Stirred But Not Shaken: The Autobiography [Hardcover]

'Something that makes a good memoir is a sense of a life lived with gusto. Athill has it. So too does Keith Floyd, the man who became the first celebrity chef. His memoirs are sporadic, wild, fun, like talking to a drunk at the end of the night, with a fog of cigarette smoke and tragedy in the air. A tumultuous personal life, vast riches, even vaster spending, and a love-hate relationship with fame all surface through Stirred but Not Shaken. In between sips of his preferred tipple of whisky, Floyd reveals himself as a man for whom the media was almost an amusing accident that got out of control. His true love was his cooking. As a footnote, Floyd died in September this year, just before his memoirs were published. He had been celebrating getting the all-clear from cancer that day with a hearty lunch of oysters and partridge, a bon viveur to the last meal.' -- Independent on Sunday, Best autobiography 2009 round up

'His inimitable style behind the camera, and relaxed approach at the stove - and with the wine bottle - made him one of the most watchable chefs of all time. These revealing memoirs are a must for any fan.'
--Daily Telegraph

'the book has an expert structure - digressions, recipes and anecdotes.'
--The Telegraph, Christmas Books

'From one of the first celebrity chefs, Stirred but Not Shaken is Keith Floyd's timely autobiography that is a fascinating insight into the mind of a great cook, foibles and all.' --The Times, Food Books of the Year

'A fascinating life. This honest, revealing memoir was completed just before he died last year; enjoy as a package with a large glass of decent recent wine.'
--Venue

Britain's most colourful chef serves up a deliciously entertaining account of his sweet and sour (and crazy) life.

He was the first celebrity chef, the swashbuckling cook who crossed the high seas, on a BBC budget, communicating his love of food to millions of viewers. Make a wonderful dish and have a bloody good time: that was the criteria of Keith Floyd's mission (a mission that lasted several decades). Along the way he inspired a generation of men to get into the kitchen. After starting out in a hotel kitchen in Bristol, he made and lost fortunes, was married four times, and dealt with a level of fame that bemused him. Now, in his honest and revealing memoir, completed just before he died, Keith reflects on the ups and downs of his career. Above all, the much loved, often copied, Keith Floyd whooshes the reader through his adventures, from the hilarious to the downright lunatic. As irrepressible, funny and charming as Keith himself, Stirred But Not Shaken is a must-read for anyone who loves life, food, women . . . and a quick slurp.

Keith Floyd was a highly acclaimed and influential chef whose groundbreaking television series not only changed the way cookery programmes were made, but introduced a nation to the joys of food. He made more than twenty series and authored over twenty-five books. In later years he lived quietly in France. He died on 14 September 2009.