Dominic Chinea
| Dominic Chinea | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | May 4, 1986 (age 40) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | TV Presenter |
| Years active | 2017–present |
| Known for | The Repair Shop Make It At Market Jay and Dom's Home Fix |
Dominic Chinea (born 4 May)[1] is a British TV presenter, set designer and metal restorer, primarily known for his work on BBC's restoration programme The Repair Shop.[2] Dom is the owner of Ranalah Ltd[3] and runs a YouTube channel dedicated to car restoration and metalwork.[4]
Early life and education
Chinea grew up in Essex, where he got a job helping out at a Volkswagon and Porsche bodyshop.[5] He studied graphic design at South East Essex College.[6] He worked as a production designer for British photographer John Rankin Waddell, working on various photoshoots and music videos.[7]
Career
Before joining television full-time, Chinea worked in set design and production for creative studios and media companies. He was associated with Rankin Studios as a production designer, where he created props, installations, and set pieces for editorial shoots, music videos, and large-scale events.
Alongside his media production work, Chinea developed expertise in restoration engineering, metal fabrication, sign writing, and vehicle rebuilding. He also became associated with Ranalah Wheeling Machines Limited, a company connected with traditional metal-shaping machinery and restoration equipment.
Chinea joined the BBC restoration series The Repair Shop during its early run and became one of the programme's regular restoration experts.The series features craftspeople restoring sentimental family heirlooms and historical objects brought in by members of the public. On the programme, Chinea specializes primarily in metal restoration, engineering repairs, vintage machinery, signage restoration, and mechanical fabrication. Over the course of the series, he restored a wide variety of objects, including vintage lawn mowers, toy vehicles, clocks, farming equipment, antique signs, and mechanical artifacts. He has stated in interviews that he originally became involved with the programme after designing and building the illuminated Repair Shop workshop sign. Following the show's success, he became one of its best-known experts and later served as a co-foreman alongside furniture restorer Will Kirk.
The programme gained significant popularity in the United Kingdom for its focus on heritage crafts, emotional storytelling, and conservation of family heirlooms. Chinea became particularly known for his enthusiasm toward engineering-based repairs and his educational approach to restoration techniques.[8]
In 2021, he began uploading videos to his own YouTube channel, documenting car restorations, sign painting, and vlogs in his own workshop. His channel has accumulated over 6 million video views.[9]
In May 2021, Chinea announced that he had bought the rights to Ranalah Ltd, a historic coachbuilding company, in order to remanufacture the iconic Ranalah english wheel, used to build Spitfire aircraft during World War Two.[10]
In 2022, he released his first book, Tools: A Visual History, detailing the history and uses of a selection of important hand tools.[11]
In 2023, Chinea presented Make It At Market, a new BBC series helping members of the public to transform their craft hobbies into careers.[12] He was also announced as part of 2023's Goodwood Revival, joining the line-up of influencers in the heritage craft celebration area.[13]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2017–present | The Repair Shop | Restoration expert |
| 2023–present | Make It at Market | Presenter |
| 2025–present | The Repair Shop on the Road | Co-presenter |
References
- ↑ Dominic Chinea age: How old is The Repair Shop’s Dominic Chinea? , Express.co.uk
- ↑ Everything you need to know about The Repair Shop's Dominic Chinea , HELLO!
- ↑ DOMINIC CHINEA , Arlington Talent
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/DominicChineas
- ↑ The One That Got Away: Dom Chinea’s VW camper was lost at sea but found its way to Southend , Hagerty
- ↑ Make it at Market & The Repair Shop on BBC One: Is Dominic Chinea married? , Entertainment Daily
- ↑ Make it at Market & The Repair Shop on BBC One: Is Dominic Chinea married? , Entertainment Daily
- ↑ The Repair Shop's Dominic Chinea admits he 'wasn't meant to be' on BBC series , Express.co.uk
- ↑ About Dominic Chinea's Channel , Youtube , accessed 4 May 2023
- ↑ BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! Reviving history...
- ↑ Tools A Visual History: The Hardware that Built, Measured and Repaired the World , Amazon
- ↑ British hobbyists turn their passions into profits in Dom Chinea’s brand new series Make it at Market , BBC
- ↑ Restoration expert, Dominic Chinea joins Goodwood Revival line up , Goodwood