Heston Blumenthal, one of Britain's greatest chefs, was sectioned in France in November 2023 following a week-long manic episode and given a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. He spent 20 days on a psychiatric ward, which he described as 'a bit like a prison', and a further 40 days at a clinic.
During the episode, Blumenthal experienced hallucinations, including the belief that he was in possession of a gun when there was nothing there. He sent a phone message to his wife, Melanie, suggesting funeral arrangements. After Melanie alerted the town's mayor, police, firefighters and a doctor arrived at his home. Blumenthal refused hospital admission, pointing to his OBE medal and photos of his meeting with the Queen, but was eventually restrained and given medication.
Blumenthal's memory of the events is unreliable; he missed a whole day and described his memory as 'blocked'. His mood has since stabilised with medication, which caused weight gain. He has approached his diagnosis with curiosity, describing himself as 'a walking experiment', but was unfamiliar with factors contributing to bipolar disorder and used an AI assistant to ask about its characteristics.
The Fat Duck, his famous restaurant in Bray, turns 30 this August. Blumenthal has been in England testing dishes for an anniversary menu, including cooking four pieces of turbot at minimally different temperatures to perfect the dish, noting that 'incremental differences make a massive difference'.
