Levi Roots

Keith Valentine Graham(born 24 June 1958), better known asLevi Roots, is aJamaican-Britishbusinessman and celebrity chef currently residing inDaventry,Northamptonshirewho first came to prominence on the fourth series of the British TV showDragons' Densuccessfully pitching hisReggae Reggae Sauceproduct. According to the Sunday Times Rich List, Roots is worth an estimated £30M.
Roots was born inClarendon,Jamaica.He was raised by his grandmother after his parents moved to theUnited Kingdom, until he joined them at age 11.He was raised as aChristian, but converted to theRastafarifaith aged 18.
Music
Roots has performed withJames BrownandMaxi Priestand was nominated for a Best Reggae ActMOBOaward in 1998.He was a friend ofBob Marleywhen he resided in the UK and performed "Happy Birthday Mr. President" forNelson Mandelain 1996 on his trip toBrixton.
Reggae Reggae Sauce
He gained widespread fame after appearing on the UK television programmeDragons' Denin 2007, where he gained £50,000 funding for hisReggae Reggae Sauce.
Levi Roots' Reggae Reggae Sauce is ajerkbarbecue sauce. In 2006, 4,000 bottles of the sauce were sold at theNotting Hill Carnival.
He later took the sauce to a food trade show, where he was spotted by aBBCproducer who approached him to appear onDragons' Den. He appeared in the first episode of the fourth series in February 2007, seeking £50,000 of investment from the Dragons in return for a 20% equity stake in Reggae Reggae Sauce. Despite erroneously claiming that he had an order for 2.5 million litres of the sauce (when in fact the order was for 2,500 kilograms), he was offered the £50,000 for a 40% stake in his business byPeter JonesandRichard Farleigh. Shortly after his appearance on the programme,Sainsbury'sannounced that they would be stocking the sauce in 600 of their stores.
Roots claimed that the sauce recipe had been passed down to him by his grandmother. After being accused of stealing the recipe from a former friend and business partner, he said that he invented it himself and that the claimed family history was a marketing ploy.
Restaurants
Roots' first London restaurant, the Papine Jerk Centre, was on theWinstanley EstateinBattersea,Clapham Junctionfrom 2010-2012. His children worked alongside him. The shop provided a lunchtime service to a local school, Thames Christian College.In December 2015, Roots opened his first franchise restaurant inWestfield Stratford City.It closed in 2019.
Books and television
Levi Roots' Reggae Reggae Cookbookwas published in 2008, with a foreword by Roots' investor,Peter Jones. The book has chapters on Roots' story of coming to London and an introduction to Caribbean ingredients. To coincide with the release of his recipe book, Roots appeared on the 3 June 2008 episode ofBBC'sReady Steady Cookas a celebrity. He achieved second place againstLesley Waters.
Roots had a television cooking show,Caribbean Food Made Easy, onBBC2, with a book of the same name published in August 2009.The show followed Roots as he travelled the UK and Jamaica demonstrating easy ways to cook Caribbean food at home.
Roots appeared onCelebrity Mastermindin 2010, coming second with 13 points. He also appeared onBig Brother, where he cooked a Caribbean barbecue for the housemates. Roots also made a special appearance in the 2011 urban comedy movieAnuvahoodwhere he plays himself.  On 22 February 2018 he appeared in the 8th episode of the 7th series of the BBC detective programmeDeath in Paradise. He played the part of Billy Springer.
Roots entered thetwenty-thirdseries ofCelebrity Big Brotheron 4th March 2024 and was evicted on 15th March 2024, along with fellow celebrityEkin-Su Cülcüloğlu, after spending 11 days in the house.
When he appeared onBBC Radio 4'sDesert Island DiscsRoots said that his relationship with his father had been a difficult one, because his father was "a bit of a stranger." He said: "My brothers and sisters all went to school before they left Jamaica but, being the youngest, I never got any education while I was there. I think that I was a bit of a disappointment to him."
Roots has eight children with seven different mothers.He has previously been imprisoned for drug offences.
Roots has been arrested twice. Aged 15 he was sent to Pentonville prison for six months, charged with assault on a police officer. In 1986, police raided the youth club he ran, and he was convicted again for possession of drugs.
Roots was appointed Chair ofSt Pauls CarnivalinBristolin 2021.
Roots became Patron of RIFT Social Enterprise in May 2024, a not-for-profit organisation which supports people with convictions and the long/term unemployed into self-employment.
Roots is a twicehonorary doctorwith theUniversity of the West of Englandand theUniversity of Westminster.