Sir Robert Irvine’s Royal Fruitcake
“IT was an English fruitcake that weighed over 360 pounds,” Robert Irvine tells the Toronto Sun. “I worked on these elaborate side panels, which told the history of the royal Windsor and Spencer families - in icing!”
The temptation is to place this story in “Beyond Parody”.
When asked by a Florida socialite by the name of Wendy LaTorre how he would like to be introduced, Mr Irvine said he would like be known as “Sir Robert Irvine, Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order”.
She tells the St Petersburg Times: “He said there were five levels of knights, and KCVO is the highest level of knight you could be. The Queen handpicks you.”
Mr Irvine came to host a popular US cooking show, Dinner: Impossible. He and his team of chefs work against the clock to produce food in challenging circumstances.
He has written an autobiography, Mission: Cook. He sells his own-brand cookware.
Says Mr Irvine: “When I first came down there and I met people down there with all this money, it was like trying to keep up with the Joneses. I was sitting in a bar one night and that came out. It was stupid.”
His CV was a collection of elongated truths and untruths.
Mr Irvine placed the tin lid on his alleged subterfuge when he claimed to have constructed the royal wedding cake in 1981. Did he make it all? “They made the cake at the school where I was” says he. And his role? Mr Irving replies: “Picking fruit and things like that.”
He says: “I remain committed and enthusiastic about my work with Food Network and other future endeavours. I am truly sorry for the errors in my judgment.”
A spokesman for the Food Network says: “We appreciate Robert’s remorse about his actions…but for now we will be looking for a replacement host.”
Posted: 3rd, March 2008 | In: Anorak In New York Comments (20) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
- yampster on X Factor: Jedward Go GAY, Win I’m A Celebrity And Hate Susan Boyle
- Nomadic View on Bolivian Police Release Video Of World’s Worst Photo-Fit Killers’ Capture
- June on The Chilcot Inquiry Into The Iraq War, In Pictures
- Katie Norman on X Factor: Jedward Go GAY, Win I’m A Celebrity And Hate Susan Boyle
- THENTHEREWERE4 on Madeleine McCann: Kevin Halligen Becomes The ‘Maddie Faudster’
August 18th, 2008 at 6:20 am
The new guy really stinks! Way over-acting. Just doesn’t cut it at all!! It can’t last long… I hope! Bring back Robert. Entertainment… that’s what it’s supposed to be.
- I hope Duncan reconsiders and returns. And, yes, it is about entertainment…
March 8th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
My husband worked with Irvine at Cesar’s (2001)…….. he humiliates his people, scold them like kids………. he is so rude…. I was not surprised this thing will happen. He is hated here in Atlantic City (as what Inspired #14 wrote). He is full of lies just to get up to where he wants to go. And people who liked his show have to think…… if ur own husband, brother, or relatives work for him and treated like sh…….. I don’t think u will like the man. It made me puke when I saw his show. I only saw it once and never wants to see it again because if you knew the man personally……… Once again…….. karma is true.
March 7th, 2008 at 8:22 am
The show IS Robert Irvine…and I hope Food Network understands that. There is no one that can take his place that I would want to watch…. Stop and take a good look at most of the resumes; they will blow your socks off as to how much ‘blowing up’ there is in them…. He is a HUGE SUCCESS on that show and I won’t watch it if he’s taken off.
March 6th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
I enjoy watching Dinner Impossible because it is so entertaining. I never knew anything about Robert Irvine past or for whom he did or didn’t work for and to be honest I really didn’t care about his past resume.
I watch Dinner Impossible to be entertain and I don’t believe that Dinner Impossible will be the same without Robert Irvine as the Host.
If Food network decides to continue Dinner Impossible with a new host, then the new host will be judge against Robert Irvine achievement.
Food network should just scrap Dinner Impossible if Robert Irvine is no longer the host. If Food network truly believes that the show is “tainted” then they should cancel it now and not wait until next season.
A quote from Food Network President Brooke Johnson published on the blog The Stew read, “The show is, and has always been, completely accurate in the depiction of the cooking challenges faced by Robert. We will continue airing both old shows and the new season of programs currently in production. We have not renewed Robert’s contract for future seasons but will fulfill our contractual obligations.”
In other word the show is a hit and Food network will continue to ride on the back of Mr. Irvine. So the question is who is showing more integrity, the network or Mr. Irvine? Mr. Irvine has publicity apologized and shown to be remorseful for lying.
Perhaps Robert’s next Dinner Impossible challenge is to make humble pie.
March 6th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Knight indeed. Off with his head.
March 6th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Robert Who?
March 6th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Robert is not a very nice person and a terrible Chef to work for and with. Why don’t you ask the numerous cooks he has fired in Atlantic City due to his arrogance, homophobia and back stabbing tactics to his superiors and colleagues. He is the laughing stock of the culinary and educational community in Atlantic City. His stories and blatant lies are the norm not just little white lies as he has characterized them. He has lied on his job applications and will probably be barred from further employment in the hotel/gaming industry due to licensure disqualification. One thing where are his educational credentials to qualify as a chef are they made up as well. Was this guy just a Royal Navy Cook who lied his way to the top. I know this bum personally for a long time and he had me snookered. By the way he still owes me $5 bucks that I lent him.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I love dinner impossible. Robert Irvine is not a politician or my baby sitter etc. He has no life bearing impact upon me except to entertain me. Robert I am disappointed because I like your television persona and I think you are talented. Stop lying because dude from here on in if you do I am going to laugh my ass off at you. Food Network wag your finger, chastise him some, let his fellow chefs rail on him and then let it go. Still be honest in the future with the fans in these cases we have the right to accuracy and honesty but let us decide. I LIKE ROBERT IRVINE AS THE HOST MAKE MORE EPISODES, KEEP SHOWING THEM BACK TO BACK BECAUSE 30 MINUTES IS NOT ENOUGH AND LET THE THE SITUATION GO!
March 6th, 2008 at 6:13 am
Frankly, chef Irvine, I think you are aces. You have fallen on your sword but I have every confidence that you will rebound. I believe you showed great intestinal fortitude in admiting your shortcomings and I believe your remorse is genuine; not simply because you were caught.
Chef, mosey over here to San Diego. You’re a great talent and a hoot. There’s bound to be a spot for you here. Come on over. I’ll introduce you to some friends.
March 5th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
he’s a cook, who cares!
March 5th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
I have to agree 100% that no other host could replace Robert on DI. The show is very entertaining and he is a great chef (you would have had to have worked with some chefs to know what I’m talking about).
He lied, he was caught, he apoligized and now let’s move on. If any of you know anything about business, you’ll know that unless people have a contract between them, nobody owes anything to anybody. If there are people who say Robert owes them, it would be his corporation and partners and well that owe on a contract. Let the snubbed socialite learn her lesson as well. Maybe she won’t be so eager to embellish her own place in St. Pete society.
I don’t know anyone who has not embellished or outright lied on their resumes in order to get a better position. Why and when they do it is their own business, and nobody else’s. Food Network should be checking out their new “FN stars”. And even their old ones. Is Guy Fieri really from Jersey. Emeril is from Mass but claims to be from New Orleans, just because he grew up professionally there. What about the VIPs at FN? What is someone was to look into their backgrounds?
Robert is going to land on his feet. No-one that talented can be held down for long. FN would be foolish to take their #1 show and mess with it. The fans will not be happy, and Robert has plenty of fans!
Food Network…use your business head, and not be swayed by some uppity socialites who don’t even tune you in! Keep Robert on DI and work with him on future projects. Even Martha Stewart bounced back from PRISON!! She just bought a big chunck of Emeril’s empire and will probably keep going until she owns her own network, or until she’s caught with her hand in the cookie jar again.
March 5th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I really don’t care if Robert embellished his resume, he have shown to be remorseful.
Food network like ALL TV shows is about entertainment and Robert knowns how to entertain. The majority of Food network shows is educational, that is showing the audience how to prepare a certain dish, but Dinner Impossible with Robert Irvine is all about enternainment which is why I watch it.
March 5th, 2008 at 6:20 am
Hey let Robert be I loved his show and I bought his cookbook. I love it also. So he lied!! Everyone has lied at one time. I don’t care who you are You have lied in your life. Look at the president of the USA he lied to us about the gas price and so forth. We have not fired him or impeached him for it. Our troops are loosing the lives still and he says he going to pulling them out soon but he keeps sending more over. I don’t care if Robert lied. He made the show what it is today as well as Duff of Ace Of Cakes does his show. I would hate to boycott the food network like i do TNT for there stupid mistake of taking off Saved a TV show a couple of years ago. I have not watched TNT since then. I completely block that channel for my TV. If someone wants to make fun of another person and call them names don’t get me started on that because that can be turned to everyone. Food network should to off other shows and get rid of other chefs because i bet they have lied. So let him stay on the show and host it. Check all the other chefs backgrounds to see who’s lying as well. Its hell of a show and it will always be. Keep the show on and him hosting it. NO ONE CAN TAKE HIS PLACE AS THE HOST!!!!!!
March 5th, 2008 at 5:39 am
He told some huge lies. I wouldn’t want to watch him. I don’t find him that charming or interesting. In fact, I think he’s kind of a jerk. They can get another host for the show who can probably cook even better - a real chef.
March 5th, 2008 at 12:59 am
robert has a good and family show. I did not know he was suppose to have made the prince’s cake and really don’t care. He has a good show and something antbody could watch and have fun watching him try to light a fire with a box match. Do Not let him go or I’ll have to watch reruns on other stations and not the food network. Do not dig into too many of your host past. It probably would be intersedting to see what the others have done.
March 4th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Robert made a foolish mistake. He’s learned and please keep the show on-it’s such great entertainment.
Make his next challenge for the Qeen and the White House-he could easily do this and be able to prove it! Don’t give up on him!
Food Network should have done a background check-it’s their fault!
March 4th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
So he made a mistake…big deal. Who hasn’t? Show business is full of fakes and frauds. It’s what it’s all about, really. Entertainment…it’s why we watch. It was a great show, so let it go on. There are people such as Presidents who lie and with serious, deadly consequences. Only we can’t cancel there contracts. So just let Robert be. He’s brought a lot of joy and happiness with his truly entertaining show.
Oh yeah,… has Rush Limbaugh ever lied to his listeners? Unfortunately, he’s still around.
Thanks for letting me vent. Now I have to make my supper, which probably will be a “Food Challenge.”
March 4th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
lol, Sir Robert the Fibber. That man can cook almost as good as he can lie. He must have some issues with self confidence or self worth, poor Sir Robert the Fibber. Now he will be Sir Robert the Jobless.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Another truly sad story of an ego getting blown-up for no reason. Why didn’t he just leave it that he served in the Royal Military, but then again, is that even true? He has lots of carachter-damage-control ahead, and I doubt he will be at this level of ‘fame’ again soon.
I wish him well, and hope others have learned this lesson.
March 4th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
I so enjoyed his show. It’s very disappointing that someone with his obvious talent, also has a problem with blowing up the truth. I hope that it all works out for him & that he learns the lessons of honesty & trust.
I wish him good luck with his future, & honesty in his choices & claims.
I will miss his show.