[Closed] Oliver has surpassed himself.

Maybe he is trying for a gig on Top Gear.

Someone will be along shortly to query why his weight has anything to do with things, and to inform you your TV has an off switch.*

*And possibly the option to select other channels.

your TV has an off switch.*

What about the wife?

chubby Essex Cook

That is all.

If I was driving around in a capri, I'd handbrake turn everywhere. "Just handbrake turnin to the shops dear, do you want anything?"

My favourite thing about that show when the other half's watching it is during the internal car driving shots, you can see the assistant complete with notepad and other accessories hiding behind the passenger seat, slightly deflating the relaxed bantermime going on in the front...

What has his weight or where he comes from got to do with anything?

Other channels are available.

EDIT: Oops! Or just switch it off. Or [mod]go for a ride[/mod].

I do find him irritating, but I cannot help but admire his business acumen. He got a lucky break as a kid when he was spotted, and did the whole cheeky chappy, one of the lads, mockney 'cool' chef programs. He took that and ran with it. He's worked bloody hard, and done quite a lot of good, so good luck to him.

What about the wife?

Not sure about the off switch, but banging it from a certain angle might improve reception.

I do find him irritating, but I cannot help but admire his business acumen.

Amazingly, people keep falling for it. I ate in one of his restaurants once. A mistake I do not wish to repeat.

Amazingly, people keep falling for it. I ate in one of his restaurants once. A mistake I do not wish to repeat.

Yes, not eaten at one of his restaurants myself, but I do get the impression that he's moved a long way away from his original ethos. The lovingly prepared, spontaneous, rustic cooking for the love of it, has been replaced by an enormous corporate machine of chain restaurants.

im reassured by a chubby chef, shows they like what the cook!

I'm in the "like" camp too.
And with an arse end like the Capri has got hand braking must be a joy!

Can't stand the TV show, because I hate that style of programme, but I rather like the bloke himself.
Love his books though and actually quite admire him for the way he has spoken out.

See also Gok Wan.

I ate in one of his restaurants once. A mistake I do not wish to repeat.

So have I, I was impressed & when I expected to be annoyed. Will go back & recommend it to everyone who asks...

I'm not keen on his personality, and don't like his style of cooking but I wouldn't knock the bloke for becoming a success & then following up on that by promoting healthy eating.

I've eaten a couple of times in his Brizzle restaurant and enjoyed it both times despite not wanting to. I'm with Rusty in liking him and thinking that he genuinely cares about the stuff he's campaigned on but thinking most of his tv stuff is all a bit shite.

Seems like a decent guy, on this occasion having a laugh.

The phrase "lighten up" springs to mind.

I'd rather have dinner with him than some of you whiny tossbags!

I ate there once. It was crap but then I'm not surprised because it must have been his day off as I couldn't see him in the kitchen.

So have I, I was impressed & when I expected to be annoyed. Will go back & recommend it to everyone who asks...

Perhaps you enjoy paying posh restaurant prices for Pizza Express quality food. I didn't.

Never trust a skinny chef.

This makes me laugh everytime i hear it...

I've also eaten in Pizza Express and the food in Jamie's was quite a bit better.

Mind you, I only agreed to go to Jamie's because I thought it was STW Jamie's restaurant. Imagine my disappointment. 🙁 Sorry if I've burst anyone else's bubble.

Perhaps you enjoy paying posh restaurant prices for Pizza Express quality food. I didn't.

I didn't expect to like it, & having been to both of those restaurants (food outlet in PE's case) I'll go back to Jamie's, and it really really isn't that expensive when compared with proper posh restaurants (which no, I don't frequent either, as I prefer to buy decent ingredients and cook myself)

I didn't expect to like it, & having been to both of those restaurants (food outlet in PE's case) I'll go back to Jamie's, and it really really isn't that expensive when compared with proper posh restaurants (which no, I don't frequent either, as I prefer to buy decent ingredients and cook myself)

Each to their own. There wasn't really anything wrong with the food there, but I found it pretty dull, not authentic (despite their claims), and overpriced compared to what I could get elsewhere. I eat at good quality restaurants a fair bit, as well as cooking a lot at home, so I do have a pretty good idea of what's available for a given price.

deadlydarcy - Member

I've eaten a couple of times in his Brizzle restaurant and enjoyed it both times despite not wanting to

I hope you complained! "I came here for a rubbish time and you have failed to deliver"

Chatting to locals in York recently the word was that his place there wasn't that good to start with, but has improved massively and is well worth a visit.

On the list for next time.

Doesn't he just throw all the ingredients on the plate, rummage it around and say 'lovely jubbly' over and over?

Beat boxing? Was he any good? I do hope he doesn't try it near any food, what with that oversized tongue going on.

I've eaten in a few of his places and on various occasions, has to be said it's a bit meh and rammed full of child buggies and whining parents, for that I'm ooot.
Foods about on par with an upmarket Little Chef these days, in a "you know what you are getting", "you know it'll be cooked", "you almost know what it'll cost", "you have a seat to sit on".
It is overpriced, it is "get in, eat, get out" attitude and it is all served by staff who couldn't care less about Jamie nor his food ethos.
I suspect the chain is so far removed from his little hands that he barely takes a look at his bank balance these days.
You can eat better, you can eat for far better VFM elsewhere, be it the local Caff or Georgio Locatellis.

However I'm a fan of his, liken him to an open, honest, jovial, interested Spaniel. Always on the move, always interesting on his TV trips and grounded to the point of getting involved in the programme rather than letting someone write a script and he plays out a Pinnochio stance sans strings.
I have a few of his books, opened them once of twice but the first one I almost got to the end of and have to say it's helped me in my day to day cooking variation(s)

😉

honestly for what he has done over the years he can be forgiven a lot.

Add in I hold him responsible for the fact that I can actually cook these days I'd have to admit to being a fan. My book purchases now end up with Rick Stein though now. Slightly more grown up and involved where oliver is still trying to get people cooking their own food.

Seen that the other night and laughed as I'd been tempted to do the same in an old car like that, certainly use to in the old bangers my brother use to buy. My next thought was I bet someone on STW will whine about it, well took a couple of days but there it is.

I'll watch Jamie Oliver programmes on the same basis I watch Robson's fishing adventures - because I'm interested in the content and despite the fact that the presenter annoys the crap out of me.

I like Jamie's style of cooking, I like his enthusiasm, I admire the campaigning work he's done, and the fact that he follows up on it (like, not letting the government off the hook on the school dinners thing even though he's not promoting a series about it anymore) and the training opportunities he's created for aspiring, disadvantaged people.

But, he is an annoying cockwomble on screen.

Good grief, pleasantly surprised there's so many Jamie lovers on here, good work people.

isn't he partly to blame for middle-class obesity?
by creating a nation who eat 4oz of pasta 4 times a week for dinner?

Add in I hold him responsible for the fact that I can actually cook these days I'd have to admit to being a fan. My book purchases now end up with Rick Stein though now. Slightly more grown up and involved where oliver is still trying to get people cooking their own food.

Can't deal with Rick Stein, watched a couple of episodes from his India series and found his salt-of-the-earth, Daily Telegraph reader style far too annoying...

yep but his spain book is very very good!

by creating a nation who eat 4oz of pasta 4 times a week for dinner?

That's just the first course in Italy..

Meh.

I've no issues with his success, just his personality. Fwiw I enjoyed the Naked Chef and for me his personality reflected the title at that time. However the Top Gear comment is a good comparison IMO, because either deliberately or not his personality has grown with him / us / the end of the "laddish TV" era.

And yes, he does appear to rummage wrist deep a fair bit in what becomes a tower of food these days which I personally find unappealling.

yep but his spain book is very very good!

Think I'd just get a Spanish chef's book if I really needed Spanish recipes - although I eat enough of that already!

As per as few of you above, I think he has acheived an awful lot, and should be respected for it, I just can't bring myself to like his onscreen persona.

I'd be happy to eat at one of his 'proper' restaurants (pukka?), though from what I've heard, I'd maybe give a wide berth to the chain ones (jamies italian?). One is opening here soon, so will give it a whirl, but not expect tooooo much.

Wife was lucky enough to get preview tickets to the York Jamie's. The food was excellent and the staff were really attentive. The building is interesting too.
We have ended up with most of his books (Xmas prezzies), but the best was Happy Days which was his 2nd or 3rd. Still enjoy meals out of that one.
At least IMO he is reasonably entertaining. I can't stand Delia or Nigel Slater.

I can take or leave him but I fail to see the fascination with celebrity chefs in general?

You don't get celebrity IT engineers, plumbers or electricians. It is just a job that they are good at.

I would far rather have a pub meal for reasonable money made with fresh ingredients and a decent portion. I take offense to being charged £60 for something fancy that is the size of a golf ball with 4 chips stacked at the side of a massive plate

I can't stand Delia or Nigel Slater.

Can take or leave Delia (but the shows and receipes do look VERY dated now!), but Nigel Slater really, properly, more than anyone else on the telly box, boils my piss. The thing is, I cant put my finger on why, which increases the temperature of afore mentioned urine even more!! 👿

I can't stand ...Nigel Slater.

I feel similarly with Slater as I do with Oliver, but more so - I actually can't watch Slater on the telly for more than five minutes, but I've probably cooked more of his recipes than any other "celebrity" chef's..

#nigelslaterfanbouy 😉

You don't get celebrity IT engineers,

brian cox is fairly close

plumbers or

tommy walsh

electricians

what about the bloke from diy sos?

I can take or leave him but I fail to see the fascination with celebrity chefs in general?

You don't get celebrity IT engineers, plumbers or electricians. It is just a job that they are good at.

The difference is everyone has an inbuilt natural interest in food (I accept there's the odd exception) so they're of interest to the general public in the most part. Plumbing/Electrics/IT although essential, aren't interesting to the masses.

Somewhere Jamie Oliver Has his head in hands and is thinking,

"Not another Kryton57 post on singletrack, when will it end".

Inspired by this thread I broke out the 30 minute meals book, did a lovely herby chicken and bacon thing - complete success with the family, will be trying that again 🙂

It's incredible the envy that people have of JO. Seems like a decent bloke, has done well for himself, and genuinely seems to care about kids health. Well done to him.

Get over yourself.

I'm not sure you should pursue a career in psychology, I'm pretty sure no one has stated they're envious of JO. Personally I just don't like the current presentation of his personality. It's just my opinion, and I'm entitled to it.

Of course your entitled to it.

IME most people who are envious, don't actually come out with it though.

I'm not envious at all though, I just don't get on with his personality.

He is irritating but you can't really criticise what he's done, an most of his recipes are very tasty IME.

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/115448/will-self-jamie-oliver-everything-wrong-britain-today

It's incredible the envy that people have of JO. Seems like a decent bloke, has done well for himself, and genuinely seems to care about kids health. Well done to him.

Get over yourself.

So I'm not allowed to dislike the food in his restaurant? Mmmmkay...

Inspired by this thread I broke out the 30 minute meals book, did a lovely herby chicken and bacon thing - complete success with the family, will be trying that again

The "bantermime" comment above is spot-on - his shows are cookery for the Soccer AM generation. The neologisms, buzzwords and stunts shoehorned into his scripts are toe-curling. Seems like he's trying too hard. He could always, you know, not go along with everything the programme makers suggest.

He seems personable enough, with a certain infectious enthusiasm, but it's become subsumed in the behemoth that the Jamie Oliver brand has become. I can't imagine that he's ever been anywhere near most of the restaurants bearing his name, any more than he's scattered the grated cheese in Matrix-style slow-motion over the top of one of his ready meals.

Plus, he recommended eating BAKED BEANS 😯 along with his fish pie recipe which, for me, negates every other thing he's achieved in the culinary sphere.

I'm not envious at all though.