Marcus Wareing shares heartfelt reason his dad told him 'not to come back' before he died

MasterChef star Marcus Wareing opened up on how his dad lovingly sent him off to live his dreams. The 53-year-old TV presenter appeared on BBC's One Show, to chat to hosts Lauren Laverne and Jermaine Jenas about his new show.

He explained how he helped out with a French school in his new series, Simply Provence, as he toured France to experience some of the best recipes in the world. The chef, from Southport, went on to say that schools are close to his heart because that's where his career kicked off, while under the wing of his dad, Raymond Wareing.

Telling the tale of how his Michellin-star career began, Marcus said: "School meals is where I started with my father. It's one of the jobs that we used to deliver fruit and spuds to schools in the north west."

An image of Marcus with his dad appeared on screen. Raymond had his arm lovingly around his son, as Marcus said: "There's my dad, there. Unfortunately not with us anymore, sadly."

He added: "He was my rock. That man was the man who put me on a train in Liverpool, at the age of 18, told me to go to London and not come back."

Marcus went on to explain that he can't talk about food without bringing up his past, particularly his mum and dad. He said: "It's just what my father meant to me and what my mother did at home.

"My dad was a workaholic. He spent all of his life at work as a fruit and potato merchant. But the humble, basic ingredients of what my father's business was is what set me sailing in the kitchen."

Speaking to Radio Times, Marcus said earlier that the new series is devoted to his beloved dad, following his death. He said that he learnt his culinary skills from the generation before him, as he declared his dad to be "the best".

The chef said: "He was a man of precision and discipline who purchased fresh produce and lots of it. I was 11 years old when I went to work for my dad, packing potatoes. I had seven years with him."

Marcus added that he has made the new series to "educate himself" and to "take people on a journey".

Each new episode will be devoted to one particular ingredient and packed with useful cooking tips from the Michelin star chef. In the first episode of the new series, which focuses on tomatoes, Marcus explains how he can't talk about food without bringing his dad, whom he lost two months ago, into the equation.

The One Show airs weekdays at 7pm on BBC One.