The British celebrity chef Gary Rhodes has died at the age of 59.

The restaurateur passed away on Tuesday.

He appeared on TV programmes including 'MasterChef' and 'Hell's Kitchen'.

His family said they were "deeply saddened" by his death.

In a statement, they said: "The Rhodes family are deeply saddened to announce the passing of beloved husband, father and brother, Gary Rhodes OBE.

"Gary passed away last evening, Tuesday 26 November, at the age of 59, with his beloved wife Jennie by his side.

"The family would like to thank everyone for their support and ask for privacy during this time."

At the time of his death, Rhodes ran restaurants at two hotels in Dubai - which also released a joint statement.

The restaurant 'Rhodes D7' on Chapel Street in Dublin is seen in 2009 | Image: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

The teams at Grosvenor House Dubai and Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort and Spa said they were "devastated" to learn of his death and hailed him as a "true culinary legend" and "very dear friend".

They said: "No words can express our sadness at Gary's death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Rhodes family."

He was a chef at the Amsterdam Hilton and Capital hotels, before becoming head chef at the Castle Hotel in the English town of Taunton.

He retained its Michelin star at the age of just 26 and developed a passion for food.

According to The Caterer magazine, he returned to London in 1990 to become head chef at Greenhouse in Mayfair, which won its first Michelin star six years later.

He went on to launch several restaurants bearing his name, including 'Rhodes D7' in Dublin back in 2006.

The restaurant on Dublin's Chapel Street closed three years later.