Keith Floyd

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Keith Floyd (born December 28, 1943) is a cook who has produced many cooking shows for the BBC and Channel 5, and has published many books combining cookery and travel.

Contents

[edit] Early life

After being educated at Wellington School, Somerset, Keith Floyd became a journalist in Bristol and after watching the film Zulu decided to join the British army attaining the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Royal Tank Regiment. After leaving the army, Floyd found employment in several catering-related jobs including barman, dishwasher and vegetable peeler.

[edit] Career

His taste for wine and fine food developed and by 1971 he had acquired three restaurants in Bristol. However all three restaurants had financial problems. Floyd sold the restaurants and the rights to the name "Floyd's restaurant" and moved to the south of France, where again he opened a restaurant. After this again ended in financial problems, he moved back to England. With the help of loans from friends, he opened another restaurant in Chandos Road in Redland in Bristol. Unable to use his name, Floyd, which he had sold, the establishment had a sign saying simply "Restaurant".

The restaurant in Chandos Road, near the BBC Television Centre, was frequented by actors and other TV related people. Floyd's first cookery book, Floyd's Food, published before he became a TV celebrity, had an introduction written by Leonard Rossiter, the star of the TV show The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin.

Floyd's first foray into the world of show business was as a radio chef on Radio West, an independent commercial radio station in Bristol. When he was offered a role as a presenter on BBC television, he rapidly gained popularity, and became famous as a TV chef.

Despite TV success, Floyd continued to have financial problems and personal conflicts. In 2002 he suffered a small stroke, and in November 2004 he was banned from driving for 32 months and fined £1500 after crashing his car into another vehicle while three-and-a-half times over the legal alcohol limit.

Floyd has traveled widely to cook local dishes and entertain people around the world. His cooking shows are marked by a tendency to consume much wine during the preparation of the food.

Keith Floyd is a big fan of rock group The Stranglers - the tracks "Waltz in black" and an edited version of "Peaches" were used as theme music for most of his TV programmes. Former Stranglers guitarist/vocalist Hugh Cornwell used to play guitar at Keith's restaurant during his student days in Bristol and the two have remained friends since.

[edit] Cookery shows

[edit] Bibliography

  • Floyd's Thai Food (2006)
  • Floyd's China (2005)
  • 100 Great Curries (2004)
  • Floyd's India (2003)
  • Flash Floyd (2002)
  • Floyd Around the Med (2001)
  • Out of the Frying Pan (2001)
  • The Best of Floyd (1999)
  • Floyds Fjord Feast (1999)
  • Floyd Uncorked (1999)
  • Keith Floyd Cooks Barbies (1997)
  • Hot and Spicy Floyd (1996)
  • A Feat of Floyd (1995)
  • Floyd on Fire: Barbecue the Floyd Way (1994)
  • Far Flung Floyd (1994)
  • Far Flung Floyd: Keith Floyd's Guide to Southeast-Asia Cooking (1994)
  • Floyd on Spain/Keith Floyd's Guide to Spanish Cooking (1994)
  • Floyd on France (1993)
  • Floyd on Hangovers (1993)
  • Floyd on Fish (1993)
  • Floyd's American Pie (1991)
  • Floyd on Oz (1991)
  • Floyd on Britain and Ireland (1988)
  • Floyd on France: Learn to Cook the Keith Floyd (1987)
  • Floyd's Food (1981)

[edit] Audio clip

This is a clip of the theme music used for a number of Keith Floyd's cookery shows:

[edit] External links

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