TV presenter, food entrepreneur, heritage campaigner and punk rocker Loyd Grossman joined Michael on Capital Conversation last night to discuss his recipe for success.
Speaking to Michael about his early passion for food, Loyd said, “I always wanted to get into the food business, I’ve had a love of food as far back as I can remember.” The former Through the Keyhole and MasterChef presenter ably turned this love into a thriving entrepreneur career after leaving TV behind.
His advice for people looking to replicate his gourmet success?
“There are thousands of food brands trying to do the same thing. So, be convinced that it’s better, be convinced of how it’s bringing something different to the consumer… and believe in it.”
Moving on to his time cogitating on TV screens as the original face of MasterChef, he says the show did much more than just give us a glimpse into what happens behind the kitchen doors.
“In this country, as with so many things, the idea of good food was very tied up with the idea of social class. We wanted to blow all that nonsense away and really democratise and popularise food.”
Among several other projects, Loyd is the chairman of the Heritage Alliance. While safeguarding the country’s past, he’s cautiously optimistic for what lies ahead, “On the one hand, it presents opportunities because Britain will need to figure out a way to represent itself to the world. On the other hand, there are dangers… If an income-based visa system is introduced, that will have a really damaging effect on the cultural industries.”
To see more, watch the full episode here.