You'd think by now that people would know better. Embellishing a resume, adding credits that are the work of a vivid imagination rather than hard work... they're bound to be unearthed someday. Especially if you're a success. The latest prevaricator caught in a series of lies is Food Network's British chef Robert Irvine. In a scathing expose by the St. Petersburg Times, the star of Dinner: Impossible, has been caught with egg on his face. Make that more like egg salad. Multiple claims by Irvine, including creating Princess Diana's wedding cake, cooking for White House dinners, being knighted by the queen, and more, have turned out to be tall tales.Eww! That smarts. This isn't the first time Food Network has been stung by the truth. Last year, during the penultimate episode of The Food Network Star 3, one of the finalists, Josh "JAG" Garcia, was disqualified when it was learned he lied about his military service as well as his cooking expertise. Speaking for Food Network, a press rep said, "We are investigating the matter and taking the necessary steps to ensure the accuracy of all representations of Robert on Food Network and foodnetwork.com."
It'll take some clever cooking for Chef Robert to overcome this challenge to his image. His show, which sets up each challenge the chef must complete on the episode while the clock is ticking in the mode of Mission: Impossible, is in its second season on the network and is a hit. More than that, the chef has been prominently featured on a variety of other Food Network programs and is considered one of their rising stars.
[via TMZ]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-19-2008 @ 3:46PM
Oreo said...
The got rid of Josh Garcia because of that lie?! That's bullshit! He was clearly the best and would have made a great series. Now we get stuck with that female who brings nothing to the table besides a nice blue kitchen.
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2-19-2008 @ 5:20PM
Joseph Land said...
Oreo, I agree! I love watching programming featuring cheats and liars! I'm sure all of America would tune in faithfully to watch a cooking show hosted by a man who made false claims about military service. He could call it Stolen Valor Delicacies.
Oreo, do you contribute as little in real life as your comments do on TV Squad?
On the topic: I'm really disappointed by this news. I love watching Mission: Impossible. I eager to know the full story here.
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2-19-2008 @ 5:48PM
rex said...
Actually they gave JAG an opportunity to explain his story. He at first declined to explain and then later came on and removed himself from the competition. Food Network did not force him out, he withdrew from the competition. When watching the "Next Food Network Star" series (or what ever the name of the show was) in order before the live finale episode it made sense. You can see that JAG was not being forthcoming about his past and his stories about himself had a lot of inconsistencies.
However, there is a big difference between saying you fought in Afghanistan and this situation. I would bet this is more of a situation where stories about Robert Irving got blown out of proportion to gather more attention (baking a secondary cake for a wedding celebration event turns into OMG he baked Princess Di's cake and fed it to her himself!)
I was disappointed by JAG, but don't really feel this situation is that big of a deal.
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2-19-2008 @ 7:41PM
mikedt said...
If "Dinner: Impossibe" is really a ratings hit I'm sure Food Network will find a way to overlook his tall tails.
Being Knighted?? He didn't think anybody would research that?
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2-19-2008 @ 8:16PM
eugene said...
Well, just goes to show you, if you're going to lie, lie big. If the lie is big and outrageous enough, people will just assume you're telling the truth.
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2-22-2008 @ 2:21AM
Kevin said...
had me fooled, the show is fun, I will watch anyway, just wont believe that he completed the mission and that it tasted good.
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2-22-2008 @ 12:55PM
t.giovanni said...
I worked with him, he is the most cocky and rude
man I ever met. always put people down, and love
when lower management kiss his behind!!! it never
added up to me, he always talked about all the important
people he cooked for, and at the time he was in a casino
in atlantic city nj. a lower end casino!!! tasted his food
was not that great at all. Its nice to see what comes around go's around.
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2-25-2008 @ 4:03PM
lifeasitshouldbe said...
what casino was it, t.giovanni?
2-26-2008 @ 1:25PM
Joslyn said...
The guy is not a great chef! he walked around the casino with a bad attitude and constantly berated people. He thought he was another gordon ramsey! No where near him as far as talent goes! The casinos figured him out 10 years ago. The president of Caesars told him to take the pictures of the quenn off his office wall and all the other bullshit hanging on his walls! His time was short lived! How could the food network have not researched him prior! They look stupid as well! No one in England ever heard of him. Dum Americans!!!!!!
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2-28-2008 @ 10:27AM
Kevin said...
had me fooled, the show is fun, I will watch anyway, just wont believe that he completed the mission and that it tasted good.
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2-29-2008 @ 11:55PM
Brockage said...
BRING HIM BACK MR TUSCHMAN -- He's one of the few live wires (Bobby, Mario, the now-vanished Emeril) on the FN.
Maybe resume exaggeration is a horror; maybe it's not much -- fine the guy, make him wear sackcloth and ashes, but bring back one of the few really exiting chefs on the FN.
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3-04-2008 @ 9:20AM
Jon Frattasio said...
Chef Irvine really screwed up but his show was the best and most entertaining, by far, on the food network, as far as I'm concerned. I looked forward to Wednesday nights because of the Dinner Impossible series. It always made me crack up laughing, the whole idea of it. I hope they bring him back anyway or perhaps, Martha Stuart will grab him up. He's a talented chef and he's got a great and funny personality. I think he did what he had to do to get into show biz, he got caught, he apologized, fine him or something and bring him back? The show is great. -Jon Frattasio Hanover MA.
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3-04-2008 @ 5:59PM
littledoe said...
Oh well another liar caught but you know what? He did what he had to do on the show. They gave him a job to do, he completed it sometimes with barely time to spare sometimes with more time to spare but he did it. Might not have tasted great but I never got to try his food. What the heck, bring him back it was fun to watch. Jag on the other hand, I can't see impersonating the true and brave soldiers that do go into combat and serve our country. What's wrong with him??? Bring bob back
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3-07-2008 @ 7:59AM
Brian said...
This guy is a disgrace - it amazes me when I read comments from all these people that don't care and say so what, it's just a little embellishment. I'd love to put on my resume that I have a P.H.D etc. and tell interviewers all kinds of made up stories about my exploits but silly me, I thought honesty and integrity were character traits that mattered. Apparently in this day and age we've become so numb - that anything goes. What a shame.
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4-23-2008 @ 11:15PM
carolyn said...
I guess this is old news, new to me I think Robert needs to bake himself a HUGE Humble pie and eat it all in front of us. Grow up and get on with a true life. how he is said to have acted is unconsionable and he needs to re-think his motives, and what about the people he has hurt.....how are you
George,George and Dave?
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