Fred Sirieix may be best known as the charming maître d’ from First Dates, but behind the bow tie is a story shaped by family, culture, and a deep love of hospitality. Now, in the latest series of Who Do You Think You Are? he sets out to uncover his roots. Here are five things you might not know about Fred Sirieix...
1. Family values
Fred Sirieix was born on 27 January 1972 in Limoges, France. His parents were nurses and he says their emphasis on the importance of patient care inspired him to work in the hospitality industry.
2. Fine dining
Fred trained at a Michelin-starred restaurant in France before moving to Britain and working as a waiter in high-class restaurants. He was the general manager of Galvin at Windows, a Michelin-starred restaurant in the London Hilton hotel on Park Lane, from 2005 to 2019.
3. Reality TV
Since 2013, Fred has starred as the maître d’ on the Channel 4 dating programme First Dates. The programme follows a number of strangers as they meet at the restaurant for their first date. As the maître d’, Fred is in charge of greeting them and making sure that their meal runs smoothly.
4. Small screen star
Fred has presented culinary TV programmes including Million Pound Menu, Remarkable Places to Eat and Snackmasters. In 2023 he appeared on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, where he clashed with fellow contestant Nigel Farage about Brexit.
5. Gifted daughter
Fred Sirieix's daughter is the professional diver Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, who won a bronze medal for Britain at the 2024 Olympics.