Extraordinary life of city gourmet (From Daily Echo)

From MP to dog food advertiser, Sir Clement Freud remembered

4:12pm Friday 17th April 2009 in Search By Keith Hamilton, Shipping & Heritage Reporter

SIR Clement Freud, who has died aged 84, will be remembered as a wit, raconteur, politician, chef, advertiser of dog food, writer, and comedian but in Southampton he was better known as the host of gourmet dinners.

His connection with the city goes back 40 years to the time of the former Southern Television series, Sweet and Sour, which was made at the old studios at Northam.

At the end of 1969 Clement was appointed menu consultant to the old Berkeley House Hotel which stood at Cranbury Terrace in the city.

Sir Clement, at one time a firm favourite on television chat shows where he was known for his dry sense of humour, also took a 20 per cent stake in the hotel.

Even earlier in 1967 Sir Clement, a grandson of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, who had a varied career as a cookery expert, press columnist and radio game show contestant, attracted an audience of 500 at the Guildhall in Southampton where he showed off his skill as a chef, which he learnt at London’s Dorchester Hotel.

Once Sir Clement, renowned for his lugubrious expression and mournful voice, became a director of the Berkeley he introduced a series of gourmet dinners which became famous in Southampton more than 35 years ago.

In those days the gourmet meals were so popular diners had to book far ahead to ensure a table reservation at the events presided over by Sir Clement who guided guests through the menu and explained the background to the wines.

A regular panellist on the BBC’s Just a Minute for more than 30 years, Sir Clement, who was once a Liberal party MP, had to apologise to the House of Commons after an advert, placed by the Berkeley, appeared in the Daily Echo inviting people to a £13-a-head conducted tour of Parliament followed by drinks and dinner in the Member’s Dining Room.

Sir Clement’s long career as a television and radio personality was launched when he appeared with Henry the Bloodhound in a series of pet food adverts during the 1960s.