Out of the Frying Pan: An Autobigraphy - Hardcover

Floyd, Keith

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0002571315 ISBN 13: 9780002571319

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2000

Synopsis

Keith Floyd’s exuberant personality, as much as his cooking skills, has made him a favourite both as bestselling author and as television presenter. But here, for the first time, he tells his own story – and it is full of surprises.

The stories from his childhood in Somerset are vivid and moving: his grandfather with his tin leg, his mother at the mills, and his uncle, the ferret keeper and the black sheep of the family for ‘carrying on’ with married women.

Keith Floyd spent a short spell on a local newspaper, and then, in a hilarious episode, joined the army. After he and the Ministry of Defense decided that they did not suit each other, he took his first cooking job as an assistant vegetable cook in a Bristol hotel. The great period of bistros and cafes had dawned and Keith Floyd was in the forefront, cooking in an open kitchen, with Pink Floyd blaring from the speakers.

What is wonderful about this book is the vividness of the scenes he paints and the deftness with which he draws the characters – including his several wives. Those who have admired Keith Floyd’s way with a whisk will now be impressed to discover and enjoy his remarkable skill with words.

About this title

Review:

When The Naked Chef was crawling around in his birthday suit, Keith Floyd was the undisputed king of cookery programmes. But his culinary career hasn't always flowed as smoothly as the wine he was famous for downing. Hence the title of his autobiography: Out Of The Frying Pan. In the early 80s, following the collapse of another restaurant, Floyd found himself yet again up Jacob's Creek without a glass. "I was 40 years old, virtually bankrupt, a middle-aged man with a brilliant future behind me." Then out of the blue Floyd received a call from a BBC producer asking if he wanted to make a programme about cooking fish. Floyd's first TV series was such a surprising success that his producer told him: "I've created a monster and it's time to load the gun with silver bullets." In hindsight, after 16 TV series, 18 books, three marriages, one receivership and countless kiss-and-tell stories later, Floyd suggests that he may well have fired the gun himself. "If I knew than what I know now, I might have never have made 'Floyd on Fish'." With his programmes still being shown regularly around the world, his many thousands of fans will be pleased that he did. Now the ex-restaurateur has proved himself to be a formidable raconteur. Out Of The Frying Pan gives a frank and colourful account of a turbulent life lived to the full and recalls a career as chequered as a pair of chef's trousers. Engaging and evocative, this life story will leave readers hungry for more. --Christopher Kelly

From the Back Cover:

In the living room, a Victorian mahogany table was laid with embroidered table mats and set with bone handled knives and forks. There was a large cut glass salt cellar. There was a freshly cut loaf of burnt crusty white bread from the Golden Hill Bakery. There was a weeping, golden yellow brick of salty farmhouse butter. There was a small, ten year old boy, in a white shirt, tie and grey short trousers with a yellow and purple snake belt and sandals, sitting – elbows off the table – waiting for his lunch which would have to be eaten in silence while his grandfather grumpily slurped his stew, as the announcer from the radio in the corner said' "This is the BBC Home Service – this is the 1 o'clock news."

Keith Floyd's exuberant personality, as much as his cooking skills, have made him a favourite both as a bestselling author and as a television presenter. But here for the first time, he tells his own story and it is full of surprises.

The stories from his childhood in Somerset are vivid and moving; his grandfather with his tin leg, his mother at the mills, his uncle, the ferret keeper – and the black sheep of the family for 'carrying on' with married women – tales of an England that seems long gone.

His experiences of office life of the period are fascinating, funny and moving, in particular scenes form his time of employment on a local newspaper. Still exploring his potential, still looking for a way to earn a penny, Keith Floyd took the decision to join the Army. The stories of his training, the management of survival courses, his life in the barracks and eventually the officers' mess are both hilarious and a brilliant drawing of the life of a soldier in peacetime, including wonderful portraits of his companions.

After he and the Ministry of Defence decided that they did not suit each other, he took his first cooking job as an assistant vegetable cook in a Bristol hotel. The great period of the bistros and cafes had just dawned and Keith Floyd was in the forefront, cooking in an open kitchen with Pink Floyd blaring from the speakers. At one time in this period, Keith Floyd was juggling with running two restaurants, starting a third, trying to set up his first married home, and constantly creating new dishes, new menus and new venues for enjoyable eating.

'Out of the Frying Pan' is a wonderful rollercoaster ride. Those who have admired Keith Floyd's way with a whisk will now be impressed and delighted by his remarkable skill with words.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0002571315
• ISBN 13: 9780002571319
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 277