Inside stunning castle where James Martin grew up and cooked for Queen Mother aged 12

James Martin shares regrets about growing tomatoes

Celebrity chef James Martin had an unusual childhood where instead of playgrounds he was running through the hallowed hallways of a gigantic stately home.

The James Martin's Saturday Morning star was born in Malton, North Yorkshire in 1972 and spent most of his youth working with his parents and in the kitchen of the Castle Howard estate.

James’s interest in cooking food began at an early age when his father took the role of catering manager at the estate, a stately home in his native Yorkshire. Starting as a pot-washer at age 12, James then moved on to menial tasks such as buttering bread and piping eclairs.

"My passion for food began when my father took the role of catering manager at the Castle Howard estate," he said. "My mother will tell you I was six or seven [when I first wanted to be a chef], but from eight or nine, I was working in kitchens doing pot washing.

"I went to Castle Howard to earn pocket money. That’s how it started, and I think a lot of chefs back then did that route."

Castle Howard had a young James walking through its hallowed halls daily (Image: Castle Howard)

"It meant I was working in Michelin kitchens when I was about 12 or 13, because you could get away with it back then."

James could also boast that he'd cooked for the Queen Mother on her visit there. Castle Howard has been the home of the aristocratic Howard family for more than 300 years.

Castle Howard was commissioned by the 3rd Earl of Carlisle, who was a male-line descendant of Lord William Howard. The building of Castle Howard, began in 1699, with the start of design work by John Vanbrugh.

It was completed with the decoration of the Long Gallery in 1811. The house is surrounded by 13,000 acres and included the villages of Welburn, Bulmer, Slingsby, Terrington and Coneysthorpe.

The estate was served by its own railway station, Castle Howard station, from 1845 to the 1950s. In 1952, Castle Howard was opened to the public by its then-owner, Lord Howard of Henderskelfe. It is now owned by a Howard family company

Castle Howard is a stunning location (Image: Xplore Heritage/YouTube)

James, who has dedicated his life to his career, said he didn't grow up wealthy but had a failry upbringing. He's Lord of his own manor now with his impressive fortune.

According to CelebrityNetWorth.com, James boasts a net worth of approximately £3.6million. The 52-year-old who apart from having a well paid televion career with ITV, Owns a restaurant in Manchester, which first opened its doors in 2013.

He also has four branches of James Martin Kitchen bakeries and cafes located at Stansted and Glasgow airports, Manchester Piccadilly train station, and a shopping centre in Essex.

The gifted chef's television breakthrough came in 1996 when he began featuring on popular cooking shows such as Ready Steady Cook and The Big Breakfast.

The libraries at Castle Howard are stacked with books (Image: Xplore Heritage/YouTube)

Castle Howard has hosted the Queen Mother (Image: Xplore Heritage/YouTube)

In 2004, BBC One introduced James Martin: Yorkshire's Finest, a programme that saw the chef exploring various locations in his home county of Yorkshire and sampling different cuisines.

In 2015, James guest presented multiple episodes of The One Show with Alex Jones, before eventually hosting Saturday Morning with James Martin in 2017.

On a personal note, the renowned chef has been romantically involved with TV producer Louise Davies since 2011, and the pair share their home with two dogs.

James enjoys the tranquillity of rural life, residing in a stunning house surrounded by expansive gardens in the English countryside.