Approaching his forty, he quit drinking, but now meticulously analyzes what seemed to be a "stress" addiction due to the intense pressure in the kitchen. The truth of Tom Kerridge away from the spotlight.
The story
"I never used to drink during the day until the last main course had gone out. Then I would let go and drink an endless amount of beers," Tom Kerridge began in an episode of the High Performance podcast, as reported by The Independent. During the candid interview, the British celebrity chef, owner of six restaurants - some of which are Michelin-starred - confessed to having had a strong alcohol addiction in the past. In those years, for Kerridge, alcohol was the only outlet and the only solution to cope with the extremely high level of stress he was under.
The amount of alcohol he consumed had become truly alarming. He admitted to drinking half a bottle of gin, Negronis, from 12 to 16 pints a day - even gulping them down in the shower. "Alcohol was the escape from the pressure I put on myself to achieve results. From the chaos, from that chaotic and wrong mindset, my success was born," he said in another interview with The Times. On one hand, it's the confession of a full-fledged addiction; on the other hand, it's the strange effect of alcoholic beverages on performance and the compensation for work schedule.
Kerridge's words, however, absolutely do not intend to be an apology for alcoholism, but simply the account of his experience and testimony of how certain schedules and professional environments lead to giving in to addiction. Now boasting a career rich in successes and recognitions, he has understood the importance of a healthy and balanced lifestyle. As he was approaching his forties, he decided to radically change his habits by eliminating alcohol, exercising, changing his diet, and even losing a whopping 26 pounds. In the past, some speculated health issues behind Kerridge's change of course, which the chef vehemently denied: "It wasn't health issues, but at a certain age, I said to myself, 'You know what? Maybe I need to find some balance and some control.'"
While Kerridge doesn't hesitate to admit that alcohol was previously helping him relieve all the overwhelming pressures, what he's even more certain about is that the true key to his success - both in work and life - is willpower. "I can do anything if I put my mind to it. I'm convinced of that. This aspect of my character is part of the weight loss process, giving up alcohol, dealing with addiction issues, and telling myself every day: this is the path I must pursue."
