Chasing perfection in the kitchen

Being a celebrity chef is nice, Britain's Jason Atherton tells Xu Junqian, but spending more time in his kitchens from London to Shanghai is what keeps him on his game.

His fame may be built on his work with Gordon Ramsay and his regular appearances on TV cooking shows, but after declaring independence in 2010 from his longtime mentor, Jason Atherton has now made up his mind to make a break with television, too.

"You should be famous because you are a good chef, not because you are on TV dancing like a clown," the 45-year-old English chef/restaurateur tells China Daily during his latest trip to Shanghai. "What's really important for me is the kitchen."