Marcus Wareing - Early Life

Early Life

Wareing was born in Southport, Lancashire, in 1970. His father was a fruit and potato merchant who had contracts with schools to provide their produce for school dinners. At the age of eleven his first food industry related job was with his father, packing potatoes and riding alongside deliveries. He was paid 10p per 5 pounds (2.3 kg) bag of potatoes packed, all of which went straight into his Post Office saving account. At a young age, Marcus was informed by his father that the business was no longer viable as schools moved onto using pre-prepared frozen food instead of fresh produce. He would later credit his father's long hours with inspiring his own work ethic.

At Stanley High School, he found he had a natural talent for cooking although he felt embarrassed that he was the only boy in the home economics class. He went on to attend Southport College, where he took a three year City & Guilds course in catering.