Jay Rayner
Contents |
Shows
Eating With the Enemy (judge)
Great British Waste Menu (judge)
Masterchef Goes Large (critic)
The World Cook (judge)
Biography
Fearsome restaurant critic for The Observer between 1999 and 2025, after which he upped sticks for the Financial Times. Also hosts the culinary advice show The Kitchen Cabinet on Radio 4 and plays piano in his own jazz band.
Trivia
One of only two people to have played a full week of House of Games and won every day. The other was comedian Angela Barnes, who lost her undefeated status when she won a mere four out of five days in her Champions week; we await Rayner's return with bated breath.
Claimed in 2016 to have auditioned for, and had a "very lucky escape" from, Britain's Best Dish, which he described as a show "Simon Cowell's company did [...] with Optomen" that "died on its feet". As Britain's Best Dish was produced by ITV Studios and ran for many series, we say he meant Food Glorious Food.
His mother was writer, broadcaster, and noted agony aunt Claire Rayner.
