'Christmas is a double whammy'

Chef James Martin on the pressures of dividing his time between his restaurants and his family over the festivities

- AMY JONES

When it comes to perfect pairings, James Martin certainly knows a thing or two about culinary combinations, whether that's creating the ideal Christmas cheeseboard or cooking deep-fried Buffalo chicken wings with crumbled blue cheese and sriracha honey.

Having already penned recipe books focused on bread, butter, potatoes and desserts, it seemed only right for the British chef and TV presenter to share his mouthwatering cheese recipes - and at what better time than in the lead-up to Christmas? "I've worked in France, and I know a lot of suppliers of cheese in the UK, so I thought a cheese recipe book would be quite a fun thing to do," James, 52, tells us.

"There are recipes in the book that certainly bring back memories of when I was in France - I went through my little French biog of places that I've been to." Recalling one memory from his time there, he adds, "We used to do a dish for the staff at a restaurant in Lyon. We used to do it with leftover bits of croissants or brioche, cream leeks, white wine, and then you drizzle on the cheese - whatever you have left, it was usually Comté - that was amazing." France holds a special place in James' heart, having been the place where he truly discovered his love for food and sparked his desire to become a chef. By the age of 13, the foodie found himself helping out in a two-star Michelin restaurant in Saint-Émilion and received his first chef's jacket and set of knives. While his French was limited at the time, James quickly learned kitchen etiquette and went on to became the head chef at Bistro du Vin in Winchester, aged 22, before opening his first restaurant, The Leeds Kitchen, in 2011.

Today, James is renowned for hosting his popular cooking show, James Martin's Saturday Morning. Given his love for France, it's no surprise that he's put together an irresistible cheeseboard, which he's encouraging others to recreate this festive season.