Ainsley Harriott faced racism while working in upscale restaurants in London

Ainsley Harriott says he was prevented from getting jobs in posh restaurants before of racist attitudes.

The former ‘Ready Steady Cook’ presenter claimed he always ended up knowing when he wasn't going to get role because he was black.

The 64-year-old television chef told BBC Radio 4’s ‘The Food Programme’ that “it got to the stage where in five minutes I knew ‘I ain’t gonna get this gig’ due to his skin colour.

The ‘Ainsley’s Good Mood Food’ host boasted having all the necessary skills for the role but still faced barriers.

Ainsley said: “And I was qualified for it, I was certainly up for it, hungry and that’s what you want – someone who is hungry, not just taking it because the money is right.”

Ainsley - who was awarded with an MBE in 2020 and has sold over 2 million cookbooks- was “shocked” to be on the receiving end of bigotry and feels it does nothing to create a well-oiled machine.

He said: “I was a bit shocked if I’m being honest with you, because when you work in a happy environment, you create a happy environment, especially when it’s your chef, your guys and your team, you don’t feel that neglect.”

The veteran food broadcaster - who began his restaurant career in the 70s - found it “really good” when people were upfront with their racism, as opposed to pretending it was something else.

He said: “It was really good that they were able just to tell me straight as opposed to putting a load of nonsense in there or just say “You’re not quite what were looking for.”’

After developing a passion for cooking at five-years-old, he was inspired later in life by meeting Clifford Walker, a fellow Black chef at a French restaurant.

Ainsley said: I’d seen a few Asian cooks but I’d never seen a black chef like that, laughing and joking, and for me that was everything.

“I thought ‘This is where I wanted to work.”’

However, he fell in love with cooking because of the ability to make “people happy”.

Ainsley said: “I started cooking at five, I loved the reaction that my mum got, my dad sometimes too, when they cooked and I saw people’s faces and I thought “This is great, what an easy way to make people happy.”