BBC’s Hidden World of Hospitality slated as ‘tone deaf’ millionaire Tom Kerridge complains about cost of living
THE Hidden World of Hospitality aired its second episode last night, but viewers weren’t impressed with the celebrity’s chef’s comments about the cost-of-living crisis.
In his new 8-part BBC series, Tom Kerridge “lifts the lid on the industry he knows and loves – meeting the skilled and passionate professionals taking risks to reach the top of their game.” And, while he usually travels and mentors chefs around the UK, he took a trip back to Manchester to tell a personal story.
On Thursday night’s episode of The Hidden World of Hospitality with Tom Kerridge, the celebrity chef met with Gary Neville to discuss the reason he couldn’t keep the doors open at his famous Bull and Bear restaurant in Gary’s Stock Exchange Hotel, which opened in 2019.
The restaurant closed back in December, not because of a falling out between Tom, 50, and Gary, 48, but because of the cost-of-living crisis cutting into profits.
The retired footballer-turned-hotelier agreed, adding: “The cost of living, energy, resources, the fall-out of the last few years of Brexit and Covid, it’s real in this industry, it’s massive.”
Additionally, the former Manchester United player said he wanted a seven day per week restaurant operation, but Tom said that he couldn’t justify being open on Mondays and Tuesdays, which were just too quiet to turn a profit.
While many businesses have closed for this reason, some fans were not impressed with the millionaire chef for complaining about the cost of living.
One Twitter user was quick to brand Tom “a champagne socialist.”
Meanwhile, another criticised him for putting many members of staff out of work during the cost-of-living crisis.
And, unfortunately, this is not the first time the chef has faced criticism for being tone deaf and out of touch.
Though he has complained about the cost of living, the celebrity chef sells ready-made meals, including his famous fish pie, for an eye-watering sum of £60, even when the meal needs to be finished off at home.
One Twitter user was shocked by the cost and shared a breakdown of how to make it for much cheaper.
“Tom Kerridge’s ready-made fish pie for home for four – £60. My fish pie with broccoli for 4 – £6.98. Just saying,” they wrote.
Kerridge continued to talk about the cost-of-living crisis in a BBC article which came out in conjunction with yesterday’s episode.
In it, Tom explained that costs in the restaurant have risen exponentially in the past three years. “There isn’t a single thing that is cheaper,” he said, noting that energy increases have been “massive.”
However, the chef is sympathetic to how these rising costs are affecting the population at home, too.
Tom previously worked with another Man Utd star, Marcus Rashford, to help people make low-cost meals at home as the cost-of-living crisis increased in 2022.
He also released a new cookbook, Real Life Recipes, at the end of last year to help families cook on a budget.