From village pub to Potato Queen: How Poppy O'Toole built a food empire

Before she became known to millions online as the "Potato Queen", Poppy O'Toole was peeling potatoes in a village pub kitchen.

Now a chef, author and TV regular, O'Toole has built a huge following through social media, published six cookbooks and become one of Britain's best-known food personalities.

Known to viewers from programmes including Saturday Kitchen and This Morning, the Bromsgrove-born chef's journey began much closer to home.

She remembers cooking calamari after school at the age of 11, leaving her mother wondering why her daughter had decided to deep-fry squid instead of reaching for more conventional after-school snacks.

"I've just always loved food," she said.

Her first paid kitchen role came at a care home, where she prepared simple meals and delivered food and drinks to residents.

She explained how the experience showed her how much comfort food could bring, but she also cherished the conversations she had with residents, many of whom were living with dementia.

"I used to get told off so much there because I'd chat to every single person," she said.

She later took a job at The Queen's Head in Stoke Prior, initially working front of house before persuading staff to let her into the kitchen.

After impressing colleagues with a homemade pecan, caramel and chocolate tart, she was allowed to help with food preparation, including one task that would later prove fitting.

"One of my first jobs was peeling all the potatoes."

At the time, a career built around potatoes would have seemed unlikely.

O'Toole eventually secured an apprenticeship at Birmingham's Michelin-starred Purnell's after being encouraged to apply by her now husband, Tom.

She spent about three years there, before moving on to other kitchens in Birmingham and later, London.

The move south brought roles serving high-end banking clients and working at a private members' club in Mayfair.

Like many hospitality workers, O'Toole lost her job when lockdown restrictions forced venues to close. With the industry on hold, her husband suggested she start sharing cooking videos online.

"He'd been saying since we were about 18 that I should be doing social media," she said. "I thought everybody from work would watch it and it would be embarrassing."

After some early success, a series of potato recipes transformed her fortunes. A clip showing crispy cubed potatoes attracted huge attention and inspired what became her popular "25 Days of Christmas Potatoes" series.

Her popularity extends beyond potatoes, however. O'Toole said food should bring comfort and enjoyment rather than guilt, arguing that people are often encouraged to overthink what they eat.

"We're taking some of the enjoyment out of everything," she said.

As her following grew into the millions, so did her reputation as the "Potato Queen", a title she has embraced despite insisting potatoes deserve more respect.

"People always say 'the humble potato'," she said. "They're not humble. They're the best thing on the planet."

The success led to TV opportunities, including appearances on the likes of Saturday Kitchen and This Morning, as well as a stint judging BBC Three's Young MasterChef.

"It was amazing and horrible because you have to judge people," she joked of the role.

She revealed that many of the judges' remarks were first delivered to an empty studio before contestants enter, allowing producers to capture multiple camera angles.

Alongside her TV work, O'Toole continued writing cookbooks.

Her latest release focuses on batch cooking, an idea she developed while balancing work with pregnancy and new motherhood.

Recipes were tested repeatedly to ensure they could be frozen and reheated successfully, sometimes requiring four attempts before making the final manuscript.

A mushroom and truffle risotto repeatedly failed when frozen and reheated, ultimately forcing her to abandon the dish altogether.

O'Toole admitted she still found it strange to reflect on how far she has come.

Long-term, she still dreams of opening a business of her own, perhaps even a pub, although she says her husband is quick to point out the financial realities.

For now, however, her focus is on expanding her YouTube channel and creating content with the freedom to be herself.

"It was lovely working in TV," she said. "But on YouTube you get to do what you want to do."

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