Bolstered by his increasing popularity in foreign markets, he enjoyed a record income and his company made a profit of nearly £7.2m.

He is now effectively a global brand, offering his laddish, accessible cooking tips from Japan to South America. His books have been translated into 23 languages and sold 12.2m copies.

As his success has grown, Oliver has expanded his business interests, investing in new media ventures, property and food companies. He also has a significant income from advertising, which includes being the public face of Sainsbury’s.

“He is one of the most successful young entrepreneurs in Britain,” said Philip Beresford, compiler of The Sunday Times Rich List.

“He is already on the list of richest people under 30, and it will be interesting to see how long it takes for him to make it on to the main list of the 1,000 richest people in Britain.”

Oliver’s holding company, Sweet as Candy, declared a trading profit of £7.2m last year, which included income from international sales of his books, television shows and sales of cookware, as well as property investments.

Oliver and his wife Jools were paid £1.4m in share dividends, plus a further £457,101 in salaries and pension contributions.

The couple’s rise has been phenomenal. It is only six years since Oliver first appeared on television, yet their income for 2004 is more than double that of 2003.

The entrepreneurial chef first discovered his financial flair when he was 11 years old, leasing lockers from fellow pupils at school and selling sweets out of them.

He managed to build this ad-hoc stock warehouse to a total of six lockers and was soon making £30 a week. The income ensured he always got the latest expensive trainers before anyone else.

He started cooking at his father’s pub in Saffron Walden in Essex and later worked at the critically acclaimed River Cafe in London.

The chef, who trades on his cheeky chappie image, is now in high demand for product endorsements and advertising campaigns. Tefal cookware is promoted by him and Royal Worcester tableware also bears his signature.

One of his cherished projects has been Fifteen, the London restaurant that trains underprivileged youths as chefs. The restaurant is on track to make a profit this year. Oliver has also set up eight companies covering a variety of enterprises, from a venue hire business to an upmarket bakery.

Although he said he always wanted a stay-at-home wife to support his upward trajectory, this year Jools has also stepped into the showbusiness spotlight.

She has written a book entitled Minus Nine to One: The Diary of an Honest Mum, which chronicles the family’s domestic existence, complete with tips about the diet the couple favour for their daughters Poppy, three, and Daisy, two.

Oliver’s most successful overseas markets are Australia, Germany and Holland. “The books and films are becoming global,” said his spokesman Peter Berry. “He is now in demand in places such as Argentina and Brazil, as well as Hungary and Poland where there was never previously much interest in food and cooking shows.”

The chef’s companies will probably enjoy even greater financial success this year.

His campaign to expose poor-quality school meals has raised his profile even further and he has been credited with spurring improvements in menus.

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