Iain ‘Huey’ Hewitson has had enough with the new generation of celebrity chefs.
On Saturday, the 69-year-old unleashed on Australia’s current crop of TV foodies, labelling them ‘game show hosts’ not cooks.
Manu Feildel, George Calombaris and Gordon Ramsay were all skewered, grilled and burned in Huey’s Herald Sun interview – but he saved his worst roasting for Pete Evans.
‘He was a very good chef – then he discovered paleo’: TV chef Iain ‘Huey’ Hewitson (left) has slammed MKR star Pete Evans (right), saying people like him are ‘game show hosts’ not cooks
From Huey’s perspective, there are two distinct phases of Pete’s career: when he was good, and now.
‘He was a very good chef – then he discovered paleo,’ he said. ‘But whatever rocks your boat. I find that all really weird.’
When asked about the likes of Pete’s MKR co-host Manu Feildel and MasterChef judge George Calombaris, Huey replied: ‘They are game show hosts, aren’t they?’
Ouch! From Huey’s perspective, there are two distinct phases of the MKR judge’s career: when he was good, and now. Pictured: Pete on his farm in rural New South Wales
‘They get on TV once and then they are celebrity chefs. I am a cook and I always was. I am a man who hopefully teaches you something and how to cook.’
According to Huey, Pete is a prime example of a respected chef becoming just another ‘game show host’.
Pete entered the industry in 1996, quickly becoming Executive Chef for the Hugos chain of restaurants. He was once revered by critics and fellow chefs.
Criticism: ‘He was a very good chef – then he discovered paleo,’ Huey said of Pete (centre). ‘But whatever rocks your boat. I find that all really weird’
From 1998 to 2011, Hugos won 21 ‘Best In Australia’ awards at the Australian Fine Food Show. In 2005, Hugos also won ‘Best Pizza In The World’ at the American Pizza Challenge in New York City.
Pete also enjoyed a brief-yet-successful career in America, where he linked up with Oprah Winfrey on a handful of occasions and hosted an acclaimed PBS show.
Sometime around 2014, he completed an online course at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where he learned the paleo way.
Not a fan! When asked about the likes of Pete’s MKR co-host Manu Feildel and MasterChef judge George Calombaris (pictured), Huey replied, ‘They are game show hosts, aren’t they?’
In 2015, he incorporated his knowledge into a book he co-authored called Wubba Yum Dum: The Paleo Way for New Mums, Babies and Toddlers.
The book received widespread criticism after its recipes were labelled ‘deadly to babies’ by the president of the Public Health Association of Australia.
‘In my view, there’s a very real possibility that a baby may die if this book goes ahead,’ President Heather Yeatman said.
War of words: According to Huey, Pete (pictured right during a cryotherapy session) is a prime example of a respected chef becoming just another ‘game show host’