The one lesson I’ve learned from life: Michelin-starred chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, 61, says don’t put people down; build them up
- Jean-Christophe Novelli, 61, had ADHD put was a happy positive child
- The Michelin-starred chef reveals that his teacher was a bully and the kids cried
- He reveals how he loves teaching and has set up his own cooking academy
Jean-Christophe Novelli, 61, is a Michelin-starred chef. Born in France, he opened his first restaurant Maison Novelli in London in 1996. Twice divorced, he has a daughter, Christina, 35, and lives in Hertfordshire with wife Michelle Kennedy and their three sons, Jean, 13, Jacques, 9 and Valentino 5.
At school I was put in a class of kids with learning disabilities. I had ADHD, but was a happy, positive kid. Our teacher was a bully and sadly, most of those kids would cry all day. One week we got a substitute teacher, and she was kind, it made an enormous difference.
At 18, I was sent to an elite camp in Pau in the French Pyrenees for a year to do National Service. The way they treated us was outrageous, constantly putting us down instead of building us up. I thought, ‘If one day I become a leader, I will never use the same practice.’ I was grateful for that lesson.
Michelin-starred chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, 61, (pictured) says don’t put people down; build them up
When I lost my job 30 years ago, Rick Stein and Jill, his wife at the time, really looked after me. They got me a job with Keith Floyd, who was just a genius.
There have been occasions where I lost it — such as on ITV reality show Hell’s Kitchen [Novelli made headlines by smashing plates and throwing cutlery in a furious outburst on the competitive show in 2005], but I’ve never been physical or crossed a line with anyone.
If I’d been a nightmare in the kitchen, my staff wouldn’t have stayed. I opened my first restaurant, Maison Novelli, in 1996; my sous-chef was 17 when I met him and he stayed with me for 12 years.
I absolutely love teaching. I opened the Novelli Academy in Hertfordshire in 2005 and I am privileged to have people visit from all over the world.
On ITV’s Cooking With The Stars I was paired with Anne Hegerty. She has Asperger’s, so I had to tailor my teaching to her. My five-year-old son Valentino has severe autism, so my wife, Michelle Kennedy, helped me plan how to teach Anne.
Soon it will be 50 years I’ve been cooking. I still enjoy it as much as I did on the very first day.
- Cooking With The Stars is on Tuesdays, 8pm on ITV