James Martin's television career began in 1996 on the popular daytime TV programme 'Ready, Steady, Cook', where he is still a regular. He has rarely been off screen since. He also has a bespoke kitchen design and manufacturing business in St Albans called Underwood. .

At an early age, James father ran the catering side of Castle Howard, and he was brought up in a farmhouse in Yorkshire. When only 12 years old he was able to say that he had cooked for the Queen Mother at Castle Howard! At 16 he began his formal training at Scarborough Technical College, where he was Student of the Year for three years running.

Antony Worrall Thompson noticed his work, and brought him to London to work in the kitchens of 190 Queensgate, followed by dellUgo. James toured France, working in the kitchens of some of the old chateaux, often cooking side by side with the mothers and grandmothers of the grand old families. Moving back to England, he worked at Chewton Glen in Hampshire for 2 years.

In 1993, at the tender age of 21, he opened the Hotel du Vin and Bistro in Winchester as Head Chef, where he changed the menu every day. Such was the success of the venture, that there was an eight-week waiting list for a table.

In 2005 James was to be seen on the popular BBC series Strictly Come Dancing where he was to compete amongst other guests including Zoe Ball, Fiona Philips, Dennis Taylor, Colin Jackson, Bill Turnbull to name a few.