Ian's - Autobiography

Ian McAndrew’s memoir, Just Call Me Chef, traces over five decades in professional kitchens, from a working-class childhood in County Durham to Michelin-starred success in London. With humour and honesty, he reveals the pressure, sacrifice, and joy behind a life spent cooking at the very top. PRINTED EDITION

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THIS IS THE PRINTED EDITION

The kitchen isn’t just a place to work; it’s a place to live.

From dodging metalwork class to running Michelin-starred restaurants, Ian McAndrew’s career has been anything but conventional. In Just Call Me Chef, McAndrew offers a candid, warts-and-all account of over five decades spent shaping the face of modern British cooking.

This autobiography invites you behind the hotplate, chronicling the journey of a scruffy lad from Seaham, County Durham, who rose to become one of the UK’s most respected culinary figures.

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🔪 What’s Inside:

  • The Early Days: Discover how a domestic science class—inspired by a teacher who resembled pop star Sandie Shaw—sparked his lifelong passion.
  • The Big Leagues: Relive the intense atmosphere of London’s most prestigious kitchens, from The Dorchester to The Carlton Tower, and his foundational work as a member of Mosimann’s Club 9.
  • Michelin Stardom: Follow his rise as he achieved his first Michelin Star at Eastwell Manor, less than a year after opening, and opened his own celebrated restaurant, Seventy Four, which quickly earned a star itself.
  • A Life of Ventures: Go behind the scenes of ventures like Cogan House, an English Brasserie, his foray into London with Restaurant One Sixteen, and his transformative role in NHS catering reform.
  • The Personal Journey: Read about his enduring partnership with his wife, Jane, and the deeply personal story of adopting their son, Connor, later in life.
  • A Chef’s Legacy: Reflect on the hard-won lessons from industry crashes and fierce critics, culminating in his eventual retirement from running the acclaimed Blackaddie House Hotel in Scotland.

Just Call Me Chef is more than a food memoir; it’s a journey through the evolution of the hospitality industry, revealing the relentless discipline, unexpected humour, and sheer passion required to build a lasting culinary legacy.

All copies bought will be personally signed; if you would like a message adding, just add the message in the ‘Notes’ section..

This printed edition will be delivered by tracked delivery.