So much so that he thinks the ‘problem in this country’ is people not using enough of it.
The celebrity chef has called for a kitchen cupboard staple to be 'banned' as he slammed the growing popularity of 'packet food' in Britain, reports The Manc.
Shunning a butter substitute that many people use every day as "horrendous", the former Saturday Kitchen host said that margarine was “two elements away from plastic".
Calling for British consumers to replace their margarine with full-fat butter, Martin said many don't know about the “hidden” ingredients in margarine.
Speaking to the Sunday Post, the chef said: “Margarine should be banned. It’s dreadful, dreadful stuff, it’s two elements away from plastic, it’s horrendous stuff.
"It’s the ready-made food, it’s the packet food, the hidden salt, hidden fat. That’s the problem in this country.”
He added that as a “farmer’s kid”, he preferred real butter, full-fat milk and cream, revealing that there was no semi-skimmed milk in his house growing up.
“That’s the problem in this country. It’s not the butter in a butter block or butter you put on your toast,” he said.
The chef, who has a restaurant in Manchester's 253 Casino, is well known and loved for his cookery shows on the BBC, ITV and Channel 4.
After a decade spent fronting BBC's Saturday Kitchen, he then moved across to ITV in 2017 to host his own show: James Martin's Saturday Morning.
His love of butter is well known, with Martin even releasing a book in 2021 called Butter: Comforting, Delicious, Versatile featuring over 130 recipes celebrating the ingredient.
The Yorkshireman puts butter on everything, including his roast potatoes, and as a child would make his own buttery lunchbox sandwiches with slathers of the good stuff, alongside mashed banana and a Cadbury flake.
Whitelock’s Ale House has announced the return of its annual Beer Festival - hoorah!
There’s nothing quite like a nice fresh pint, and we all know Whitelock’s Ale House know how to pour a good one.
So it's with great glee that we can fill you in on their upcoming Beer Festival which will be returning to the iconic festival from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 June 2026.
The four-day festival will celebrate the best of independent brewing in Leeds, with beers sourced exclusively from local breweries.
Featured breweries will include Northern Monk, Kirkstall Brewery, Anthology, Amity Brew Co. and more.
Known as the oldest pub in Leeds, Whitelock’s Ale House has long championed independent beers and local brewing culture.
Image: Supplied
This year’s festival aims to spotlight the strength and diversity of the city’s brewing scene, with the tagline 'Beer tastes better up north!'
Beer will be pouring throughout the weekend across Whitelock's Ale House and The Turk's Head, with further brewery announcements and festival details set to be shared in the coming weeks via their Instagram.
The best part? Entry to the festival is completely free.
Talking about this year’s festival, General Manager Beth said: “Beer has always been at the heart of Whitelock’s, so this felt like the right year to celebrate both the breweries on our doorstep and the city we’ve called home for more than 300 years.
"Leeds has a brilliantly strong independent beer scene right now, and we’re looking forward to showcasing some of the best breweries the city has to offer across the weekend.”
You can find out more about Whitelock's Ale House and their fabulous Beer Festival here via their website. Cheers to that!
Inside Leeds’ very first sauna and ice bath cafe hidden behind a railway arch
Clementine Hall
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept has landed in the city centre.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast has brought its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds combines saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space features two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The space is absolutely gorgeous, complete with trendy tin ceilings, fairy lights and soft furnishings.
Plunge pools can be enjoyed solo or shared, depending on what guests choose, giving people the opportunity to shape each session around exactly what they need that day.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The same goes for the saunas, with one silent and one sauna giving guests the option to come for conversation or reflection.
Single sessions will cost just £12 for 45 minutes, with 90-minute sessions from £20.
There's a fab little cafe too offering all sorts from electrolyte slushes to ginger shots and a range of coffees and matcha.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Known for making sauna and ice feel more accessible, welcoming and community-driven, Kontrast has grown beyond regular sessions to become a base for recurring events. These include their live ambient DJ set event, Unwind, which celebrates local talent, and their weekly run club, both of which the team hopes to bring to Leeds as part of building a similar sense of community in the city.
Officially opening their doors this Friday 29 May, Kontrast are offering free sessions over the weekend so you can try before you buy. Book your spot here.
The Hoot -
20th April 2023 
