Tom Kerridge Shares Honest Family Insight: “We Have Monstrous Fireworks”

Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge has offered a heartfelt glimpse into his relationship with his 12-year-old son, Acey, candidly describing their dynamic as full of “monstrous fireworks” balanced by the “best laughs.” Tom, 52, shares Acey with his wife, Beth Cullen-Kerridge, a sculptor who showcased her work in two American exhibitions last year.

Describing Acey as his “mini me,” Tom highlights their shared passions for motorbikes and cooking. Known as a rugby enthusiast, Acey attends their local state primary school and impresses with his physical strength—by age nine, he was already capable of deadlifting 80 kilograms. Tom previously praised him as an “absolute unit” and is proud of his son’s dedication to rugby, noting that the sport is where Acey truly shines.

Reflecting on his own upbringing in a single-parent household in Wiltshire, Tom admits he’s still “learning to be a dad” just as Acey is learning to be a son. “We have monstrous fireworks, but we also have the best laughs,” Tom shared in an interview with The Times. “The best way I can describe my relationship with him is I am like his big brother, just with money. We play the same games and do daft things. Then we fall out like brothers rather than having a typical father and son relationship.”

Tom is fully aware of Acey’s fiery temperament on the rugby field, often referred to as “red mist” because of how much he hates losing. Influenced by former England international Joe Marler, who Tom says is Acey’s hero, the young boy channels his passion and competitive spirit in the game.

On the Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner podcast, Tom described Acey’s impressive physicality and temperament: “He can be the most gentle, wonderful human, but he’s also got this streak. I try to control and enhance it because it’s part of who he is.”

Tom also acknowledged how his similar personality traits sometimes lead to clashes with his son, which can leave his wife Beth exasperated. “He’s a lot like me, and it drives my wife nuts sometimes. We argue about the same things and it’s like having an argument with yourself. But then we both laugh about it afterward,” he shared on the Rugby Lives podcast.

As Tom returns to screens at 7pm on 3 April with The Great British Menu on BBC Two, viewers can look forward to seeing him join judges Lorna McNee and Phil Wang as Northern Ireland’s top chefs compete with a six-course menu.