Levi Roots Biography tells the story of Keith Valentine Graham, the Jamaican-British entrepreneur, reggae musician, chef and television personality who became famous for creating Reggae Reggae Sauce.
Levi Roots is a Jamaican-British entrepreneur, musician, chef, author and television personality best known for creating Reggae Reggae Sauce, one of Britain’s most recognisable Caribbean-inspired food brands. Born Keith Valentine Graham, he moved from Jamaica to the United Kingdom as a child and later combined his passion for Caribbean food and reggae music to build a successful business.
His breakthrough came in 2007, when he appeared on the BBC business reality show Dragons’ Den to pitch his Reggae Reggae Sauce. The appearance helped propel the brand into the British mainstream and turned Levi Roots into a household name.
Before becoming a successful entrepreneur, Levi Roots had already established himself in the reggae music scene. His story of transforming a homemade sauce recipe into a major food brand has made him a notable figure in British entrepreneurship and an inspiration to aspiring business owners.
See also: Robert Herjavec Biography
Levi Roots Biography Highlights
- Real Name: Keith Valentine Graham
- Popular Name: Levi Roots
- Date of Birth: 24 June 1958
- Age: 68 years old in 2026
- Birthplace: Clarendon, Jamaica
- Nationality: Jamaican-British
- Profession: Entrepreneur, Musician, Chef, Author and Television Personality
- Known For: Creating Reggae Reggae Sauce
- Business: Levi Roots / Reggae Reggae Sauce
- Music Genre: Reggae
- Famous TV Appearance: Dragons’ Den
- Year of Dragons’ Den Appearance: 2007
- Wife: Married
- Children: Seven
- Estimated Net Worth: £30 million
Levi Roots Early Life and Family Background
Levi Roots was born Keith Valentine Graham on 24 June 1958 in Clarendon, Jamaica.
He spent his early childhood in Jamaica before moving to the United Kingdom at the age of 11 to join his mother. His Jamaican upbringing had a lasting influence on his identity, particularly his love of Caribbean food and reggae music.
The flavours and cooking traditions he experienced during his childhood later became an important source of inspiration for his entrepreneurial career. His Jamaican heritage eventually became central to the identity of the Levi Roots brand.
What Is Levi Roots’ Real Name?
Levi Roots’ real name is Keith Valentine Graham.
He adopted the name “Levi Roots” as his professional identity during his career in music and entertainment. The name later became synonymous with his food business and Reggae Reggae Sauce.
His brand successfully combines his stage name with elements of Jamaican culture, reggae music and Caribbean cuisine.
Levi Roots Age and Birth Details
Levi Roots was born on 24 June 1958, making him 68 years old in 2026.
Having built his reputation across several industries, his career has included music, food entrepreneurship, television, writing and public speaking.
Levi Roots Education
Levi Roots attended school in the United Kingdom after moving from Jamaica as a child.
His early life and professional development were shaped by his experiences in Britain, while his Jamaican heritage remained an important part of his personal and creative identity.
Rather than following a conventional corporate career, Roots developed his professional path through music and entrepreneurship, eventually turning his interests in Caribbean culture and food into a successful commercial brand.
Levi Roots Music Career
Levi Roots established himself as a reggae musician before becoming widely known as a food entrepreneur.
He became involved in the British reggae scene and performed music while developing connections within the Caribbean music community in the United Kingdom.
His experience as a musician later influenced his approach to business and branding. The reggae-inspired identity of his food brand helped make it visually distinctive and closely connected to his Jamaican heritage.
Music has remained an important part of his public persona, even as his career expanded into food, television and entrepreneurship.
Levi Roots Business Career
Levi Roots’ journey as an entrepreneur began with a homemade Caribbean sauce based on flavours inspired by his Jamaican background.
He initially sold the sauce at events and festivals, where it attracted customers who enjoyed its distinctive Caribbean flavour. What started as a small food venture gradually developed into a business with the potential for wider commercial distribution.
The major turning point came when Roots decided to take his business idea to Dragons’ Den.
Reggae Reggae Sauce
How Did Levi Roots Create Reggae Reggae Sauce?
Levi Roots’ best-known business success began with a Caribbean-inspired jerk barbecue sauce based on flavours connected to his Jamaican heritage.
Before the sauce became a major commercial product, Roots sold it at events and festivals. In 2006, he reportedly sold thousands of bottles at the Notting Hill Carnival, helping to demonstrate the product’s potential beyond his existing music career.
The turning point came when Roots took his sauce to a food trade show. There, he was noticed by a BBC producer who approached him about appearing on the business reality television programme Dragons’ Den.
What Happened When Levi Roots Appeared on Dragons’ Den?
Levi Roots appeared on the first episode of the fourth series of Dragons’ Den in February 2007.
He went into the pitch seeking £50,000 in exchange for a 20% stake in his Reggae Reggae Sauce business. The pitch attracted considerable attention, and Roots ultimately secured an investment from Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh.
The two investors offered him £50,000 for a 40% stake in the business.
His appearance on Dragons’ Den became a defining moment in his entrepreneurial career. The programme introduced Reggae Reggae Sauce to a much wider audience and helped create momentum for the brand’s expansion.
How Reggae Reggae Sauce Become Successful
The success of Reggae Reggae Sauce accelerated after Levi Roots’ appearance on Dragons’ Den.
Shortly after the programme aired, Sainsbury’s announced that it would stock the sauce in 600 of its stores. The deal helped move the product from a relatively small entrepreneurial venture into mainstream British retail.
The Reggae Reggae brand subsequently expanded beyond its original sauce, developing a wider range of Caribbean-inspired food products.
Roots’ combination of food, music and Jamaican culture also became an important part of the brand’s identity. His distinctive personality and reggae-inspired marketing helped make the product stand out in the competitive food market.
What Is the Story Behind the Reggae Reggae Sauce Recipe?
Levi Roots has previously said that the sauce recipe was passed down to him by his grandmother.
The recipe’s history later became the subject of controversy after a former friend and business partner reportedly challenged Roots’ account of how the sauce was created. Roots subsequently said that he had invented the recipe himself and described the earlier family story as part of the brand’s marketing.
Because accounts surrounding the recipe’s origins have differed, the history of the sauce should be presented carefully rather than as an undisputed fact.
Levi Roots’ Career as an Entrepreneur
How Levi Roots Become Successful
Levi Roots’ success came from combining his Caribbean heritage, music background, food knowledge and entrepreneurial skills.
His Jamaican identity gave his brand a distinctive cultural foundation, while his experience as a musician helped him create a memorable personality around the business.
His success also demonstrates the importance of persistence. Before becoming a widely recognised entrepreneur, Roots spent years developing his music career and selling his sauce at events.
His appearance on Dragons’ Den provided a major opportunity, but the continued development of his food brand helped establish him as one of Britain’s best-known Caribbean food entrepreneurs.
What Businesses Does Levi Roots Own?
Levi Roots is best known for the Levi Roots brand and Reggae Reggae Sauce, which became the foundation of his business career.
The brand has expanded into a wider range of Caribbean-inspired food products, allowing consumers to experience flavours associated with Jamaican and Caribbean cuisine.
His entrepreneurial activities have also extended into restaurants, cookbooks, television and food-related media, making him more than simply the creator of a single sauce product.
Levi Roots Wife and Family
Levi Roots is married and has a family. He has generally kept details of his personal relationships away from the same level of public attention given to his business and television career.
While his professional life is well documented, information about his wife and private family life is more limited in mainstream public coverage.
How Many Children Does Levi Roots Have?
Levi Roots has seven children.
His children have largely maintained a lower public profile compared with their father, who has spent decades in the public eye through music, television and entrepreneurship.
Levi Roots Height
Levi Roots is 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 metres) tall.
Levi Roots Awards and Recognition
Levi Roots has received recognition for his contributions to entrepreneurship, food and Caribbean culture.
His success with Reggae Reggae Sauce has made him one of Britain’s most recognisable Caribbean food entrepreneurs, while his journey from reggae musician to successful businessman has also earned him recognition in the business and entertainment sectors.
He has also been recognised for his contribution to promoting Caribbean culture and cuisine in Britain.
Levi Roots Net Worth 2026
Levi Roots’ net worth 2026 is estimated to be around £30 million, according to figures published by various online sources.
His estimated wealth is largely associated with the success of the Levi Roots brand and Reggae Reggae Sauce, as well as his wider business interests, restaurant ventures, television appearances, music career, book sales and other commercial activities.
The growth of Reggae Reggae Sauce, particularly following his appearance on Dragons’ Den and its subsequent expansion into major British retail stores, played a significant role in his financial success. His expansion into other food products, restaurants, publishing and television has also contributed to his overall business profile.
Levi Roots Restaurants
Levi Roots expanded his food business into restaurants, taking his Caribbean-inspired cooking beyond packaged supermarket products.
His first London restaurant, the Papine Jerk Centre, operated on the Winstanley Estate in Battersea, near Clapham Junction, from 2010 to 2012. His children also worked alongside him at the restaurant, which provided lunchtime food service to the local community, including students at Thames Christian College.
In December 2015, Roots opened his first franchise restaurant at Westfield Stratford City in London. The restaurant later closed in 2019.
His restaurant ventures formed part of his broader effort to bring Caribbean food and Jamaican-inspired flavours to a wider British audience.
Levi Roots Books and Television Career
Levi Roots has written books focused on Caribbean food and cooking, as well as his experiences as an entrepreneur.
His first major cookbook, Levi Roots’ Reggae Reggae Cookbook, was published by HarperCollins in 2008. The book combined Caribbean recipes with elements of Roots’ personal story and an introduction to Caribbean ingredients.
In 2009, he published Caribbean Food Made Easy, accompanying the BBC Two cooking series of the same name. The television programme followed Roots as he travelled around the United Kingdom and Jamaica, demonstrating accessible ways to prepare Caribbean food at home.
TV Shows Levi Roots Has Appeared On?
Levi Roots has appeared on a variety of British television programmes since becoming widely known through Dragons’ Den.
In 2008, he appeared as a celebrity contestant on BBC’s Ready Steady Cook. He later appeared on Celebrity Mastermind in 2010, where he finished second.
Roots also appeared on Big Brother, where he prepared a Caribbean barbecue for the housemates.
In 2011, he made a special appearance as himself in the urban comedy film Anuvahood.
His television career later extended into scripted acting. In 2018, he appeared in an episode of the BBC detective series Death in Paradise, playing the character Billy Springer.
In 2024, Roots entered the 23rd series of Celebrity Big Brother. He was evicted on 15 March 2024, after spending 11 days in the house.
His television appearances have helped establish him as a personality beyond the food industry, while also providing opportunities to promote Caribbean cuisine and culture.
Levi Roots Entrepreneurial Legacy
Levi Roots’ career demonstrates how an entrepreneur can combine personal identity, cultural heritage and commercial opportunity to build a recognisable brand.
His journey began with reggae music before expanding into food entrepreneurship. The development of Reggae Reggae Sauce showed how a product inspired by his Jamaican background could be introduced to a mainstream British audience.
His 2007 appearance on Dragons’ Den became a major turning point, but his subsequent expansion into restaurants, cookbooks, television and other media demonstrated his ability to develop a broader brand around his original product.
His career has also contributed to greater visibility for Caribbean food in Britain. By combining food with music, entertainment and Jamaican culture, Roots created a distinctive identity that helped separate his brand from conventional food businesses.
From a homemade sauce to a recognised food brand, his story has become an example of entrepreneurial persistence and the potential to turn cultural heritage and personal passion into a successful business.
Conclusion
Levi Roots, born Keith Valentine Graham, has built a remarkable career spanning reggae music, food, television and entrepreneurship.
His journey from Jamaica to Britain and from reggae musician to the creator of Reggae Reggae Sauce has made him one of the most recognisable Caribbean entrepreneurs in the United Kingdom.
The success of his sauce brand transformed his public profile after his 2007 appearance on Dragons’ Den, while his continued work in food, television and media has allowed him to build a broader business and cultural legacy.
Today, Levi Roots remains best known for the brand that carries his name and for his contribution to bringing Caribbean-inspired food and Jamaican culture to a wider British audience.
FAQs About Levi Roots
What is Levi Roots’ real name?
Levi Roots’ real name is Keith Valentine Graham.
How old is Levi Roots?
Levi Roots was born on 24 June 1958 and is 68 years old in 2026.
Where was Levi Roots born?
Levi Roots was born in Clarendon, Jamaica.
Is Levi Roots Jamaican?
Yes. Levi Roots was born in Jamaica and later moved to the United Kingdom. He is Jamaican-British.
Is Levi Roots married?
Yes, Levi Roots is married and has a family.
How many children does Levi Roots have?
Levi Roots has seven children.
What is Levi Roots famous for?
He is best known for creating Reggae Reggae Sauce and building it into a successful Caribbean food brand.
Did Levi Roots appear on Dragons’ Den?
Yes. Levi Roots appeared on Dragons’ Den in 2007, where he pitched his Reggae Reggae Sauce business.
Who invested in Levi Roots?
Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh invested in his business following his Dragons’ Den appearance.
What is Levi Roots’ net worth in 2026?
Levi Roots’ exact net worth is not publicly verified. Various online estimates exist, but there is no confirmed public figure for his personal wealth.
Was Levi Roots a musician?
Yes. Before becoming famous as a food entrepreneur, Levi Roots was active in the British reggae music scene.
What does Levi Roots do now?
Levi Roots continues to be associated with entrepreneurship, food, Caribbean cuisine, media and his wider brand.
