Meeting public demand, or just an exercise in commercialism?
It’s hard to be critical of Jamie when he’s done so much to encourage people to cook
In about 30 years’ time, whatever replaces Channel 5 will show clips of Jamie’s Air Fryer Meals (Monday, Channel 4, 8pm) as part a show in which AI-generated talking heads reminisce about how the world went mad for a new type of kitchen gadget.
This new show from the nation’s favourite Essex-based kitchen whiz showed us how you can expand the range of meals you can cook in the suddenly-popular must-have culinary counter-top clutter.
At the start of the show, Jamie tells us: “I want to see how far I can push it... I want to show you just what this new friend in the kitchen can do.”
To be fair to the now fullyclothed chef, he’s following in an honourable tradition when it comes to celebrity cooks adjusting to new technology – after all, back in 1987, everyone's favourite cooking granny, Mary Berry, released a book of her Favourite Microwave Recipes.
And some of these recipes do look lovely, using the air fryer’s USP of fast heat to cook fish, whole chickens and veg – sorry, “veggies” – to perfection.
However, you suspect that Dame Mary didn’t sprinkle her microwave masterwork with plugs for the latest manufacturer.
Jamie’s Air Fryer Meals , in contrast, has two hour-long episodes sponsored by Tefal, in which he uses Tefal products – several of them – in which to cook his dinners.
In the background of Jamie’s kitchen are gleaming machines offering the promise of easy, nutritious meals in moments: machines with two drawers; machines with one drawer; sleek black models or shining stainless steel models.
Which is all very well, but you have to have a store cupboard of spices, you must buy lemongrass and curry leaves, sugar-snap peas and lime leaves and as many fresh herbs as the local supermarket stocks.
Even Poppy O’Toole, the selfstyled Queen of Potatoes and one of the guest chefs he has on – for no discernible reason other than it gives Jamie a rest for five minutes – has links to Tefal through sponsored segments on her TikTok account.
It’s hard to be critical of Jamie when he’s done so much to encourage people to cook, when he’s genuinely done a lot to remind people that cooking something from scratch can be quick and easy... and when I have five or six of his cookbooks.
But this show – even besides O’Toole – bears all the hallmarks of being made in response to two things – social media and commercialism.
Channel 4 haven’t been that shy about it, either. In pre-publicity Katie Millard, executive producer for Jamie Oliver Productions, said:
“Working with our long-term partner Tefal, Jamie was able to respond to the huge public demand for more air fryer recipes.”
You can’t help thinking that the “huge public demand” would have been satisfied even without the involvement of a certain French cookware manufacturer.
Meanwhile, the style of the thing – quick cuts, a permanent soundtrack, and lots of hyperbole – is all geared towards the quick hit of a social media video.
Peach Alaska is “an absolute joy”, cheesy scones are “a revelation”, and at one point Jamie is “kind of going on a pesto vibe”.
There’s very little detail to the recipes, meanwhile, with everything designed to push you to scan a QR code, visit a website, download an app – capturing your data, ready for that promotional email from Tefal.
I’m sorry to be cynical, but this is a cynical programme, seemingly made solely because of a sponsorship deal, and a placeholder before Jamie’s real new series – a seasonal offering about spring cookery – begins on Monday.