History of British Sculpture (2003), and cookery show Step up to the Plate (2008) with Anton du Beke
Anton du Beke
Anton du Beke is a British ballroom dancer and television presenter. His professional dance partner since 1997 has been Erin Boag. With Boag, he won the IDTA Classic in England in November 2003.-Family and early life:...
in which 3 amateur chefs competed against 2 professionals to produce the best three course meal.
In 2000 he was appointed to head the £40 million project to improve the quality of food served in British NHS
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
hospitals and visited the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is a National Health Service academic teaching hospital located on the off the A11 road and the Watton Road on the southern outskirts of Norwich, England....
in December 2002 to raise awareness of the Better Hospital Foods project. His name has been lent to a number of cookery goods, particularly pasta
Pasta
Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, now of worldwide renown. It takes the form of unleavened dough, made in Italy, mostly of durum wheat , water and sometimes eggs. Pasta comes in a variety of different shapes that serve for both decoration and to act as a carrier for the...
and curry
Curry
Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...
sauces, manufactured by Premier Foods
Premier Foods
Premier Foods plc is a British food manufacturer headquartered in St Albans, Hertfordshire. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
. An advertisement campaign for his range of sauces began in the UK in April 2008.
Grossman is also involved in charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
work. He is particularly associated with the work of museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
s in the UK, being chairman of the Blue Plaque
Blue plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
s Panel, the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
, the Campaign for Museums, the Public Monuments and Sculpture Association
Public Monuments and Sculpture Association
The Public Monuments and Sculpture Association, or PMSA, was established in 1991 to bring together individuals and organisations with an interest in public sculptures and monuments, their production, preservation and history....
, National Museums Liverpool
National Museums Liverpool
National Museums Liverpool, previously known as National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, comprises several museums and art galleries in and around Liverpool, England. All museums and galleries in this group have free admission...
, the vice-chair of the Liverpool Culture Company and a trustee of St Deiniol's Library
St Deiniol's Library
Gladstone's Library, known until 2010 as St Deiniol's Library , is a residential library in Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales.The library was founded by the Victorian statesman and politician William Ewart Gladstone ....
. In 2007 he was appointed Chairman of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
.
He won an edition of the BBC's "Celebrity Mastermind" on 27 December 2009. His specialist subject was 18th century art and artists.
On 11th May 2011 he also made a guest appearance on the infamous Egg Monroe Radio Show on Surge (radio station). Critics claim it is his best radio appearance to date.
Personal life
He was married to Deborah Puttnam, the daughter of movie producer David PuttnamDavid Puttnam
David Terence Puttnam, Baron Puttnam, CBE, FRSA is a British film producer. He sits on the Labour benches in the House of Lords, although he is not principally a politician.-Early life:...
, and has two daughters. The couple divorced in 2004. His current partner is British aristocrat Lady Jane Wellesley, a daughter of the 8th Duke of Wellington.
His Mid-Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic English
Mid-Atlantic English is a cultivated or acquired version of the English language that is not a typical idiom of any location. It blends American and British without being predominantly either. It is also used to describe various forms of North American speech that have assimilated some British...
accent reflects his Boston origins as well as the many years he has spent in the UK. It sounds strange to many Britons and Americans. It is often the subject of parody, including in ads for his own sauces, where home cooks imitate his speech as they use sauces that are promoted as having a "distinctive voice."
He was parodied by Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer in The Smell Of Reeves And Mortimer in a Masterchef sketch.
External links
- Loyd Grossman Sauces official website
- Jet Bronx and the New Forbidden official myspaceMyspaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
site