ITV broadcast a heartfelt tribute to television chef James Martin during the latest episode of his popular weekend cooking programme, James Martin's Saturday Morning. The show, which aired on Valentine's Day, featured guests including former Wet Wet Wet singer Marti Pellow and sauce entrepreneur Levi Roots at Martin's Hampshire residence.
An Unforgettable French Cheese Experience
Early in the programme, Martin traveled to Jura, France, to meet cheese connoisseur Jean-Charles Arnaud. Introducing the segment, Martin told viewers, "Just enjoy this. This is pretty special." The chef then visited a historic French fortress that now serves as a storage facility for over 100,000 rounds of Comté cheese.
In a voiceover, Martin described the scene: "In over 50,000 metres of vaulted rooms more than 100,000 rounds of glorious Comté cheese are aged and refined." Footage showed him entering the cavernous space with Arnaud, where he expressed awe at the towering shelves packed with cheese. "This is just about the best place I've ever been to," Martin declared. "These caves are incredible."
The Art of Cheese Maturation
Arnaud explained that the cheeses undergo a minimum maturation period of one year. He demonstrated how tapping the cheese wheels with a small hammer produces different pitches, indicating the progress of the aging process. Martin watched, fascinated, as each cheese round emitted a unique sound when struck.
After identifying a particularly promising wheel, Arnaud extracted the 40kg cheese for closer examination. Following a taste test, Martin enthusiastically praised the flavour, exclaiming, "It's fantastic," before bursting into laughter.
A Personal and Emotional Gesture
Clearly moved by Martin's genuine enthusiasm, Arnaud performed a touching tribute by carving the chef's name into the edge of the cheese wheel. The gesture meant that Martin could return in another year to collect his personally marked cheese.
Visibly emotional, Martin responded with surprise and gratitude, asking, "That's my cheese?" He then humorously added, "Problem is I've got to find it - thank you very much. I'm coming back for that, that's amazing."
James Martin's Saturday Morning continues to air on ITV1 and ITVX every Saturday at 9.30am, offering viewers a blend of culinary expertise and engaging celebrity interviews.
