by Sally Clifford

HIS down-to-earth demeanour makes him one of the most popular chefs of our time.

For all the success he has enjoyed since launching his TV career 20 years ago, James Martin remains true to his Yorkshire roots and is bringing his debut UK tour, Plates, Mates and Automobiles, to his home county.

Arriving at St George's Hall on Tuesday March 8, the interactive show, featuring special guests, commemorates the start of James's TV career.

Growing up on a farm, James is at home in the countryside. These days home is split between Hampshire, Scarborough, and York.

Of the tour he says: "I'm really looking forward to it. It's been 20 years doing this, I call it a hobby."

He had been approached previously to do a tour but the timing wasn't right. "I said I wanted to make it really special. This is a big production, we have spent a lot of time on it. I have been rehearsing for three months, for two and-a-half-hours a day."

The 'mates' referred to in the title of his tour refer to the 50 or so famous faces who are featuring in it. "There are elements of the show you will never see anywhere like this," says James, referring to the fast-paced, interactive and high tech format.

"It's an evening of fun. You're not just seeing a cooking demonstration."

For someone used to being in front of the camera, taking a show on tour is unchartered territory.

"It's nice to do something that excites you, in 20 years of doing it this is the most exciting thing I have ever done."

While James is used to participating in food festivals all over the world, he rarely gets the chance to do something on his own doorstep and is relishing the opportunity of bringing the tour to Yorkshire. "It's very much 'Let's have a great evening'," says James.

The tour combines his main passions - cooking and cars. The most recent addition to James's car collection is Keith Floyd's old Citroen 2CV.

Apart from the appeal of getting behind the wheel, James is also interested in its history. "You think where has it been in its past life? If that car could tell a story it would tell some amazing stories," he explains.

James's interest in transport stems from his childhood. "I like any cars really but when I was a child the only thing you could get was a Massey Ferguson on a farm!" he recalls, referring to his rural upbringing.

His early stomping ground was around Castle Howard where his father worked as catering manager. Following in his father's footsteps, James also pursued a career in catering, attending college in Scarborough before heading off to London aged 17.

Swiftly progressing through the ranks, he opened his first restaurant aged 22 and his success enabled him to satisfy his passion for cars.

"When I started work I knew all the showrooms in London, I would visit them and peer through the windows thinking: 'One day' and the collection has grown," he says.

His cars aren't the only expanding collection. Success also brought James plenty of accolades and catapulted him into the limelight.

His introduction into television was incidental. "It was never about TV, it was because of the restaurant winning awards I got spotted and that was it. There was no TV chef training college." says James.

It is 10 years since he began presenting on popular weekend show Saturday Kitchen. The programme, which sees James cooking while interviewing different celebrity guests, attracts more than 3.5 million viewers every week.

He's also prone to putting pen to paper too having penned 16 best-selling cookbooks, including Sweet, paying homage to his background as a pastry chef, and More Home Comforts featuring more than 100 of his favourite recipes and photographed in his own home.

Published on February 11 by Quadrille, the book coincides with James's third series of BBC series Home Comforts.

When asked whether he has anything else planned James jauntily adds: "A day off would help!"

While he certainly packs plenty into his profession, as well as his culinary attributes he also proved he's a great mover after making it through to the semi-finals of Strictly Come Dancing. It is evident he loves every minute of it.

"It's the best job in the world. It's the job I have done all my life. I started in a farmhouse in North Yorkshire - I never dreamed I would be doing this for a living. I always wanted to cook, it's always about the food and this is the spin-off from it."

He admits he is more at home in the kitchen in his restaurant. "Everything else is just a bonus and this really is the icing on the cake," says James, referring to the tour.

"I don't want to look back and think: 'I should have done that.' It is a one-off thing for me and it is a special thing to be part of."

James Martin's Plates, Mates and Automobiles comes to Bradford's St George's Hall on Tuesday March 8. For tickets call (01274) 432000.