Hugh was born in London but raised in Gloucestershire and has been and has been enthused by cookery since a young age. He has never been professionally trained as a chef or in cookery and instead studied at Oxford and travelled to Africa to partake in conservation work.

When Hugh returned from his travels he started working at the River Café in London as a sous chef but had to leave for being too untidy!

Since then, Hugh has been a familiar face on TV with his first series, titled – Cook on the Wild Side and then TV Dinners. In 1997 he found the River Cottage here in Dorset, which he describes as “a place to promote a better understanding of the nature and origins of what we eat, and in local terms, to celebrate and contribute to the vibrancy of our local food community – one that has played such a vital part in enriching my life since I came to Dorset 6 years ago.” He really is full of Dorset character! To date three TV series have been filmed at the River Cottage.

In 2002 Hugh received an award at the Glenfiddich Food & Drink Awards. The Glenfiddich Trophy was awarded for his outstanding contribution towards widening the understanding and appreciation of excellent food and drink in Britain and for his ambition to alter people's perception of food.

	Other Dorset characters: H & W Head Brewer  /  Thomas Hardy  /  Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall Sir Walter Raleigh  /  Mary Shelly