I was sad to hear that the original and in my opinion the best TV chef had past away today.
I was fortunate enough to meet Kieth at his pub in Totnes years ago when I made my living as a commercial
photographer and had been commissioned to photograph him as part of a food companys promotion. I spent a few days with Kieth and found him to be both warm and great fun although I had been warned that he could be difficult.
Having driven down from the North-East to his Devon home I arrived about 11.30 on the eve of the shoot
and he made sure I was well fed and "watered" before retiring for the evening at about 3.30am, this man was a party animal.
I began preperations for the shoot at 7.00am despite my assistant and myself being a little "tired" from the night before and the whole shoot went very well and without incident after all he was no stranger in front of the camera.
I was taken with this mans passion for food and drink and enjoyed his company and his hospitality, I remember his zest for life and can still hear him singing Me and Bobby McGee as he had the first time I met him, I still have the book he gave me when I left Totnes and value it a little more today.
Cheers Kieth.