Reynolds commented: “I worked with Chris whilst I was at Wembley and he was the executive head chef at Stoke park. He would come in and work with the team and offer up menu suggestions for the bobby Moore suite where we catered for up to 1,600 a la carte it certainly blew his mind and took him out of his comfort zone but he always finished service with a smile on his face.

“I have fond memories of Chris running the marathon in his chef whites whilst carrying a whisk and a saucepan he really was a people’s person and always would try and help and guide younger chefs. A few years ago, Chris wrote a book called the ginger chef served up, featuring some of his classics which he would have learnt from Novelli, he really was a family man and was always spoke highly of his children and how proud he was of them.

“Chris was a highly talented chef and was well respected in the industry he was one of the good ones and will be truly missed.”

David Mulcahy, vice president of the Craft Guild of Chefs, added: “I got to know him years ago when he worked for Jean Christophe Novelli at Novelli's in Clerkenwell. Novelli won the New Restaurant of the Year at the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards in 1997 and Chris was working for him then.  

“He judged a few things for us including the Foodservice Festival Salon, and he assisted Novelli when he did The Skillery, and he generally got involved in industry events. A very quiet, unassuming but talented chef.”