Gary Rhodes' "Gary Rhodes"

He's back! Gary Rhodes won Great Food viewers' hearts over the past two seasons, traveling the roads of Great Britain and celebrating his unique modern renditions of traditional British food.

In Season Three, Gary is back on the road, but this time solving some very unusual culinary predicaments written in by his viewers. For instance: there's the team of octogenarian soccer grandmothers who need some good food in order to win "the big game." And what about the three young ladies who are trying to create an evening their best friend will never forget before her wedding? Gary is the man for the job, first choosing delicious recipes that solve their problems, then actually teaching them how to cook the food for themselves.

"I'm often asked where the ideas and recipes come from to put these television shows together," says Gary. "Reading cookbooks is one of my favorite pastimes. I also find myself thinking up new ideas when I'm driving and, as soon as I get to work, I scribble the thought down on paper. Some never develop any further but I'm pleased to say, most often do. "

"I remember visiting a smoked-salmon maker and dealer in northern Scotland. He has won many awards for the quality of his smoking, giving the salmon a flavor and texture that's an experience to try. One of the stages of his smoking was to marinate the salmon fillets in a mixture of water, molasses, sherry, black peppercorns, juniper berries and thyme. The blend played on my mind for some time. I eventually took the majority of those ingredients and turned them into a dressing with fresh salmon. You can see the finished dish in a show where I create a farewell dinner menu for a beloved Latin teacher."

"I mentioned driving and ideas coming to me. Could it be the music I'm playing that's at work here? Does Soul give you a warm, sensual feeling towards eating, Jazz a delicate depth, and Country something hearty? Funk just explodes in the mouth? (I think Pop is take-away and Punk, nouvelle cuisine!) All are part of communication and work together so well."

"I always check people's faces when dishes are presented to them; they are immediately inquisitive and then, I hope, their expression turns into a smile of appreciation and, more importantly, the 'can't wait to taste it' look."

"I hope my viewers are going to enjoy the dishes in this Great Food series, and read my personal message in them: that I'm trying to make British cooking among the best, if not the best, that can be found anywhere. I'm still looking at British classics and trying to put them on a new plane, with more refinement and more exact flavors. I also hope that, somewhere among all of these recipes, we'll find a new 'classic', a dish that will be cooked and talked about for years to come. Looking ahead means thinking ahead in place, time and order and, for me, that implies never sitting back, but always trying to cook the next dish better than the last."

Gary Rhodes is also host of America's favorite cooking game show on PBS, MasterChef USA. He is one of Britain's best-loved chefs, the host of five television series and a cookery series for children based on Roald Dahl's Revolting Recipes. Gary's success includes two Michelin stars and the prestigious CATEY Special Award, the catering industry's equivalent to the Oscars, for helping to revive British cookery and for his total dedication to the industry. He has written four other cookbooks, and runs his highly successful new restaurant, city rhodes, just off London's Fleet Street.