Celebrity chef Rick Stein has recently shared concerns about his health, candidly saying he doesn’t think he has long left to live.
The 77-year-old underwent a lifesaving heart operation in 2023, and opened up to The Times about it in early February.
After being unable to breathe for years, Rick was told by doctors that his aorta was failing. Medication worked to reduce his symptoms until 2023 when his doctor said, ‘you’re going to need to have the op[eration]’.
Rick admitted that he tried to remain optimistic, but he feels that at his age, “and with the normal realities of life”, he may not have a lot of time left.
Rick has said that his Australian wife, Sarah Burns, has been a big help to him in regards to remaining positive despite his health challenges.
“What was attractive to me about Sas was that she always looks on the bright side, you know?,” he said.
“I think as long as you’ve got your health and you’re optimistic generally and enjoying your life, you don’t tend to ponder too much about how little life you’ve got left.”
Rick also seemed to be upbeat in an Instagram post from early February, visiting a Sydney restaurant alongside Sarah, fellow chef Neil Perry, and Neil’s wife Samantha.
Rick still seems to be trying to stay positive and has even made future career plans.
Rick has recently unveiled a new TV show, Rick Stein’s Food Stories, as well as announced a theatre tour in the UK.
The celebrity chef said the premise of his new show is to see what people are eating these days, saying “I started off with this idea that there is no such thing as sort of British food any more.
“We all know classics like fish and chips, steak and kidney pie, Yorkshire pudding, roast beef but actually what we are eating is so different. If you look at the top 10 dishes in the country most of them aren’t what we would call British at all. Things like chicken Tikka Masala, pizza, we are looking all over the place for food really.
“So I just thought I would go on this journey around the country, just picking up on what people are eating.”
Rick has a strong connection to Australia, not only through his wife Sarah, but also thanks to his restaurants here.
The 77-year-old co-owns Rick Stein at Bannisters in both Mollymook and Port Stephens, where he also serves as head chef.
He co-owns the venues with his wife Sarah, whom he met when she was his publicist during an Australian book tour in the 1990s.
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