Passion and opportunity – @GreggAWallace

Here’s a little, random inspiration from TV’s Gregg Wallace.

I was in the car yesterday, listening to Graham Norton’s radio show and Gregg Wallace was a guest (promoting a new book by him and his wife). I only really know him from Masterchef, but I thought his story was fascinating for independent professionals.

He started out as a greengrocer, supplying fruit and veg to pubs and restaurants in London. His enthusiasm and passion for locally grown, best quality produce soon led to him supplying most of the top chefs in London:

“I was passionate about it. I cared about it.”

A freelance writer interviewed and wrote a profile on him for a trade magazine. As it happened, she also wrote for BBC Radio Four.

She enthused about him to her colleagues and he was offered a show on the radio.

The radio led to television and his current career.

Throughout it all, he says, the key to his success has been people, rather than produce.

“All the telly I do is about people. Masterchef, even though it’s a cookery show, it’s really about the people.”

My takeaway from the interview: opportunity comes to people who are passionate and dedicated to what they do.

Worth a quick listen, even if you’re not a fan.

The interview starts at 2 hours 10. The link is here (though I don;t know if it will work outside the UK.

Gregg Wallace is, here.

Image: GreggWallace.com