Jeremiah Tower talks to William Sitwell

American celebrity chef and architect of California cuisine Jeremiah Tower talks about his life, his latest book, Table Manners: How to Behave in the Modern World and Why Bother, and introduces a showing of a new film about his life, Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent.

Tower was educated in Australia, England and the United States and trained as an architect. Finding himself short of money, he took a job at the then unknown Chez Panisse restaurant in California. Within a year he was equal partners with the owners of the restaurant and in charge of the kitchen. He went on to open a string of southwestern-themed restaurants across the US including Stars – among the top-grossing restaurants in the US for a decade – and to become one of the most influential figures in the American food scene. He has written several books, including Start the Fire: How I Began a Food Revolution in America and Jeremiah Tower’s New American Classics, and appeared on many leading US television shows including Good Morning America and The Late Show with David Letterman.

This event includes a full showing of The Last Magnificent, which tells the story of Tower’s life and his role as one of the most controversial, outrageous, and influential figures in the history of American gastronomy. The film features interviews with Anthony Bourdain, Mario Batali and Ruth Reichl. It was directed and produced by Lydia Tenaglia, of Zero Point Zero Production.

Here Tower talks to food writer and editor of Waitrose Kitchen magazine William Sitwell.

This event lasts two hours and 15 minutes.

Watch a trailer of the film.