HOW TOP CHEF JEAN-CHRISTOPHE NOVELLI PLOTTED TO HIDE OUT IN BELFAST FOR CELEBRITY HUNTED
MICHELIN-starred chef Jean-Christophe Novelli has revealed how he wanted to flee to Belfast while playing a fugitive on the run for Channel 4’s Celebrity Hunted.
Father-of-four Jean-Christophe (58) embarked on the television series with fellow chef and friend Aldo Zilli (63).
The show follows a team of eight celebrities as they try to stay off the radar and remain at large for two weeks while a crack team of hunters attempt to track them down.
The famous French chef took part in the show, with the chance of winning a share of the £100,000 prize, which is in aid of Stand Up To Cancer.
It followed his three-yearold son Valentino’s recent recovery from an aggressive form of childhood cancer.
Jean-Christophe, who also has two older sons, Jean (11) and Jacques (7), and a daughter Christina (32) from his first marriage, says filming the show back in July took its toll.
“I’m glad it’s over after filming for 14 hours a day and wearing a microphone all the time,” the chef said on a flying visit to Belfast yesterday.
“I promise you I was paranoid the whole time — constantly looking over my shoulder and always feeling like I was being watched.”
In a bid to remain incognito for 14 days to win the prize, Jean-Christophe says he wanted to jump on a plane to Belfast and hide out in the four-star AC Hotel by Marriott, which since last year has been home to his Novelli at City Quays restaurant.
“I tried to escape to Ireland because I thought I wouldn’t be found,” he laughed.
“I said I would come to my restaurant and the staff could hide me in the basement. “But I was told that I could only go a mile away
from the coast.” Jean-Christophe and his partner Michelle Kennedy (43) suffered a life-changing blow when their son Valentino was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at just six weeks old back in 2017.
They first noticed something was wrong when Michelle was feeding Valentino and spotted a lump on his neck.
The couple took him to A&E the next morning. Five days later they discovered that he had neuroblastoma cancer after an MRI scan revealed tumours all around his neck.
The distraught couple had to watch their infant son endure four rounds of chemotherapy.
Following the aggressive treatment, the child went into remission the following year. Recalling his family’s experience of serious illness, Jean-Christophe is full of praise for the NHS, and the work they do to help treat children with cancer.
“We are so privileged to be living in such an amazing country,” he added. “In France we have nothing like [the NHS].
“My dad had cancer and the health system over there, which not everyone can afford, is nothing near what we have here.”
Earlier this month, Jean-Christophe revealed that his family faces a new challenge after Valentino was diagnosed with autism, meaning his speech development has been slow. “Now we will all have to learn sign language, and it’s funny because it’s something I had always wanted to be able to do,” he added.
The former Hell’s Kitchen star has no regrets about choosing Belfast for his first 112-seat restaurant in Ireland, which opened its doors in April 2018 on the city’s waterfront, complete with double-height glazed facade and open-air terrace.
“For a brand new establishment it is really taking off and we’re doing better than Manchester United, that’s for sure,” he quipped.
Pointing to the Titanic Quarter, he added: “This is symbolic worldwide and even my dad knows about the history of Belfast.
“Everything which was on the cards has been done properly, no cutting corners, and I’m sorry but there is no location quite like this one. It’s the perfect recipe.”
Jean-Christophe will be returning to Belfast on November 14 when he will be sharing ‘The Unseen Story’ of his appearance on Celebrity Hunted over lunch and dinner at his popular restaurant.