Happy Days with the Naked Chef by Jamie Oliver

What is it that makes Jamie Oliver such a runaway success? This man, who only a few years ago was working away at the River Café, is now one of the biggest household names on the cooking front. With the recent publication of Happy Days, his personal wealth seems to increase yet again, as the book races up the best selling chart. But we can't just let him get away with it without first trying to understand why he is so special.

In some ways he is just reinventing the wheel, old flavours, new approach. Without doubt his days at the River Café had an impact on him. Many of his dishes have that particular stamp on them. His success lies, however, in the fact that he is reaching out to everybody, from grannies to the youngest nippers, bringing up until now unknown flavours and combinations, together with easy preparation, which all makes for food of stunning proportions.

His early cooking days when he was helping his parents at their pub in Essex must have had an impact on his approach to food. What child these days knows how to cook a roast? He understands ingredients and marriage of flavours. Where he succeeds above all others is cooking preparation and technique. He makes it look so simple and if you are a first time cook, like the ‘lovely missus', and follow the recipes ad verbatim, you too will have success.

With his previous books, Jamie championed men into the kitchen and part of this new book is aimed at children, the next generation of cooks. He was so impressed by an eight year old who approached him, wanting to talk about his risotto recipe, that Jamie felt that he could get them to throw their frozen fish fingers behind them and get them going too. It helps that he is such a showman and has been awarded cool status by these up and coming little chefs.

So to tempt you into buying into the Jamie myth, imagine the following tastes. While figs are still around, put them with Parma ham, mozzarella, basil and drizzle over honey and lemon juice dressing. If you are feeling adventurous, try magnificent monkfish, a Swiss roll of this delectable fish, rolled in Parma ham, filled with basil and sun-dried tomatoes.

One mustn't ignore David Loftus's photographs either. They catch Jamie's spin perfectly and the food looks pretty good too.

There is still plenty of mileage left in Jamie.

This was written in 2001. Way back then, who would have thought that he have an even bigger impact on how we eat?

Publication details
Photography by David Loftus. £20.
Published by Michael Joseph.
ISBN 0718144848
2001

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