Jamie Oliver
A good hangover cure? Other than water, and maybe a Berocca, a teaspoon of cumin sorts you out
Ithink I’m generally liked but people who don’t like me can’t fucking stand me. Do I care? Not in the slightest. I’m fairly consistent, so even the ones who don’t like me probably understand I’ve got some half-decent values. Sometimes, being enthusiastic and positive pisses people off.
“Bollocks” is a good word because you can use it freely in America.
If you don’t do anything then nothing happens, so get amongst it. I reckon I fuck up about 30 per cent of everything I do. You only prosper through having a go and not being afraid of taking knocks.
A “glug” of olive oil is, I would say, about a tablespoon.
It’s not that cool or common for a chef to be a complete arsehole in the kitchen now. That’s a good thing. Also, we’re all struggling for staff so you can’t treat people like that and get away with it.
If you Google Image me, the last 20 years does not look good. It’s just the most erratic, nuts selection of haircuts.
Me and Marco Pierre White don’t get on, which is kind of a shame. He was a huge influence when I was a teenager but he can’t stand me and I’m not that keen on him, if I’m honest. I wouldn’t mind making amends — and we probably will one day — but maybe not.
A good hangover cure? Other than water — and maybe a Berocca — a heaped teaspoon of cumin sorts you out. It’s quite hard to swallow but that works.
About four years ago, I felt sad for the first time. I’m generally a very optimistic person but I knew I was just pretending to be happy and I wasn’t quite sure why. I don’t worry, which is a problem because I wasn’t conscious of the complicated world I’d created for myself. At the core of it all was sleep. I was getting, like, three-and-a-half hours sleep a night. I got on a journey to fixing it quickly.
Bad manners really annoy me. Not getting up if an old person or a pregnant woman needs a seat on the bus… I see red. People just barging about drives me up the wall as well.
Most of my inspirations have been women. Women are often unpretentious and they’re more reflective of what’s available, what’s near, what’s in season and, “I don’t give a fuck if that’s the way to chop something. I think this is better so fuck you.” I like that.
I don’t like watching myself on TV so I tend not to. It just gets on my tits. It’s not nice hearing your own voice, is it?
There are glass-half-full and glass-halfempty people. I know who I want to hang around with. Glass-half-empty people fucking suck the life out of you.
Trust is the most powerful trump card I’ve got. I’ve always done what I’ve said I’d do and I’ve tried what I’ve said I’d try. I haven’t done weird things like blowing stuff up people’s bums or running off with this or that, or any other random shit most celebs get caught doing at some stage. I’m boring and quite predictable.
I was all right at the javelin back in the day. I’ve always had a pretty good throw. I was in the 50m range, which was OK.
I’m worth a tenth of what people say I am. I don’t even know if that would be true or not. Anyway, I’m definitely not extravagant. Money means some stability, but I’m not motivated by cash more than what I think is considered normal.
In the next 10 years I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family, getting to India, Peru, and throwing more parties. Playing more cards. And drinking more whisky, tequila, cachaça, bourbon. Cooking more — I like being in a restaurant kitchen, that’s where I’m comfortable — and getting in a hammock more often.
Jamie’s Super Food is currently airing on Channel 4. Super Food Family Classics (Penguin Random House) is out now