British television chef and restauranteur Gary Rhodes has died at age 59, his family revealed in a statement Wednesday.
“The Rhodes family are deeply saddened to announce the passing of beloved husband, father and brother, Gary Rhodes OBE,” the statement said, according to CNN, BBC, and The Irish Times.
Rhodes’ family said he died on Tuesday night in Dubai with his wife Jennie beside him. A cause of death has not yet been revealed.
According to BBC, Rhodes’ first job was at the Amsterdam Hilton. In 1997, he opened his first restaurant, City Rhodes, and was eventually named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2006.
The chef, known for his signature gelled spiky hair, went on to open restaurants across the world — with locations including Grenanda, Ireland, and Dubai, as well as aboard P&O cruise ships.
He appeared in multiple cooking shows, including MasterChef, MasterChef USA, Hell’s Kitchen, and his own series, Rhodes Around Britain. He also competed in Britain’s dance competition series Strictly Come Dancing in 2008 and was the third celebrity eliminated.
Several stars in the culinary industry mourned the loss of Rhodes on social media Wednesday, including Gordon Ramsay, who wrote, “We lost a fantastic chef today in Gary Rhodes. He was a chef who put British Cuisine on the map. Sending all the love and prayers to your wife and kids. You’ll be missed Gx.”
Jamie Oliver also shared a tribute to Rhodes, writing, “Sadly Chef Gary Rhodes OBE passed away. My heart felt sympathies to his wife , kids, friends and family, sending love and thoughts ….. Gary was a fantastic chef and incredible ambassador for British cooking, he was a massive inspiration to me as a young chef. He reimagined modern British cuisine with elegance and fun. rest in peace Chef 🙏.”
Rhodes was born on April 22, 1960 in London, England.
He is survived by his wife Jennie — who is also a trained chef — and their two sons, Samuel and George.
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