{"id":458935,"date":"2026-03-05T13:17:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T13:17:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/458935\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T13:17:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T13:17:10","slug":"great-british-menu-chef-chris-wheeler-dies-as-stars-pay-tribute-to-extraordinary-man","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/458935\/","title":{"rendered":"Great British Menu chef Chris Wheeler dies as stars pay tribute to ‘extraordinary’ man"},"content":{"rendered":"

By OLIVIA CHRISTIE, NEWS REPORTER<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 06:32 EST, 5 March 2026 | Updated: 07:52 EST, 5 March 2026 <\/p>\n

Great British Menu star Chris Wheeler has died as celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli paid tribute to an ‘extraordinary’ man.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Chris, who once ran the London<\/a> Marathon flipping a pancake, also featured on ITV<\/a> favourite Hell’s Kitchen and Channel 4<\/a>‘s Saturday Kitchen<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He started his culinary career in France<\/a>, where he worked at the Domaine De Bassible Hotel and a Michelin starred restaurant in S\u00e9gos.\u00a0<\/p>\n

His talent was recognised early by chef\u00a0Jean-Christophe Novelli, who recruited him into his brigade while Chris was still a teenager.<\/p>\n

Jean-Christophe paid tribute to his former colleague today in a touching post on social media.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He wrote: ‘It is with the heaviest of hearts that I say goodbye to my dear friend, Chris Wheeler.<\/p>\n

‘His loss is a devastating blow to the industry and to humanity.<\/p>\n

‘Chris was an extraordinary chef, but even more extraordinary as a man \u2013 warm, generous, steady, and endlessly kind.<\/p>\n

\"Chris, <\/p>\n

Chris, who was born in Swanage, Dorset, went on to become the youngest Sous Chef in a Michelin starred restaurant<\/p>\n

\"Jean-Christophe <\/p>\n

Jean-Christophe paid tribute to his former colleague in a touching post on social media<\/p>\n

‘I invited Chris to come and work for me when he was a 16-year-old college student.<\/p>\n

‘For more than 30 years he was more than a friend to me \u2013 he was my rock.<\/p>\n

‘I was always so proud to see him enjoy the success he deserved and I will miss him forever.’<\/p>\n

Chris, who was born in Swanage, Dorset, went on to become the youngest\u00a0Sous Chef in a Michelin starred restaurant.<\/p>\n

Talking about his work, he told The Caterer in 2010: ‘Every Monday we’d have the likes of Raymond, Marco – my heroes! – coming down to see us.<\/p>\n

‘I still have the photos. Getting the first Michelin star was a huge high.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘We were so excited we jumped in the river – it was January so it was quite cold!’<\/p>\n

In 2006, Chris ran the London Marathon while dressed as a chef, flipping a pancake for the entire race.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He finished the 26-mile run in six hours and 50 minutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Chris later\u00a0featured in Tatler’s Restaurant Guide in both 2013 and 2014 and\u00a0was awarded Chef of the Year in the 2016 Berkshire Life Food and Drinks Awards.<\/p>\n

The same year, Chris represented the South West on BBC 2 programme Great British Menu.<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

Then in January 2025, he joined\u00a0The Hurlingham Club in Fulham, west London.<\/p>\n

Chris Pow, the\u00a0former executive chef at The Capital Hotel Knightsbridge, also paid tribute to Chris.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

He posted on Instagram: ‘Still trying to get head around the news about Chef Chris Wheeler \u2014 The Ginger Chef.<\/p>\n

‘We crossed paths in London kitchens and again at Boodles Week, and those memories feel even more precious today.<\/p>\n

‘I can’t find a single photo from back in the day, but I’ll always treasure the book he sent me\u2026<\/p>\n

‘\u2026a small reminder of the kindness and generosity he carried with him.<\/p>\n

‘My thoughts are with his wife and his two daughters at this heartbreaking time.<\/p>\n

‘Rest easy, Chef. Your spirit, your laugh, and your love for the craft will be remembered by so many.’<\/p>\n

Chris’s cause of death is currently unknown.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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