Part of any Super Chef or celebrity chef portfolio is endorsing food products and acting as spokesperson for food companies.

Why?

Because endorsement deals are very lucrative. Picking the right product or company is crucial to maintaining a strong and clear brand.

It seems curious that Marco Pierre White has joined forces with Bernard Matthews, the controversial British turkey producer, which once produced the infamous Turkey Twizzlers, the extruded meat product singled out by Jamie Oliver in his campaign to improve British school food. The Daily Mail‘s Sean Poulter outlines in his article how the company has been involved with unsafe animal practices in the past. He further outlines Marco’s divorce troubles and his financial need.

Last year Mati claimed she had been denied access to the marital money and the chef was quibbling over current maintenance agreements, stopped her credit cards and assured her she ‘won’t get a penny’.

Martin Hickman of The Independent points out how incongruous it is to have a fine dining chef like Marco endorse factory farm turkey products.

For the £335m-turnover-a-year Bernard Matthews Farms, the high-profile endorsement may help it achieve its goal of shifting the UK away from its “turkey is just for Christmas” psyche and upgrade its tarnished image.

Will Marco be able to help Bernard Matthews come up with a better, healthier line of turkey products? Will endorsing Bernard Matthews hurt Marco? If he is able to improve the line and the company, perhaps he’ll improve his own image as well.

Previous articles:
Marco Pierre White: The Devil in the Kitchen

(Photos: Bernard Matthews lorry from Warehouse & Logistics News; Marco Pierre White by PRLog)