TV chef Peter Russell-Clarke dies aged 89
The pioneering TV chef, artist and illustrator passed away peacefully on Friday, July 3, surrounded by his beloved wife Jan, his partner of 65 years, and his two children, Peter and Wendy, following complications from a stroke.
Russell-Clarke was best known for his five-minute ABC series Come and Get It, which aired in the 1980s and cemented his place as one of the first true celebrity chefs in Australia.
Across more than 900 episodes, his expressive catchphrases, neckerchiefs, and twinkling sense of humour became part of the national lexicon.
While many remember him for that signature callout, 'Come and get it!', Russell-Clarke's career spanned far more than television.
He was a political cartoonist, a commercial illustrator, a creative director in one of Australia's top advertising agencies of the 1970s, a restaurateur decades before 'pop-up dining' was a trend, and the author of nearly 40 cookbooks.
He even appeared alongside Derryn Hinch in the cult 1983 comedy At Last... Bullamakanka: The Motion Picture, and was later appointed a food ambassador to the United Nations.
Born in 1935 in Ballarat, Russell-Clarke's early life was marked by instability.
The son of a former Anglican minister and a dressmaker, he spent time in foster care and even experienced periods of homelessness, once scavenging behind Florentino in Melbourne and half-joking that this is where his appreciation for 'fine food' was born.
A stint living with a Chinese family in his youth introduced him to banquet-style cooking and Asian flavours, elements he would return to throughout his culinary career.
'Whether you're cooking or painting, follow your imagination,' he once said, tying together his dual passions.
While Come and Get It eventually left the ABC, Russell-Clarke's popularity endured, thanks in part to a beloved advertising campaign for the Australian Dairy Corporation that had him bounding across paddocks shouting, 'Where's the cheese?'
Decades later, the question still followed him.
His fans remember not just the recipes, but the warmth, mischief and generosity of spirit he brought to the kitchen — and the screen.
'Adieu, Peter Russell-Clarke,' his family said in a statement.
'The lovable, larrikin artist and gentleman of the art of relaxed cooking. 'Til we all meet again.'
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