It’s very flattering that they actually want to spend time talking with me...
SUNDAY BRUNCH’S SIMON RIMMER TELLS MARION MCMULLEN WHY HE’S ENJOYING GRILLING FELLOW CHEFS FOR HIS NEW PODCAST
You’ve been chatting to top chefs like Ainsley Harriott, Gok Wan, Tom Kerridge and the Hairy Bikers for your new podcast Grilling. How did it all come about?
IT’S been such a nice experience. I resisted a podcast for years mainly because I had no idea what I wanted to talk about.
Then I was chatting with Tom Kerridge on the phone and it was a turning point for me, a defining moment, so I chat to guests about their passion for cooking, how it all began, finding out what inspired them, their biggest culinary triumphs and catastrophes, and serve up a few simple tips along the way to help improve skills in the kitchen.
What has it been like interviewing your fellow chefs?
THE Hairy Bikers were just brilliant. We just laughed non-stop from the moment they arrived. The most humbling thing about it all is that every single person that I asked to do the podcast said yes.
It’s very flattering that they actually want to spend time talking with me. And people like Jamie Olivier have said they’ll take part if we do another run of them.
I’m dead proud of the podcast. You get used to doing eight and 10-minute interviews on telly and it’s great to spend an hour talking to people. The response has been lovely, incredible.
Marcus Wareing took part in one podcast and we both took part in the very first series of Great British Menu years ago. All have stories about how they have ended up where they are and I’m glad they feel comfortable in my company.
How have your restaurants been managing with the lockdowns?
WE’VE been doing takeaway, but it is a stressful time. We are in a better place than most I can say, but it’s frustrating more than anything.
It’s been a long while for everyone. It’s tough times.
Were there worries about how Sunday Brunch could continue on Channel 4 during the pandemic?
FOR six weeks we broadcast Sunday Brunch from home and then we went back into the studio.
We don’t have as many guests in the studio, but we do have people on Zoom and we’ve had many international guests from LA, Vegas and we had Tim Minchin on from Australia, so it has become a bigger show in a way. And Tim (Lovejoy)
and I are not above taking the mickey out of ourselves.
I’m not good at doing nothing. The first bit of lockdown last year was a bit relaxing, almost a bit of therapy, but I get a bit angsty if I’m not working. I’m absolutely terrible at it.
You’ve had many famous guests on Sunday Brunch. Do you ever get starstruck?
I REMEMBER Phil Collins coming on and he was just a lovely gentleman. I found him in an area in the studio where we served tea and coffee and he said ‘Do you think it would be OK if I have another cup of tea?’ And Debbie Harry, who I admired when I was young, made my heart thump a little bit.
Jeff Goldblum was magical and we’ve had some amazing Hollywood stars come on a do a little bit over the last months.
The bigger the stars the nicer they are. They have nothing to prove and are happy to be there. (Laughs)
Some people do forget though it’s such an early start and it’s a three-hour show.
How do you cope when things go wrong during a live show?
I PREFER live television and mishaps are part of the joy of live telly. I think they are part of the fun. I’m not too bothered when things go wrong. I like the challenge and I’m always cooking up against time as well.
How do you look back on taking part in Strictly Come Dancing?
IT was one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life. It was terrifying, but every single person involved in the show is so positive and that’s rare these days.
I think people were surprised I wasn’t knocked out the first week, but I got through to week six. It’s over three years since I did it, but people still talk about it.
What is your own perfect lockdown comfort meal?
(LAUGHS) It’s terrible but, if I’m on my own, I’ll eat a tin of beans and a tin of sardines with hot sauce straight out of the pan.
It isn’t about cooking, it’s my secret... or I’ll have a bowl of cereal for my tea. And I don’t mind a kebab now and again as well.
I’m not good at doing nothing. I get a bit angsty if I’m not working. Simon Rimmer
Grilling with Simon Rimmer in association with Weber BBQS is available now on play.acast. com/s/grilling/