Marco and me: Hell’s interviewee
Marco Pierre White will return to Australia’s TV screens next year with cooking contest Hell’s Kitchen. In the publicity push that will doubtless precede the show, Mumbrella’s Dean Carroll hopes journalists will have a more pleasant time with the grumpy chef than he experienced in a series of excruciating encounters earlier this year.
In journalism, a thick skin is never listed in job descriptions. It should be.
At times, my run-in with the former enfant terrible of the culinary world Marco Pierre-White felt like an out-of-body experience.
Marco and I met when he was in Dubai promoting a cookbook and I worked for a local publisher.
Great article! I was lucky enough to have the complete opposite experience when interviewing the lovely Jamie Oliver. He politely – yet very firmly – put an overzealous publicist in her place after she tried to cut off our interview in full flow. He was clearly exhausted but gave it his full attention and enthusiasm, like a total trooper. I ended up with way over our allotted time, and got the chance to ask the questions previously banned by the publicist. An absolute pleasure to interview.
Celebrity Chef or not, it doesn’t take much to be polite irrespective of whether or not you are in the humor to do so! Not surprised…. Not impressed!
What a Muppet! He is there to promote his book. That was waaay out of his comfort zone. You gave him what he deserved. A great insight to the background of these PR events.
I do quite enjoy Marco Pierre White’s recipes and cooking tips – I feel he knows far more than Jamie Oliver. But that having been said, he does seem to have some rather tragic personal issues that have left him very unhappy. I suppose it’s his way to venting out his frustration with life.
Perhaps years of toil under the acid glow of fluorescent kitchen lights and hurried noise have done their damage, too.
Can’t help thinking that celebrity cooks epitomise what is wrong with our society. The real heroes go unsung, while the flan-makers get to hobnob with royalty. That said, I do like Jamie Oliver!
Great read, thanks for writing it. We tend to think the arrogance and ego is there for the cameras but I’ve heard before that in his case it isn’t.
Great, insightful read Dean. Glad you put this all in context and showed the other side of what goes on in the publicity trail. My tale is about one well known Aussie TV chef who in earlier years when he was an obscure name, was a delight to deal with and very, very very keen for any publicity. Dealings with him in recent years are so obnoxious, so unpleasant that it is astounding. Last time I interviewed the said man – this time by phone – he began the chat by barking, “You have 5 minutes.” When I attempt to create some rapport by reminding him of our last chat, he cut me off and replied, “You are wasting time – you now have 4 minutes and 50 seconds.” I have declined all subsequent PR offers to interview him. A charmless creature.
MPW’s restaurant in Dublin is like a shrine to him. Great steak though.
What an arse! It takes nothing to be polite. He’s obviously insecure in himself. Well done for staying professional throughout Dean. You’re a pro at what you do. ?
Credit where is due, more stories like this should be published. If he knows so much about journalism he should know what it’s like to deal with serious work. Granted he’s a great cook and he’s worked hard to be where he is. But this kind of behaviour only reveals that he either has problems, is too proud of himself or is full of s***.
I enjoyed reading this Dean. I am glad you wrote it in the end.
I am a PR professional myself and I must say this type of PR work is a difficult one to manage. Handling someone with this kind of ego and arrogance can be a PR nightmare!
White Slave? Dude, sloppy. No wonder he was annoyed.
I’m not quite sure why you think it’s “sloppy” PP. White Slave was indeed the British title of the autobiography, although I believe it may have been changed for certain other markets. By all means Google it, if you don’t believe me. I was even given a copy to aid my research before the interview.
It seems that celebrity chefs have a character to which the heat is always left in the kitchen or on the plate. A coldness of personality comes as an additional mastery to which many years of practice has made them all unique.
I genuinely detest “Marco Week” on Masterchef. He’s not funny. He’s a bully. And then just when he’s torn every contestant a new one and abused them to the state of a blubbering mess, he comes out with some trite BS about how he loves them all, and that is supposed to make us all love him back. It’s rewarding narcissism and it’s gross. As is most of his outdated food. If he’s so keen on staying on his farm I suggest we let him.
Your account made name wonder whether he’s bipolar or something. There could be all sorts of explanations – “he’s a bully” is one of them but may b not be the full story.
Good to read that some journalists still refuse to read of pre prepared lists of questions. Those that do just become part of the PR industry.
Marco Pierre White has always acted like he’s in the Soprano’s and people used to buy this as evidence of some variant of ‘genius’ — but in reality for many years he’s been superseded by many other far more talented chefs who don’t have to come on like a superannuated ‘bad boy’ to get attention. I guess he might work in the context of Hell’s Kitchen but his own profile is seriously wanting. Also, this kind of ‘hard-ass’ behaviour is bizarrely old-fashioned now. I suggest – don’t watch it and they’ll choose someone else. Give MPW the bad ratings he deserves.
Great article. (Edited by Mumbrella for legal reasons). Loved how you handled the situation. As a PR I’m jealous of the power dynamic that exists for journos. Maybe I just need to ‘grow a pair’ but whenever I’ve been confronted with similar (not as extreme, admittedly) situations, I’ve never felt able/empowered to speak up for myself the way you did. There’s always the fear that the account could be lost and your reputation/job along with it. Biting my lip for the greater good of the agency has become second nature. As has replaying the situations for weeks after thinking about the witty retorts I could’ve/would’ve/should’ve responded with. Time for a career change perhaps?!
I wold have thought publishing such a story just gives him the oxygen he craves ie: he wins again …
This man’s toxic masculinity has spread through kitchens like a virus. He is responsible for a lot of young chefs mistakenly believing they need to become bullies in the kitchen in order to appear authoritative. Thank goodness many newcomers to the business are wising up.