MasterChef's John Torode is best known for his skills in the kitchen, but fans may not be aware that he's also led a somewhat eventful love life.
With this year's season of MasterChef now well underway, hopefuls will be battling it out to win the approval of Australian-British chef John, who built his career in some of the finest dining establishments in the world. The now 58-year-old kickstarted his impressive culinary career at the tender age of just 16, going on to run successful restaurants, Smiths Of Smithfield and The Luxe.
Credited as having helped to introduce Australasian cuisine to the UK back in the mid-1990s, Melbourne-born John has built up a wealth of experience when it comes to all things food - and has likely seen a fair bit of kitchen drama in his time.
Away from the stove, things have also got pretty heated in John's romantic life, from a quickie divorce to a contestant marriage...
First marriage and abrupt divorce
John and Jessica's marriage was reportedly dissolved in a matter of seconds (BBC)In 2000, John married Jessica Torode, with the pair going on to welcome children Lou, 18, and Jonah, 20. By that point, John had already had two sons with his previous partner Angela - Casper and Marselle.
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John and Jessica separated in 2011 but didn't officially initially divorce until 2014, when their union was reportedly dissolved in a matter of mere moments at the High Court.
'Cowardly' note
John and Lisa first met on the set of MasterChef (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)John and his now-wife Lisa Faulkner first locked eyes on the celebrity spin-off of MasterChef in 2010, in which actress Lisa emerged as the victor. At the time, the now-inseparable pair were already in relationships with other people, and so their friendship was initially purely platonic.
Remembering the impression John had made on her during her Masterchef days, Lisa, now 52, told the Mail Online: "When I met John he was a judge on a show I loved and I was petrified of him. He was brilliant and gave us all tips so you didn't want to let him down.
"All I could think was, 'That sauce hasn't worked'. I didn't see anything but food for three months. After I won, we did The Good Food Show and stuff. John and I always got on, but I never thought about me and him."
At the time of her Masterchef journey, Lisa was still married to EastEnders' actor Chris Coghill, who played Tony King in the soap. The couple, who share adopted daughter Billie, called it quits in 2011 - the same year that John and Jessica separated.
Both newly single, John and Lisa's dynamic changed significantly after he wrote her a letter asking her out for dinner. In an interview with the Mail Online about his ultimately life-changing letter, John reflected that it had been a 'cowardly' move on his part. He explained: "I'd separated from my wife [Jessica] which was awful, and I was reluctant to approach Lisa face to face as I didn't fancy the prospect of her saying no, so I wrote her a letter. If I'd got no response, it wouldn't matter. Cowardly? S***, yeah. I'm as cowardly as they get."
Fortunately, everything worked out in the end, and the lovebirds eventually tied the knot in 2019, exchanging vows at the gorgeous 17th-century Aynhoe Park country estate, nestled in the Northamptonshire countryside.
Caring gesture
Lisa recently opened up about her husband's caring side (Instagram/ @lisafaulknercooks)
The top chef rustled up his wife's favourite meal (Instagram/ @lisafaulknercooks)Lisa recently opened up about John's softer side via her Instagram, revealing that he'd cared for her during a crippling migraine by rustling up her favourite meal - fried chicken and mash potato. In a sweet clip, John could be heard singing away over the hob about his love of chicken - prompting grateful Lisa to declare her love for him in turn.
Addressing followers, Lisa shared: "So I've had a migraine for two days, it's been really fun and my lovely husband has made my fried chicken. He said, 'What do you want?' and I said I'd like fried chicken and mash and so that's what he did. It's so dull. Even though I have this migraine injection, sometimes it just breaks through and today's been a hum-dinger."
Exciting new project
The couple have now written their first book togetherTo the delight of fans, John and Lisa last month revealed that they would be publishing their first book together as a team - combining their culinary knowledge in a tome entitled John and Lisa's Kitchen. Said to be packed with 'everyday recipes from a professional chef and a home cook', readers can expect to recreate dishes from the couple's show John & Lisa's Weekend Kitchen.
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Due for publication on September 12, 2024, keen home cooks can pre-order a copy for £19.99 from Amazon or Waterstones. The tempting description reads as follows: "John and Lisa's Kitchen covers all bases, including chapters on Breads and Brunch, One Pan Wonders, Fakeaways, Speedy Go-tos, Family Favourites, Special Night In dinners and Sweet Treats.
"Whether you want to rustle up a Veggie Chilli Bake for a midweek meal, make Turkish Eggs with Yoghurt Flatbreads for brunch, impress your weekend guests with Beef Wellington, or do some family baking with Lisa's Favourite Double Chocolate Cake, John and Lisa want to bring love, creativity and inspiration into your kitchen."
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