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Farewell to Keith Floyd, wrapped in leaves
Terry Kirby30 Sep 2009
The final course for celebrity chef Keith Floyd could not have been more fitting. He was carried to his funeral today wrapped, like so many of his best dishes, in leaves.
A coffin made from weaved banana leaves was chosen for Floyd's humanist ceremony by his partner Celia Martin, who shared his last meal before he died of a heart attack this month.
She said it reflected his love of the environment and his cooking style.
The mourners at the Bristol cremation service were led by Poppy Floyd, 25, his daughter by second wife Julie Hatch.
Many wore brightly coloured bow ties in his memory and afterwards they ceremoniously consumed one of his favourite dishes, cassoulet, with what was the only suitable accompaniment, a full-bodied red wine.
Floyd, 65, collapsed on 14 September, a few hours after a lunch of champagne, oysters, partridge and, plenty of red wine at chef Mark Hix's restaurant in Dorset.
Today, Ms Martin said she wanted the ceremony to be “a true celebration of Keith's life, rather than a sombre affair” by ensuring there was “plenty of laughter, food and drink”.
James Steen, Floyd's biographer, said both Jean-Christophe Novelli and Marco Pierre White regretted they were unable to attend, although the latter is due to hold a party in his honour in London next week.
One guest was David Pritchard, the BBC TV producer who discovered Floyd cooking at his Bristol restaurant 27 years ago.
He said: “We had a true love-hate relationship. We didn't actually speak for some 16 years but we reconciled and I am so pleased we did. This is a sad day for me.”
Another paying tribute was Jim Davidson, comedian and friend for 25 years: “I think Marco summed it up the best when he said that a little piece of England has gone away."
Floyd, who had bowel cancer, had been married four times and was living mostly in the South of France before his death.
Reader views (5)
Farewell Keith, one for the road?!
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 01/10/2009 09:42
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I'll drink a glass of red to him tonight.
- Peter, Vienna, Austria, 30/09/2009 16:31
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He will be sadly missed.
- Very Very Angry At Paying Tax For Mp'S Expeses, Home Counties, 30/09/2009 15:39
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He will be missed.
- Dannyp, Egham, 30/09/2009 13:19
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Great bloke, I thought he would be embalmed though!
- George, London, 30/09/2009 08:57
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