My Press Adventure
Press Information – R.K. Alker Children’s Author media history montage, links, press and TV images below.
Against The Odds
I have a great story to tell of triumph over tragedy. I wrote funny books for my kids as I recovered from a serious injury sustained helping save a life on the 999 emergency ambulances – ironically, in the end, it was my kids that saved my life!
Here are some press cuttings and media examples of my chilli growing and artisan chili product adventure as a Champion of Local Food Producers – The Local Food Evangelist Chilli Man from the Little Green Men Chilli Farm in Lancashire. Further down are screenshots from some of my mainstream TV and Radio appearances.
Helping People
Since the Chilliman adventure, I have made helping people or service to our country a profession and during the last decade I have worked for charities and public services going into situations where no one else will, saving lives on the 999 emergency ambulances and trying to help people, but I got hurt doing it as I turned fifty years of age.
Follow Your Heart
The injury will unfortunately force a change of career. My greatest hope, my dream, my prayer for the continuation of this silver lining is that I can start a new career doing what I love – to once again follow my heart!
My Next Adventure
At age 50 can I become a late bloomer in the field of children’s fiction books?
My Latest Book Requires A Publisher
In my upcoming funny children’s fiction book for age 7 and up, a teenage girl comes of age on a whacky adventure with her cousins and archaeologist grandad to find and escape from the dragon-like Fangazoo beast. A 30,000-word funny, action-packed, sea and jungle quest with nail-biting plot twists.
For A Publisher
I also wrote this section with a potential publisher in mind. I thought about the business process and asked myself:
What would a publisher look for in addition to a good manuscript?
Book deals are on some level a risk. I thought about sales, publicity, the internet and social media. I thought about book events, public speaking and workshops – dealing with the general public and potential fans.
I am looking at finding new and exciting ways to promote and get readers involved in a book, apps, digital media and events surrounding the story and characters.
- What would help a publisher to select me for this task?
- And how would this press section help?
- Do I have a gripping personal story?
- Do I have experience?
- Do I have a good sales, press and media history?
- Am I a safe bet from an interactive and promotional point of view?
I hope this section answers those questions for you and draws you closer to publishing my books.
Internet Rankings and Social Media
I am on page one of Google for over a hundred categories and appear next to the best authors in my field. I have applied and improved my website ranking skills that helped get me to the finals of Tourism Website of the Year detailed below.
I shall press on to my next adventure as R.K. Alker Children’s Author which is only just beginning, but
I once had a chilli dream…
Press Promotional Package – Local Food Evangelist
I have a useful mix of promotional skills which catapulted me into high level media.
As a university lecturer, business owner and trainer I have delivered thousands of public speaking engagements.
I found fame.
As the very fortunate recipient of high-level press and media attention I have broad experience of:
- TV
- Radio
- Broadsheets
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- National Shows and Events, and
- Mid-2000’s YouTube productions and social media blogging.
Passion For Chilli Growing
I had a wild adventure a few years ago – I followed my heart.
I engaged my passion for chilli growing and local food producers and the result was spectacular growth and a star-studded career in TV and Radio in the company of the top chefs in the land as Local Food Evangelist.
Read more about it at www.littlegreenmen.co.uk Click Here
Press, Public & Friends
I have a compelling story to tell. It’s not quite Jack And The Chilli Beanstalk, but from a handful of chilli seeds and dirt I grew a business, that even to this day, amazes and inspires me.
The journey I undertook, the adventure and the people that I met still blow my mind.
If you are one of the people that helped me along the way, then thank you, it was, for the most part, the most incredible vocational period of my life.
Local Food Producer in the Press and Media
I was very committed to and supportive of locally grown produce and local producers of artisan food products. The energy I poured into my chilli farm and chilli products and my drive to raise the profile of local producers landed me on most of the daytime and primetime must see television food programmes and gifted me numerous press articles such as The Independent and The Daily Telegraph – for which I am forever grateful.
Local Food Evangelist
I was swept away in the new, exciting, vibrant and ground-breaking moves in the world of cooking and local food.
My passion and service to the food industry as a Local Food Evangelist coupled with my expert chilli knowledge, unusual northern chilli farm, and eye-catching show makeup positioned me at the forefront of the chilli industry and local food producers and catapulted onto TV screens and into the press and media up and down the country. It was not long before I found myself in the company of the Celebrity Chef Rock Stars and other Food Evangelists.
Gary Rhodes UKTV Local Food Hero
Images from Gary Rhodes UKTV Local Food Heroes
Source: UKTV Quote: “The chef searches for the independent shops and small businesses around the country that make the finest local produce.”
UKTV Local Food Hero was a competition to find, celebrate and award the UK’s best independent food businesses – those who championed local produce with a strong connection to their community. I was selected for the finals, visited by celebrity chef Simon Rimmer at the Little Green Men Chilli Farm. We visited a local market, cooked for the public and I progressed to the final judging by Gary Rhodes. Simon Rimmer and I remained friends. We ran into each other many times at the local and national food events and throughout my career as The Chilliman.
I would like to pay tribute to the late great Food Evangelist and Celebrity Chef Gary Rhodes who had a positive lasting impact on my life, my cooking and my attitude towards food growing, food production and locally sourced cuisine.
I would like to thank Gary Rhodes and his family for his vibrant, exciting, new, unrelenting, highest quality of service to the industry and to us all as British local food producers.
“Gary was the first rock star of cooking, making it cool.” (Quote: Prue Leith of The Great British Bake Off)
Gary Rhodes was the chef that “put British cuisine on the map” (Quote: Gordon Ramsay).
Channel 4 Gordon Ramsay’s F Word
F Word Series 3
“Gordon Ramsay’s F Word returns for a third series, with all the action set against the backdrop of a working kitchen staffed by Gordon and four amateur cooks who think they’ve got what it takes”
I Attended The F Word Final of Series 3
“For the last episode in this series the action moves to Gordon’s restaurant at Claridge’s in London. Ricky Gervais comes for dinner and Johnny Vegas cooks pizza in the recipe challenge.”
Source: Channel 4.com https://www.channel4.com/programmes/gordon-ramsays-f-word/episode-guide/series-3
I was invited to judge Gordon and Johnny’s pizzas and spent the day in the company of a great production crew and 50 celebrity and public diners as we voted the series winners of the F Word.
ITV1 Britain’s Best Dish
Images from ITV1 Britain’s Best Dish
Britain’s Best Dish was a British daytime cookery show part of the ITV Food category on ITV1. Amateur cooks from around the UK competed to cook “Britain’s Best Dish” and a prize of £10,000. The judges were Ed Baines, John Burton Race and Jilly Goolden. I progressed in the competition with my chilli-infused version of Spiced Lancashire Hotpot.
ITV1 My North West
Images from ITV1 My North West
My North West was a 13 part series on ITV1 airing at 7:30 pm on Tuesdays. Hosted by actor Dean Sullivan the programmes toured the region meeting characters and looking at crafts, hobbies and interests. I featured as an interesting chilli grower in the damp and cooler north of the country bringing some heat and flavour with my growing range of local chillies and locally produced chilli products.
BBC1 News – Chilli Farm Thriving In Chorley
BBC Press Website Interview
Chilli Rich Talking Chillies On The BBC– Richard’s HOT Stuff!
X Factor For Radio – The Gift on BBC Radio Lancashire
Richard Alker made it into the final of this prestigious competition to win a spot as a BBC radio presenter.
BBC Radio Lancashire
I was gifted many happy appearances on BBC Radio Lancashire, especially with the hilarious Ted Robbins who celebrated our wild and whacky chilli tasting session on air in his Golden Moments of BBC Radio – thanks again Ted you are a real star!
The Chilliman TV Show
I spent some time with the great team from Lancashire One. They came to film at the Little Green Men Chilli Farm or the BIG Glasshouse as it was known. They graciously produced a video for me. They liked my presentation. We chatted. We set about filming in different locations from small greenhouses to large garden centres and my TV show was born!
We shot episodes which encompassed a blend of chillies, gardening and product placement – and the name of the series?
…it was amusingly entitled:
“I’ve Lost The Plot!”
We also filmed at Southport Flower Show. We covered the whole event. Interviewing the stars and exhibitors.
Southport Flower Show First Prize and Filming
I won a first prize as an exhibitor at Southport Flower Show which is the UK’s largest independent flower show.
As detailed above I later returned to film an episode at Southport Flower Show covering the whole event – interviewing the stars and exhibitors.
Tourism Website of the Year
I was also a finalist for England’s Northwest Tourism Website of the Year run by the Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board in my area. I placed alongside giants like Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Blackpool Zoo. The awards were presented by some friends of mine…
The Hairy Bikers and The BBC Good Food Show
I had great times with Dave and Si. They even invited me on stage with them at The BBC Good Food Show at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC). We bumped into each other a lot on the local and national events scene – they were great friends.
MC/Compere at Bolton Food and Drink Festival
I was MC/compere at my local Bolton Food and Drink Festival and have fond memories of working with Celebrity Chef Greats (in no particular order other than alphabetical) such as:
What a cracking photograph of Gino and myself! I mention it because I am reminded of being MC introducing Gino onto the stage. I whipped up the crowd with a mass chant of “Gino, Gino, Gino!” There was added hand clapping and feet stomping and he just kept us all waiting and waiting – I had to repeat it many, many times. What a marathon! What a character!! What a top bloke!!! Happy days!!!!
BBC Chinese Food Made Easy
I spent a couple of days filming with Ching He Huang and the Lion TV production crew for BBC’s Chinese Food Made Easy
We launched a “Chillies For Chorley” campaign in my home town of Chorley.
Royal Hamper to Charles III The King of The United Kingdom, then HRH The Prince of Wales
We sent a Royal Hamper to the now King, then HRH The Prince of Wales. I sent some of my best produce to The King (Prince Charles) along with a group of local food producers from the Pennine Lancashire Festival of Food and Culture. The King was a huge supporter of farmers and local food producers.
Scene Missing?
If you have images, footage or stories of our days together – drop me a line. I met so many people, celebrities, celebrity chefs and had such great adventures as The Chilliman which do not feature here, but I truly enjoyed my serendipitous ride and if you were a part of it I am very, very grateful.
Other Press, Media Articles & Events
There were so many amazing press articles and programmes made by people that came to help me as The ChilliMan. Thankyou to every single one of you.
Although this is the press section, I would like to thank all the friends, local producers and agencies that contributed to my success. Writing this section has been journey of happy memories into the realisation that I accomplished so much in my years as The Chilliman.
There is not a day goes by that does not have a reminder or memory of this colourful and truly spectacular period in my life as The ChilliMan from Little Green Men Chilli in Lancashire, England.
If You Have Press Cuttings or Photos or Video of My Chilli Adventure Please Send Them To Me
I would be delighted to hear from you
To A Publisher
My hope is that I am now of interest to you. Please do get in touch.
Warmest Regards
Rich
R.K. Alker Author is also known as Richard Alker, Chilli Rich the Chilli Grower, The Chilliman from Chorley, The Little Green Man from Little Green Men Chilli Farm – A Champion of Local Food Producers, a British Food Evangelist and Local Food Evangelist from Chorley, Lancashire, England, Great Britain, United Kingdom.
My little girls think I am the Best Funny Kids Author in the World.
R.K. Alker is a Famous, Funny, Celebrity Children’s Author, Grower, Cook and Local Food Evangelist. His love for growing chillies made him the country’s highest profile chilli grower, champion of local producers and star of TV, radio and press.
RK Alker is an author of funny children’s books, a famous chilli grower, cook, local food evangelist and food and drink event specialist from Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, Earth!
Find RK Alker Children’s Author Events, Book Readings, Children’s Bedtime Stories, Kids Storytelling, School Visits, Children’s Book Signings and more on Eventbrite.
My little girls think R.K. Alker is The World’s Best Kids’ Author.
R.K. Alker is also The Chilliman from Little Green Men a master of The Ancient Lancastrian Art of Ecky Thump! and can be found on Blogger.com
