Matt Tebutt's life offscreen from intriguing first meeting with wife to proud dad moments

TV chef Matt Tebutt has today shared some very exciting news, revealing that he has been appointed as a new judge on MasterChef: The Professionals.

This announcement was greeted with applause over wine in the Saturday Morning Kitchenstudio, while viewers at home also rushed to social media to offer their warmest congratulations.

51-year-old Matt is one of the most recognisable faces in food media, and this latest development looks set to be another thrilling chapter in his career.

Matt, who won't be leaving his Saturday Kitchen gig, will appear on 18th series of MasterChef: The Professionals alongside fellow judges Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti.

And behind the scenes, he'll no doubt be cheered on by his devoted wife and their adult children.

READ MORE: Gregg Wallace's replacement on MasterChef: The Professionals announced

Bombshell first meeting with wife

Food Unwrapped star Matt tied the knot with wife Lisa in 1999, with the pair last year celebrating their milestone 25 year anniversary. Although Matt tends to keep private about his personal life, he did offer a little insight into how he and Lisa first met during a 2023 appearance on the Grilled by The Staff Canteen podcast alongside fellow chef Anna Haugh, dropping a bombshell that certainly left listeners surprised.

When quizzed as to how they started dating, Matt admitted: "I used to go out with her sister - next [question]! Fun fact." Anna replied: "How did I not know that? That is so you, well done you," to which Matt cheekily chuckled: "Moving on." Anna continued: "I love Lisa and I think the two of you together are brilliant because she's just as mischevious, if not more, than you."

Power couple

Matt and Lisa used to run the Foxhunter pub in Nant-y-derry, Wales together, but, despite enjoying success with their endeavours, ultimately decided to take a step back from their professional partnership to improve their work-life balance.

In a previous interview with the Mirror, Matt shed a little light on their working dynamic, revealing that Lisa "definitely wears the trousers" in the relationship. He shared: "Working alongside each other was tough, but we’re still together. We worked well as a team – Lisa is great with people, whereas I’m the bolshie chef in the kitchen. She definitely wears the trousers, no question… followed by my daughter!"

Family man Matt also divulged that Lisa helps keep him grounded while navigating his TV heartthrob status, stopping him from becoming a diva. He shrugged: "James Martin had bouncers for these middle-aged women. But it’s not being a rockstar, is it? I’m not walking down the road like Axl Rose. Lisa’s very aware of me turning into an a*se, and she’ll keep that in check."

Proud dad moment

Matt and Lisa, who live in the sleepy Welsh village of Llantilio Crossenny, share two grown up children together, Jessie and Henry, who are now both in their early twenties. Back in 2023, Saturday Morning Kitchen viewers were treated to a sweet proud dad moment as Matt learned daughter Jessie had earned a first class degree from Goldsmiths University, live on air.

Toward the end of the show, the camera panned toward a grinning Matt, who put his presenting duties to one side for a moment after receiving a text from Jessie. Holding his phone aloft, Matt beamed: "I've just had a text from my daughter. Proud dad moment. She got a first at university."

Saturday Morning Kitchen guests were quick to applaud Jessie's impressive achievement, including Strictly Come Dancing star Anita Rani. With some emotion, Matt delightedly continued: "So well done Jess congratulations. [...] Yeah sorry, I have just taken over TV for my own gain. Right, let's get back to the script."

That same year, Matt took to Instagram to share a father-daughter graduation pic with multi-talented Jessie, who balanced her academic studies with drumming in a band called Cape Orange. Speaking with theDaily Express previously about his experiences parenting grown-up children, Matt said: "My daughter is now at University in London, so we get to meet up pretty often... usually over a long lunch. I've entered a new phase of parenthood where we get to do grown-up adult things like that which is amazing."

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

READ MORE: Myleene Klass has launched the perfect ‘warm and fashionable’ trench coat for autumn