The Heston Blumenthal Team

26/04/2026

I’m often asked what was it like to finally get diagnosed and what it meant to me.

The diagnosis was a surprise. And a relief. It gave me the opportunity to explain to myself many aspects of my previous behaviour.

After diagnosis, I started on medication and other forms of discipline so as not to be in the manic states I was before. It helped me to learn, to be interested, and to stabilise.

21/04/2026

One of the things I love about the books I’ve written is that they hold so many memories. They capture the journeys me and my team went on to create dishes, the conversations with historians and scientists and producers, the experiments and even the happy accidents along the way. That’s what you will find in Historic Heston. I like returning to it from time to time.

Two moments played a big part in the journey that later became Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (many of whose recipes feature in Historic Heston) The first was when I encountered the fifteenth- century manuscript called The Vivendier, which showed just how provocatively playful and creative old recipes could be. The second has to be the thrill of creating my first interpretation of an historic recipe – the wonderfully wobbly Quaking Pudding (c.1660)

That was the beginning of a whole new path for me, exploring the history of British food and bringing those stories back to the table.

17/04/2026

At The Fat Duck, you’ll find a magnifying glass on every table. Why? you might wonder.

Photo: Pal Hansen

15/04/2026

I’m really going down the rabbit hole again with all this chocolate talk. But it’s a deep subject that has fascinated me for years, and I’m still exploring and finding new things.

If you’re wondering how much there is to learn about chocolate, why not watch Kitchen Chemistry, a series I produced with the Royal Society of Chemistry – because why not eat and learn at the same time?

The video quality might feel a little… vintage by today’s standards – think 2002 television – but don’t let that fool you. The content is just as relevant today. (And some of my shirt choices have to be seen to be believed.)

Here’s one of the things you’ll discover there, including a recipe for a one-ingredient chocolate ganache.

Scan comes from my book, Family Food, 2002, pages 305–6.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20eg27G647k&t=948s

10/04/2026

I’m often asked who inspired me. My answer spans many different disciplines, some of which might be unexpected.

I’m a self-taught chef, so of course there were cookbooks for inspiration. However, Roald Dahl’s universe and his creation W***y Wonka, the king of eccentric confections, have massively inspired me.

When I met Roald’s wife, Felicity Dahl, I was first humbled to see the handwritten manuscript of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But I was even more humbled to hear her say, “If only my husband were here today. He would see a real-life Wonka.”

Who was your biggest inspiration?

06/04/2026

If W***y Wonka hosted a dinner party in the 60s, I like to think this could have been the menu.

Which one would you like to try the most?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU5NypIuB2A&t=543s

03/04/2026

Working on Heston’s Feasts for TV gave me the opportunity to explore centuries of British culinary history and use some of the dishes I found as inspiration for a series of dinners for six special guests. One of those feasts was dedicated to the flavours of the 60s and the incomparable Roald Dahl.

The 60s were a decade of creativity and nothing captured that spirit more than one of the greatest children’s stories ever written.

I remember reading it in complete wonderment. Getting the chance to bring it to life through a trippy dining experience really made me feel like a kid in a sweet shop.

I’ve shared a link to the episode below if you’d like to watch it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU5NypIuB2A&t=2s

01/04/2026

I don’t often feature in the Sun, but back in 2010 they published this on 1st April.

As April Fools go, I think this was a good one.

01/04/2026

In the recent Broadsheet article, I highlighted nine personal favourites, featuring a diverse selection of items, from a Sharpie and Nose Dive by Harold McGee to advanced military technology headphones and Marmite. What are your personal favourites?

The pioneering chef and TV personality has a mouthful of Marmite a day, swears by a sharp-yet-delicate Japanese knife, and reveals the one thing you should never give a chef if you want it back.

23/03/2026

‘Maybe it’s bipolar’ is an inspiring campaign by Bipolar UK, with a simple but important goal: to help more people recognise the signs of bipolar, seek a diagnosis, and access life-changing specialist treatment.

Early recognition of bipolar can transform lives. By raising awareness of symptoms that are often overlooked, we can empower people to ask important questions, seek the right support, and move towards earlier and more accurate diagnosis.

If you think you, or someone close to you, might be affected, see the link below to take the test.

https://www.bipolaruk.org/take-the-bipolar-test/

16/03/2026

It began with something that was surprising and somewhat surreal. ​

During a laboratory visit, I came across a bottle filled with what appeared to be frogspawn. It was in fact a Thai drink made with sweet basil seeds suspended in gel. Strange to look at, but striking too. ​

Back at The Fat Duck, we had been working extensively with fluid gels made using gellan. I love them because the process creates something that looks like a liquid, but has a viscous thickness to it. ​

One day in the development kitchen, I doodled a glass divided in two, which set me thinking: could a glass hold two elements side by side? Two liquids, for example, one hot and one cold? ​

In theory, of course, separating liquids is more or less impossible. In practice, with fluid gels fashioned to exactly the right viscosity, you can create the illusion. They had to be thin enough to sip, yet structured enough not to collapse into each other. ​

Even then, temperature proved a challenge. Hot feels more fluid in the mouth. Cold feels thicker. The answer was adding more acidity on the cold side, encouraging salivation so that both felt equally fluid. ​

I developed Hot & Iced Tea back in 2005, and it still surprises guests at The Fat Duck today.​

12/03/2026

Over the years, I’ve found myself writing all sorts of books, from home cooking to TV tie-ins, a culinary science primer for the Royal Society of Chemistry, and works on modern and historical gastronomy, always sharing my curiosity and the discoveries I encounter along the way.​

Because cooking is a fundamental part of our culture and reflects who we are and how we got here. It offers endless paths to all of us for exploration and discovery.