Born and brought up in Bath, Martin was influenced by his mother's wholesome cooking from her homeland of Latvia, as well as by that of his Russian relatives.
He did a season in Switzerland and stints as a chef on a Greek tycoon's yacht before returning to London and a more permanent chef job. He set up the first of two restaurants in 1997, both of which were awarded Michelin stars. Martin now concentrates on consultancy and television work.
