Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has opened up about his career and personal life in a BBC Radio 4 interview marking the 20th anniversary of his breakthrough show, The Naked Chef. Speaking to Sheila Dillon, Oliver discussed the show's impact, his restaurant chain's collapse, and his ongoing campaigns.
Oliver revealed that the first episode of The Naked Chef was, in his words, 'tedious, boring and dull.' The team learned from early failures, adding music, cine film montage, and kitchen banter to create the iconic series. He said this taught him to learn from his failings.
Reflecting on societal changes, Oliver noted that in the late 1990s, it was still sexist, with many men expecting partners to cook. The Naked Chef helped show young men they could step up in the kitchen. He also addressed criticism of his hands-on cooking style, saying he taught viewers they didn't need masterful knife skills.
Oliver discussed the collapse of his Jamie's Italian chain, saying he is 'sitting back, taking some time to learn some stuff, be humbled, try and deal with the mess and move on.' He added he doesn't want his name all over the high street again, preferring to invest in talented young chefs' restaurants.
On campaigning, Oliver said it is 'not comfortable. It's rarely enjoyable and it only ever divides.' He highlighted issues like child poverty and nutritional content of school meals as drivers of his work. He also shared a quirky anecdote: even before The Naked Chef, he grew herbs on his windowsill, and later discovered a neighbour would urinate in them after nights out.
