2. Jamie’s
Army
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fresh 82 www.fresh-magazine.co.uk

3. fresh outlook
jamie oliver
Nikki Haynes talks class,
cooking and Christmas
presents with the man behind
the new Ministry of Food . . .
O
VER THE years I’ve done many interviews
by phone, and in my experience
celebrities are not renowned for their
great timekeeping, so when I was told
that Jamie would call me at 9.30 on a
Monday morning I was prepared with a
cup of tea and some reading to keep me occupied for half
an hour whilst I waited by the phone. Imagine my surprise
when, at half nine on the dot, the phone rings; “Hello
honey . . . I don’t really spend much time doing interviews,
but I’ve got them all today and tomorrow, then back to
work as normal. I’ve only just started so you’ve got me
fresh!” The reason for Jamie’s busy interview schedule is
his latest TV series, Ministry of Food, designed to get the
country cooking again. The programme was inspired by the
original Ministry of Food set up during World War II to help
families use their rations wisely and efficiently.
Back to the future
We may not be in such dire straits these days, but Jamie has
to contend with the fact that we’re now in recession, with
food prices rocketing and budgeting firmly back in fashion.
Also, the original Ministry of Food probably didn’t have to
teach many people from scratch as most would have been
regular cooks out of necessity – fewer kebab shops in those
days! Some of the people that Jamie meets have never
chopped an onion before and one woman confesses she
isn’t even sure what boiling water looks like. Jamie decided
to set the series in Rotherham because it’s the home town
of Julie Critchlow, who you may remember as one of the
mothers in the infamous, highly publicised pictures of
parents passing bags of chips through the school railings at
the height of his School Dinners campaign. How did those
images make him feel? “Well, obviously they were very
iconic pictures . . . you could say she was my nemesis. But,
four years on, she was very pivotal in Rotherham and she
sort of showed me the town and gave me loads of help and
support when I was doing my thing, and we didn’t always
agree on everything, but I think it goes to prove that, if
you face your demons they’re not always what you think
they are, and actually she can cook, and she was very,
very helpful. I really appreciate that.” Do you think she’s
changed her opinion? “I dunno. I mean, she still says she’d
imaGeS DAVID LOFTUS
do it again. In a way, she’s sort of an activist and I kinda
quite love that about her spirit. She said that the head
teacher didn’t want to see her, so I guess she was doing
what mothers would do when she felt that she wouldn’t be
listened to.” Another main draw was the South Yorkshire
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4. town is statistically said to be the place that
best reflects the demographic make-up of the
country as a whole. Jamie explains, “I thought,
well, if it can work here it should be able to work
anywhere. After everything I’ve learnt in the last
10 years, I thought, have I ever really got to the
people who could do with the help the most? So
basically, looking into the future to what could
be an answer, I actually went back to the past.
The Ministry of Food actively mentored and
taught people how to deal with getting the best
out of the ingredients during the war, and I found
that incredibly inspiring. So, in some respects,
it should’ve been the first book I should’ve
written, do you know what I mean? . . . It was
based in Rotherham but it wasn’t really specific
to the town, it was basically a snapshot of Great
Britain today. Can knowing how to cook make
life better, or doesn’t it make any difference?
And of course, one would think I’m biased, but I
think it does. I thought why are so many celebrity
chefs in magazines, cookery shows, etc, etc . . .
and people are still not cooking? I think what I
learnt this year was to people that can’t cook and
don’t care for it, it doesn’t matter how much TV
or magazines there are, because they just won’t
see it. It can be on 24 hours a day and they just
won’t see it if they’re not turned on to it.”
A question of class It wasn’t really specific to any town, it was
The furore surrounding the Ministry of Food began
before it even aired to the public. Although it basically a snapshot of Great Britain today
may not have been Jamie’s intention, some
people felt that the show highlighted a class know what boiling water looks like’, but I don’t always fighting Jamie’s corner. Now she has a
divide – he was even turned on by the people think that makes them look like numpties, I real passion for food and even her own vegetable
of Rotherham, who claimed the show made think that makes them look like they’ve been patch. Proving it isn’t just young people who lack
them look like “numpties” and “thickos.” let down by 40 years of Government, and now culinary skills is Geoff Blackburn, an 84-year-
John Gilding the leader of Rotherham Council’s we’re paying the price. The one thing that would old who never learnt to cook because his wife
Conservative group told Times Online that upset me more than anything would be if the did it for him. When she died he went to seek
“the people he put on television were pretty people of Rotherham felt that I’d put them in help from the Citizens Advice Bureau, only to be
downmarket and he gave the impression that a bad light because I don’t think I have.” He turned away. Jamie was touched by his plight;
everyone living here is like that . . . It looks like adds, “I think that regardless of age, colour or “that was awful. I try to keep a positive view, but
he thinks we’re all as thick as planks, and that class, it’s the same problem [not being able to I’m still vulnerable, and I think that even after
we live on doner kebabs.” Jamie’s reaction to cook], it’s not exclusive to one group . . . I think nine months my emotions are up and down like
this: “all of a sudden it’s become, ‘the people in Great Britain, largely, people have got stuff, a yo-yo. So when I meet people like Geoff, for
of Rotherham are pissed off and upset, ‘it’s a Sky, mobiles, flat screens, we’ve all got stuff, me that’s an inspiration, that I’m not wasting
North/South thing, it’s a rich/poor thing’, and no matter what class or employment status. But my time. And there’ll be hundreds of thousands
I’m reading these pieces obviously slagging me what was quite interesting was I was meeting of Geoffs up and down the country, born in the
off, but thinking, you obviously haven’t even people who were in theory loaded, but didn’t last remaining era when women cooked – if they
watched the programme, because it’s not about know how to cook. So they were eating just end up in the unfortunate situation where these
class, it’s not about age, it’s not about North as badly as someone unemployed that didn’t ladies aren’t there anymore, they go from a life
and South, I feel confident about what’s in the know how to cook.” For me, the most shocking of bliss to eating shit, and they’re buying into the
programmes and I don’t want the people of case was that of Natasha Whiteman, a single same solutions that all the young ones are. He
Rotherham thinking I’ve come in and slagged mother who fed her kids on take-away burgers even went to the local college and they said, ‘we
their town off. It’s set in Rotherham but it’s and kebabs six or seven days a week. When we can’t do anything for you ‘cause you’re so old’.
not Rotherham-specific, the same problems meet her in episode one, it’s clear she knows That’s why I realised that part of the solution
are everywhere. I’ve been there for a year, I’ve something is wrong, and as Jamie begins to give would be to have a Ministry of Food, bricks and
never seen or portrayed the people as numpties, her confidence in the kitchen, the change in her mortar, in any town that felt they needed one, it
you’ve got a bunch of people saying, ‘I don’t is amazing. She becomes a leader in the group, would offer free cooking lessons six days a week,
fresh 84 www.fresh-magazine.co.uk

5. fresh outlook
jamie oliver
do? How much are you going to spend? Are
you going to train enough staff to do it? . . . quick questions Q&A
It’s really hard to be politically-minded these i heard that you’re going to be doing a
days, really hard to engage with politics. programme in the states . . . ?
And I’ve always remained apolitical. But It’s more of a gastronomic journey, really. I
the stuff that I’ve done recently has turned spent the last week in New Orleans, Louisiana,
me, messing around in the area of politics learning. It’s a time for me to go out and learn
was never supposed to be. But obviously, I what’s good in those areas and how they do
know my job really well and I know the food it, and also in the midst of the last hurricane,
industry better than most. I do feel that the and Katrina, it’s quite an interesting social trip
Government – and I’m not referring just to as well, to see how food plays a big part in
this Government but all Governments for normality, coming back after the hurricanes.
the last 40 years – has taken such liberties, Everyone was banned from New Orleans, but
taxing our girls who have gone out to work. actually all the restaurants started opening up,
If you said to every working mum, ‘your and it kinda sung out loud that the town was
kids’ll get fed properly at school, and they’ll open for business as usual, and the confidence
also come out at 16 knowing how to look got everyone else coming back. I dunno what to
after themselves’, I think every parent call it, really, a sort of travelogue-cookshow-
would say, ‘fine. Thank you.’ But that hasn’t cum-documentary. I think it’s gonna be good.
happened. And actually, it’s taken a bunch
of documentaries and some poxy TV chef Who would you swap places with for 24 hours?
to bring the story to a certain level, but That’s a good question! Let me think . . . Rooney?
they’re starting to say all the right things Or the lead singer of The Kooks?
now. We’ve got a Government that for the
first time in 40 years is saying, ‘we’re gonna Are you still into your music?
teach kids how to cook’, and as far as I’m Yeah, I’ve always been into it. I still do a bit of
concerned that is wonderful. But now, ‘cause drumming at the weekends but that’s it. I mean,
I’ve learnt a lot, I’m not just saying, ‘how I love my music, and obviously it’d be good to be
about talking about this’, or, ‘how about good at football.
you can come in for three minutes and learn agreeing to this?’ I’m saying, ‘right, you’re
how to poach an egg, or have a formal hour’s agreeing to this, how are you going do it, every man’s dream. so, what would your
lesson and you’ll be able to touch, see and what are you going to spend? How will this last meal be?
do a stir-fry, or a roast, or whatever. It’ll work in primary schools? Is this going to be Probably me Mum’s roast chicken will all
cost about £150k a year to run, and as far as tested? Are parents going to be involved the trimmings.
the councils are concerned that’s not new in it? And because now I know the school
money, that’s old money, it’s sitting there.” system ... what I’m trying to say to you is Good answer! And have you got a
that you can’t baffle me by bollocks. And I’d favourite restaurant?
A solution? rather them not waste their money, unless I think my favourite restaurant at the moment is
Jamie’s plan was to teach eight people in they do it properly. I think the next five years called Hix Oyster & Chop House . . . Mark Hix’s
Rotherham how to cook. In return, they are really important actually. As far as Great new place. I’ve had two good meals there.
would pass on their new skills to two of their Britain’s concerned, I really, truly believe that
friends and so on until the whole country great or awful things will emerge from what What are you going to be doing at christmas?
is cooking – a kind of pyramid scheme for system they use over the next five years.” I’ve got all the family coming to us this year –
budding cooks. Unrealistic perhaps, but Unfortunately for me Mr Oliver’s punctuality there’s about 20 of us, and I’ll be doing goose, and
you can’t help but admire Jamie’s drive, goes against me in the end, as we have to turkey, with all the trimmings. It should be lovely.
and even if only a few more people learn finish our interview because he has to run off
to cook, that will still be an achievement. to the next one. I have to apologise for being What would you like santa to bring you?
Personally I think that another solution would so serious so early on a Monday morning, but Umm what would I like?! I would love him to bring
be for cookery to be made compulsory in Jamie is bright as ever, “that’s all right, it’s me some iTunes vouchers, that would be nice.
our schools, and of course Jamie agrees, becoming more normal for me! Thanks a lot,
“It’s an interesting time politically at the lots of love. Bye!” congratulations on becoming a father again.
moment, the Government are thinking of Do you know what it is yet or are you waiting
making it available to every student to learn to be surprised?
a handful of basic, relevant cookery skills, Not yet, no . . . We went to the first scan but we
and I just want to make sure that they do it haven’t found out. We’ll see, I wouldn’t mind
properly or not at all, really . . . [they] are finding out, but Jools is very strict about not
saying that they’re going to do something, Jamie’s Ministry of Food is finding out. So we’ll play it by ear.
and what I’m really enthusiastic but also published by Penguin, £25
concerned about is what ARE you going to
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