The celebrity chef, 72, gave his own personal view about Brexit in an interview for the Radio Times ahead of his new BBC travel show Secret France.
He said that his father, who committed suicide aged 58, was very supportive of the European Union, and he has taken on these core beliefs.
He said: “My dad was very, very in favour of the European Union.
“My family on that side are part–German, so he understood and remembered things going so badly wrong. So it means a lot to me.”
He added that he believed the nation is better off staying in the EU, especially as he is such a lifelong Francophile.
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Rick explained: “I just think we’re better as part of the European Union than not. I like being joined to France.”
However, he said that he has deliberately always kept politics out of his professional work, as he prefers to stick to lighter and more affable topics.
And while he greatly admired the late Anthony Bourdain, who was never afraid to pass political commentary, Rick says this simply isn’t his style.
He said: “I do nostalgia, lovely food, romantic photography.
“I always really admired Anthony Bourdain because he managed to combine a love of really good food, and be really political.”
“But it’s not my work,” the chef admitted.
Rick added what he enjoys to do is “cheering people up” and said people prefer this than him getting into heavy topics.
But while it’s true that Rick has kept politics out of his television shows and cookbooks, he has acted out against Brexit in other ways.
Rick was one of the cosigners of a letter which was distributed amongst the British hospitality industry.
The letter asked for support for the campaign for a People’s Vote and was signed by leading restaurants including Trevor Gulliver, Fergus Henderson, Ruth Rogers and Stein himself.
Rick also attended the People’s March on October 19 in Central London, where he posted a photo from the event on his Twitter.
Yesterday, the EU agreed to a Brexit extension until January 31, 2020, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson officially sent a letter confirming the offer of a delay.
Boris had repeatedly said he wouldn’t ask for an extension after the deadline, which was supposed to be October 31.
Rick’s full interview is available in this week’s The Radio Times, out now.
Rick Stein’s Secret France starts on BBC Two on Tuesday November 5 at 9pm.