Louis Makepeace
Makepeace in the Isle of Wight, 2023
Born
Louis Roger W Makepeace

Worcester, Worcestershire, United Kingdom
EducationHeart of Worcestershire College (performing arts)[1]
Culinary career
Cooking styleItalian cuisine[2]
Television show(s)
  • * Hungry For It (2022)

Louis Roger W Makepeace is a British chef with achondroplasia and dwarfism, standing at only 3 ft 10 inches tall. Makepeace first gained attention in 2018 at the age of 18, when he hit national headlines after being refused a place on a cooking course at Heart of Worcestershire College which claimed Makepeace was a "health and safety hazard" due to being too small.[3]

Early life

Makepeace was born with achondroplasia, a type of dwarfism that affects his limbs. Makepeace is 3 ft 10 inches in height.[4]

Career

"Health and safety risk" due to height

Makepeace gained national attention in 2018 after he claimed Heart of Worcestershire College refused him a place on a cooking course due to his small height, claiming that he was a "health and safety hazard" and that he would cause "disruption" to the other fourteen students undertaking the course.[5] Makepeace's mother, Pauline, claimed that the college had told Louis that there was "no point" in him undertaking the course, as he would "never be allowed" to work in a busy commercial kitchen due to being too small.[5]

Makepeace had branded the incident involving him and the college as "highly humiliating", highlighting that the rejection from the college had highlighted his differences amongst others and had "embarrassed" him due to being too small and made him question his future aspirations to become a chef.[5] He claimed the college had told him that he was a risk to other students in case he "got under their feet" and "in their way" which Makepeace described as "really humiliating".[5][6]

After the controversy, Makepeace claimed that his confidence was badly damaged and felt that people "just stared and laughed" at him due to him being small, claiming that other people still thinks he is a small child, and pushes in front of him in queues. Makepeace claimed all he wanted is for him to be able to "do normal stuff" and not have people laughing at him because of his height.[5]

In response, the college rejected the claims made by Makepeace and his mother Pauline, and claimed that they had not discriminated against Makepeace because of his small stature. A spokesperson for the college said that after discussions with Makepeace, he had rejected a place on the course and that he told the college he no longer wished to study there.[7]

Recognition following height controversy

Following national publication over the controversy between Makepeace and the college due to his height, he received attention from celebrity chefs such as Gordon Ramsay who offered Makepeace an apprenticeship.[8] Ramsay said the way that Makepeace had been treated by the college was "disgusting" and that he would "offer him an apprenticeship any day"[9]

Pied à Terre restaurant

On 13 September 2018, Makepeace began working as a chef in the Michelin star restaurant Pied à Terre working alongside head chef Asimakis Chaniotis.[10]

Hungry For It (2022)

In 2022, Makepeace starred in the BBC Three cooking competition Hungry For It. Prior to the show beginning, Makepeace said "tall or small, I am the same standard as anyone else in the kitchen".[2] His role on the show highlighted that a recent Accessibility in Hospitality survey suggested 71% of people believe more should be done to bring attention to the lack of accessibility for disabled people in the hospitality industry.[11] During his time on the show, Makepeace claimed a block had to be constructed by the production team to allow him to stand on in order to reach the countertops and stoves.[2]

Filmography

  • Hungry For It (Contestant, 2022)

References

  1. ↑ "College denies learner with dwarfism was refused place, following national media reports". feweek.co.uk. August 28, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 "Aspiring chef: 'Small or tall, I'm the same standard as everyone else in the kitchen'". BBC Three. June 17, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Worcester bartender cooking up a storm on BBC Three's Hungry For It". Worcester News. 15 June 2022.
  4. ↑ "Teen dwarf Louis Makepeace rejects college after "health and safety risk" row". Worcester News. 6 September 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "This dwarf has been 'banned' from a college cooking course because he's 'a health and safety risk'Dwarf 'banned' from college cooking course because he is 'a health and safety risk'". The Independent. August 29, 2018.
  6. ↑ Diebelius, Georgia (August 27, 2018). "Dwarf 'banned' from cooking course because he would 'get under peoples' feet'".
  7. ↑ "Worcester teen Louis Makepeace rejects college after row". Worcester News. 6 September 2018.
  8. ↑ "Gordon Ramsay 'offers' teen with dwarfism apprenticeship after he's rejected from college for 'being a safety risk'". The Independent. August 29, 2018.
  9. ↑ Drewett, Zoe (August 28, 2018). "Dwarf 'banned from college cooking course' gets job offer from Gordon Ramsay".
  10. ↑ "BBC Hereford & Worcester - Louis Makepeace from Worcester, who says he was told he couldn't study catering at his local college because of his size, has been offered complimentary training at one of London's top restaurants. The 18-year-old, who has dwarfism, has been to Pied a Terre Restaurant today to meet the Head Chef Asimakis Chaniotis. | Facebook". www.facebook.com.
  11. ↑ Accessibility in Hospitality survey from a UK hospitality research company, which questioned 250 people, suggests 71% believe more should be done to bring attention to the lack of accessibility for disabled people in the hospitality industry
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