Gary Rhodes, British celebrity chef who hosted the first American MasterChef series, dies at 59

Variety

Before MasterChef became a Fox hit with Gordon Ramsay starting in 2010, Rhodes hosted the British version that was adapted for PBS in 2000. MasterChef USA ran for two seasons on PBS, from 2000 to 2001. "We lost a fantastic chef today in Gary Rhodes," Ramsay tweeted. "He was a chef who put British Cuisine on the map. Sending all the love and prayers to your wife and kids. You’ll be missed."