It's been a big week for James Martin. This week, the celebrity chef returned to work as lockdown measures in the UK ease, and he shared a telling photo on Instagram to document the reopening of one of his restaurants.
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The image shows a kitchen ticket machine, with a huge stack of orders on a spike next to it. James wrote: "It may mean nothing to some. This picture was taken by me just now halfway through service but it's a restaurant's life." He concluded: "If you know you know… we are back."
WATCH: James Martin Celebrates The Reopening Of His Restaurant
Fans and famous friends were quick to congratulate the 48-year-old, with Kate Thornton writing: "A beautiful sight x." Jodie Kidd - a finalist on Celebrity Masterchef in 2014 - added: "Yes chef yes!" while Julia Bradbury remarked: "Amazing!"
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It is not known which of James's restaurants the photo was taken in, but The Kitchen at Chewton Glen in Hampshire did open its doors this week. He also owns James Martin Manchester and café chain James Martin Kitchen, which has various locations across the UK.
James Martin has enjoyed a successful week back at work
Over the past month, James has been hard at work getting his restaurant ready for the grand reopening. He even spent his 48th birthday cleaning and painting the establishment in preparation for the big day.
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The This Morning star was inundated with birthday messages, with one fan telling him: "James you're a workaholic! Hope you get to chill this evening with a stiff G&T and a nice cigar." Another remarked: "Happy Birthday! Hope you have time to celebrate properly now."
The celebrity chef with partner Louise Davies
During lockdown, James has been isolating with his girlfriend, TV producer Louise Davies, and their pet dogs in their lovely country home in Hampshire. The couple, who have been dating since 2011, tend to keep a low profile, with the TV star rarely speaking about his girlfriend in public or sharing photos of her on social media.
Earlier this year, James revealed that giving up on the chance to settle down and raise a family is one of his biggest regrets. In an interview with Prima, the former Strictly contestant confessed that his dedication to work outweighed his desire to take the "conventional" route. "The biggest low of my career is that I've given up everything for it," he confessed. "I look at my mates and they're all married with kids, and that's not the case for me because I've been so focused on work."