Jason Rayner

September 14, 1966

London, Greater London, United Kingdom

His family is Jewish. He joined The Observer newspaper after graduating from Leeds University in 1988, where he was editor of the student newspaper. As of 2014 he is restaurant critic of The Observer. He has written for a wide range of British newspapers and magazines, including Gentlemen’s Quarterly, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, the New Statesman and Granta. In 1992 he was named Young Journalist of the Year in the British Press His first non-fiction book, Stardust Falling, was published in 2002 and was followed by his third novel, The Apologist, published in the United States as Eating Crow, in 2004. He was one of the panel of critics who made up the titular "enemy" on the daytime cookery show Eating with the Enemy and performs a similar role on the United Kingdom version of MasterChef. His television appearances have earnt him the nickname Acid Rayner due to his sour demeanour. He is the food reporter on the British Broadcasting Corporation magazine programme The One Show, and was on the panel of judges on the American programme Top Chef Masters. He chairs a Radio Four programme called The Kitchen Cabinet, and has appeared on a University Challenge television quiz Christmas special. He was awarded the title Beard of the Year for 2011 by the Beard Liberation Front. He attended Malton Food Festival as a guest star in 2013, with celebrity chef Antonio Carluccio. He will guest star on series 5 of Hacker Time. Review of The Manitoba Who Ate The World at Letters On Pages.

Jason Rayner

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journalist presenter food critic

Background

Rayner is the younger son of journalist Claire Rayner and Desmond Rayner.

Education

He was brought up in the Sudbury Hill area of Harrow and attended the independent The Haberdashers" Aske"s Boys" School.

Career

His family is Jewish. He joined The Observer newspaper after graduating from Leeds University in 1988, where he was editor of the student newspaper. As of 2014 he is restaurant critic of The Observer.

He has written for a wide range of British newspapers and magazines, including Gentlemen’s Quarterly, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, the New Statesman and Granta.

In 1992 he was named Young Journalist of the Year in the British Press His first non-fiction book, Stardust Falling, was published in 2002 and was followed by his third novel, The Apologist, published in the United States as Eating Crow, in 2004. He was one of the panel of critics who made up the titular "enemy" on the daytime cookery show Eating with the Enemy and performs a similar role on the United Kingdom version of MasterChef.

His television appearances have earnt him the nickname Acid Rayner due to his sour demeanour. He is the food reporter on the British Broadcasting Corporation magazine programme The One Show, and was on the panel of judges on the American programme Top Chef Masters.

He chairs a Radio Four programme called The Kitchen Cabinet, and has appeared on a University Challenge television quiz Christmas special.

He was awarded the title Beard of the Year for 2011 by the Beard Liberation Front. He attended Malton Food Festival as a guest star in 2013, with celebrity chef Antonio Carluccio. He will guest star on series 5 of Hacker Time.

Review of The Manitoba Who Ate The World at Letters On Pages.

Achievements

Restaurant Critic Of The Year, Glenfiddich Food and Drink (2001) Critic Of The Year, British Press (2006).

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Jason Rayner

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Awards

Author's Club First Novel Award Restaurant Critic Of The Year, Glenfiddich Food and Drink (2001) Critic Of The Year, British Press (2006)