Celebrity chef Gary Rhodes dies at 59 with wife by his side
Celebrated chef had spoke to tabloid! earlier about his move to Dubai
The culinary community may remember Gary Rhodes as the resident Michelin man, with his distinctive spiked hair and a love for traditional
British cuisine that often reflected on the menus of any new venture he launched. For members of the fraternity though, Rhodes was a gentleman to the very end.
The 59-year-old
British celebrity chef died in Dubai on Tuesday, with his wife Jennie by his side.
The outpouring of grief has been swift and overwhelming.
“We lost a fantastic chef today in Gary Rhodes. He was a chef who put British cuisine on the map. Sending all the love and prayers to your wife and kids. You’ll be missed,” tweeted fellow celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.
“Sad news today for the culinary world. The legend of British cuisine, Gary Rhodes passed away. He was one of the greats and I was always honoured to meet him at Grosvenor House, Dubai. #RIP,” stated chef Vikas Khanna.
“Sadly Chef Gary Rhodes OBE passed away. My heart felt sympathies to his wife, kids, friends and family, sending love and thoughts ..... Gary was a fantastic chef and incredible ambassador for British cooking, he was a massive inspiration to me as a young chef. He reimagined modern British cuisine with elegance and fun. Rest in peace Chef,” posted chef Jamie Oliver on Instagram.
Chef Vineet Bhatia also issued a statement on social media, writing: “Extremely sad to know of Gary Rhodes sudden passing away. Had known this gem of a man for years and in fact filmed with him just 4 days ago for his new TV series. RIP my friend and may God give strength to Jennie and your boys in these tough times.
According to a statement by Dubai Police, Rhodes ‘died of natural causes’, however, details on the cause of death have yet to emerge. A statement from his family urged for privacy, stating: “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 local hotels where Rhodes ran a successful restaurant empire also issued a statement following his passing.
“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,” the statement read.
The chef may have gained global recognition on shows such as MasterChef and Hell’s Kitchen’ but his talent made him a desirable name in the culinary circles even at a young age.
Born in South London in 1960, Rhodes spent most of his childhood years in Gillingham, Kent where he experimented in the kitchen even as a teenager, preparing family meals while his mother was at work.
By aged 26, Rhodes had already earned his first Michelin star at The Castle Hotel in Taunton. In January 1996, he won a second Michelin Star for his talents at the Green House in the UK.
By 2004, he had opened his first overseas restaurant in Grenada. And by the end of 2010, Rhodes had opened two restaurants in Dubai — Rhodes Mezzanine at The Grosvenor House Hotel and Rhodes Twenty10 at Le Royal Meridien.
The father of two moved to the UAE a few years ago and spoke to tabloid! about his joy of finding a new home for his family in Dubai in 2011.
“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 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. Aside from his restaurants, Rhodes was also a published author.