Born in south London in 1960, his family moved to Gillingham where he went to The Howard School for Boys in Rainham, Kent. He then went on to catering college in Thanet where he met his wife Jennie.

His first job was at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel. He was hit by a Transit van in Amsterdam leaving him with serious injuries. He then toured Europe in various jobs before becoming sous chef at the Reform Club, Pall Mall and then on to the Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge, earning it a Michelin Star in 2001.

Rhodes achieved the prestigious Head Chef position at the Castle Hotel, Taunton in Somerset. He retained the hotel's Michelin star, at just 26 years of age.

In 1990 Rhodes returned to London with his family to become Head Chef at the Greenhouse Restaurant in Mayfair. The menu became known for reviving British classics, including faggots, fish cakes, braised oxtails and bread and butter pudding. He was awarded a Michelin star for the Greenhouse in January 1996.

In 1997 he opened his first restaurant City Rhodes, and in 1997 Rhodes in the Square - both with global contract catering company Sodexho. This partnership expanded into the brasseries of Rhodes and Co in Manchester, Edinburgh and Crawley.

Based primarily at Rhodes 24 in one of London's tallest buildings, Tower 42, Gary also owns Arcadian Rhodes on the P&O superliner Arcadia, Cumberland Rhodes, and Rhodes Calabash, in Grenada. He is also a contributor to BBC Good Food Magazine.

His first TV appearance was at the age of 27, courtesy of Glynn Christian on Hot Chefs. This led to Rhodes Around Britain and Gary's Perfect Christmas.

For two seasons, 2000 and 2001, Rhodes hosted the original MasterChef USA on PBS.

Rhodes has appeared on the BBC2 spoof gameshow Shooting Stars, during which hosts Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer asked him to 'represent fire through the medium of dance'.

He was created an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) on 17 June 2006.

Rhodes has recently completed a series 'Rhodes Across India' with apprentices Bushra Akram, Scott Davis and Kalwant Sahota.

Rhodes has also completed a new series exploring Chinese cuisine called "Rhodes Across China" with Sous Chefs Melissa Syers and Teresa Tsang. 29 July 2008

Gary Rhodes was strongly criticised for his commercial tie in with Tate & Lyle in the late 1990s, and his recipes endorsed sugar and treacle products accordingly.His name was strategically printed on every Tate & Lyle sugar sachet across the country. Interestingly he is now associated with a Cooking In Schools campaign with Flora UK.

Strictly Come Dancing

Rhodes competed with partner Karen Hardy in the sixth series of Strictly Come Dancing which began on 20 September 2008.

On 5 October 2008, Rhodes was voted off Strictly Come Dancing.