James Martin Praises Heartfelt Tribute to Honored Star
On February 14, 2026, the popular ITV cooking show, James Martin’s Saturday Morning, highlighted a touching tribute to renowned chef James Martin. This particular episode celebrated Valentine’s Day with special guests, including former Wet Wet Wet lead vocalist Marti Pellow and culinary expert Levi Roots.
Heartfelt Tribute on ITV Show
During the broadcast, James Martin showcased a segment that took viewers to Jura, France. He met cheese expert Jean-Charles Arnaud at a historic French fortress renowned for its impressive collection of Comté cheese.
Exploring the Cheese Fortress
- Location: Jura, France
- Facility: An old fortress housing over 100,000 rounds of Comté cheese
- Size: Over 50,000 meters of vaulted rooms dedicated to cheese aging
James expressed his excitement, stating to audiences, “This is pretty special.” As he toured the area, he marveled at the towering shelves filled with cheese. Jean-Charles explained the aging process, with each cheese requiring a minimum of one year before it was ready for consumption.
A Unique Tasting Experience
During the segment, Jean-Charles demonstrated how to gauge the cheese’s maturity by tapping each round with a small hammer. The variations in pitch provided insight into the aging quality. One notable cheese wheel, weighing 40 kilograms and aged for one year, captured James’s attention.
After tasting it, he enthusiastically remarked, “It’s fantastic,” and could hardly contain his laughter at the exquisite flavor.
A Personal Touch
In a heartfelt moment, Jean-Charles carved James Martin’s name into the cheese wheel, marking it for future enjoyment. Overwhelmed by the gesture, James jokingly noted the challenge of retrieving his personalized cheese in the future. “That’s my cheese?” he asked, before expressing his gratitude, “I’m coming back for that, that’s amazing.”
James Martin’s Saturday Morning airs on ITV1 and ITVX every Saturday at 9:30 AM. For more updates on TV, movies, and entertainment, visit El-Balad.
