TV personality and culinary expert Loyd Grossman has experienced quite an eventful life. The 73 year old is probably best known for his £50 million pasta fortune, but how did he make his success?
Born in Boston, USA, Grossman is the son of Jewish antique dealer David and mother Helen.
He holds dual American and British citizenship, having relocated to the UK in 1975 to pursue studies at the London School of Economics. There, he earned a master’s degree in economic history, reports .
Grossman transitioned into journalism, carving out a reputation as a respected restaurant critic for publications such as GQ and The Sunday Times.
His television career kicked off in 1983, and he is perhaps best known as the original host of Through The Keyhole. This programme became a primetime staple by 1987 and remained one of ITV’s most popular shows, with Grossman at the helm until 2003.
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Loyd Grossman as a celebrity guest on BBC Pointless (Image: BBC)
During the 1990s, he hosted Masterchef and participated in various other programmes, including Loyd on Location, The History of British Sculpture and Behind the Headlines.
A lesser-known fact about Grossman is his musical talent; he was a guitarist for punk band Jet Bronx And The Forbidden.
Their track ‘Ain’t Doin’ Nothing’; reached number 47 on the UK Singles Chart, and following the band’s split, he established The New Forbidden with Valentine Guinness. This group has graced the Glastonbury stage eight times.
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Beyond his music career, Loyd Grossman is also known for his successful line of sauces. Launched in 1995, the brand has become the most popular UK celebrity sauce range, stocked in thousands of supermarkets nationwide.
In 2011, he was reported to be “devastated” after two children from the same family were
Their illness was linked to the Grossman korma sauce, which was made by Premier Foods at its factory in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
At the time, Peter Schnabl, Mr Grossman’s agent, said: “We just can’t explain how this could have happened because there are security guards in the manufacturing process plus also the botulism should have been killed by the acidity of the sauce itself.
“It should have been killed in the cooking process, so we can’t really explain it at this moment. People are looking into it. The FSA in Scotland are looking into into it in conjunction with Premier (Foods, the manufacturer).”
In his personal life, Loyd married Deborah Puttnam, daughter of film producer David Puttnam, in 1985. The couple have two daughters but ended their marriage in 2004.
He recently tied the knot again this year with Melissa Knatchbull after seven years of dating. The newlyweds reportedly got married at the Chelsea Register Office.
Outside of his professional pursuits, Loyd is reportedly an avid scuba diver and a long-time patron of the Shark Trust, a charity dedicated to protecting sharks’ future.
He was recently awarded a knighthood in the New Years Honours list, and was said to be “utterly thrilled” and “as close to speechless” over the recognition.