JAMES MARTIN'S QUIET LIFE IN IDYLLIC COUNTRYSIDE REGION WHERE HOMES AVERAGE £408,000

James Martin, the renowned British chef and TV presenter, has been a staple on our screens for many years, hosting the beloved BBC cooking show Saturday Kitchen from 2006 to 2016.

The 52 year old culinary expert kick-started his career in Saint-Emilion, France, where he honed his skills at Hostellerie De Plaisance. He later took up the role of Pastry Chef at the Chewton Glen Hotel in Hampshire.

Martin made his television debut in 1996 with the programme James Martin: Yorkshire's Finest, which showcased the best of Yorkshire cuisine.

He subsequently hosted Ready Steady Cook and The Big Breakfast, as well as Saturday Kitchen.

Since 2017, Martin has been the face of ITV's Saturday Morning with James Martin and has featured in several series for the channel including James Martin's Great British Adventure, James Martin's Islands To Highlands and James Martin's Spanish Adventure, reports the Express.

Off-screen, Martin maintains a relatively private life. It is rumoured that he split from his long-term girlfriend Louise Davies last year after a 12-year relationship.

In the past, Martin has been candid about his lack of interest in marriage and has never expressed a desire to start a family.

Martin and Louise resided in his charming country home in Hampshire, southern England. The property, set on 1.5 acres of land, boasts seven bedrooms, an outdoor kitchen and a greenhouse.

TV chef James Martin is giving fans a glimpse into his culinary world, filming episodes of his Saturday morning show right from the comfort of his own home in a kitchen he's set up in his garage, no less.

His bespoke outdoor cooking space boasts an impressive wood-fired pizza oven, a sprawling island, and stylish green industrial-style lamps to set the mood.

The chef holds his verdant greenhouse close to his heart, having previously shared: "When I bought this house the very first thing I built was that greenhouse to remind me of my grandparents."

He reminisced about his family's influence on his career, saying: "My grandad was an amazing veg producer together with my uncle and that's why I fell in love with food I think. I've still got tomatoes; I grow them every year to varying degrees of success."

While the exact location of Martin's abode remains under wraps, it's rumoured to be nestled near his acclaimed restaurant, The Kitchen at Chewton Glen Hotel and Spa in New Milton.

Before settling into his current digs, Martin resided in Stoke Charity, a quaint hamlet just a stone's throw from Winchester, where he owned a seven-bedroom country mansion.

This former dairy property underwent a transformation under Martin's direction, with a little help from a celebrated local architect.

Hampshire, often hailed as one of the "poshest Home counties", is dotted with sought-after residential spots.

Securing a slice of Hampshire real estate isn't for the faint of wallet, with homes averaging £407,741 over the past year, as per Rightmove data.

The majority of property sales in Hampshire over the past year were detached homes, fetching an average price of £644,153. Terraced houses sold for an average of £315,793, while flats went for around £213,259.

In general, the selling prices in Hampshire over the last year were four percent lower than the previous year but three percent higher than the 2021 peak of £396,784.

2024-07-27T09:36:41Z dg43tfdfdgfd