Born in Shepherd’s Bush, Heston Blumenthal became one of the country’s best-known chefs for his scientific and experimental approach to cooking. His three Michelin-starred fine diner, The Fat Duck – and two Michelin-starred restaurant Dinner (closing in January 2027) – have wowed diners for decades with dishes like Meat Fruit and Snail Porridge. Heston has also been the face of several television shows, such as Heston’s Feasts, and is credited with inventing triple-cooked chips back in the ’90s. Here are nine objects he loves.
Yu Kurosaki Senko Gyuto, £500
“It's got 65 layers of steel. The blade is incredibly sharp, but it’s delicate. So if you chop down chicken bone, it'll crack.”
Shokz OpenSwim headphones, €199
“I wear them all the time – and literally all the time, as I can forget them when I go into the shower. That’s why my wife got me the waterproof model. I’m passionate about the fact that military technology can be applied to daily life. These are best for my meditation, sport and calls. They’re good for multitasking and being aware of what’s happening around you.”
Marmite, £2.85
“I love Marmite. I basically have a mouthful a day. Not a whole spoonful, but I'll take a drop, and it's got enough umami to give me a nice umami kick.”
Heston Blumenthal Precision 5-In-1 digital thermometer, £19.99
“If you’re cooking — let’s say chicken — there’s a sensor at the end of the needle of the thermometer that will tell what temperature the chicken is in the oven. It will rise, obviously, as the temperature in the chicken goes up. But there’s a second probe which tells you how hot the oven is and calculates how long it's going to take to cook your chicken by projecting forward.”
Sharpie, £3.19
“Every chef has a Sharpie, and they get really protective over them. So if you want your Sharpie back, don't give it to a chef.”
Nose Dive by Harold McGee, £35
“This book breaks down the smell of different things. The smell of a wet dog, the smell of caviar, the smell of soil after the rain. He’s got the smell of meteorites. It’s a great pick-up, put-down book. There's lots of food in there too. His first book was the book that really inspired me to go down the science and cooking route, and that was called On Food and Cooking.”
Heston Blumenthal coat of arms T-shirt
“I have about 10 of these. It’s T-shirt with my coat of arms embroidered. With my ADHD, I tend to wear the same things and the same colours, so I don't have to choose what to wear.”
Tom Davies glasses, Various prices
“I realized I needed glasses when I was 40. I’ve now created about 40 different glasses with Tom Davies.”
Escentric Molecules: Molecule #1 aftershave, £215
“I love this smell, and I’m fascinated by the fact that it’s one molecule. I’ve also worked with Geza Schoen to create The Fat Duck’s smells: Sweetshop, Walk In The Woods, Counting Sheep, and Christmas.”
