Love, Secrets, and Second Chances—February’s Must-Read Books Await!
Jamie Oliver
Restaurants and cooking are in Jamie Oliver's blood, having
grown up around the successful pub/restaurant owned and
operated by his parents in Cambridge, England. At 8 years
old, Jamie was peeling potatoes and podding peas with the
rest of The Cricketers staff and by 11, he could julienne
vegetables as fast as any of them. At 16, Jamie completed
his formal training at Westminster Catering College.
A fresh face in the culinary world, Jamie Oliver began work
at the critically acclaimed River Cafe in London for three
years. After appearing on television as part of a
documentary on the River Cafe, Jamie was called the next
morning by five of the top production companies in England.
Jamie went with Optomen Television to produce the first
series of the enormously successful Naked Chef. He has
since gone on to produce Oliver's Twist and multiple
specials.
In addition to his TV shows in Britian and America, Jamie
has writen the bestselling The Naked Chef (Hyperion), The
Naked Chef Takes Off, Happy Days, and Jamie's Kitchen. He's
also food editor for British GQ magazine, a columnist with
the Saturday Times Magazine, and monthly food editor for
Marie Claire magazine in the UK.
Now 27, Jamie continues his work as consultant chef at
Monte's, an advisor for top British supermarket chain
Sainsbury's, and design consultant for quality cook and
tableware for Royal Worcester. In 2001, Jamie took his live
cookery show on the road: His Happy Days Tour packed
theatres in Cambridge, Bournemouth and London as well as in
seven cities in Australia and New Zealand. Jamie's cooking
is even in demand by the British government: In 1999, Jamie
was invited to 10 Downing Street to prepare a lunch for the
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who was entertaining
the Italian Prime Minister.
Most recently Jamie opened a not-for-profit restaurant,
Fifteen, with the goal of training young unemployeds to
work in the kitchen and on the floor. The London restaurant
has become a hit.
Jamie's passions are pasta and breadmaking. He still
travels through London on motorbike and plays drums with
his high school mates in the band Scarlet Division, whose
sound Jamie likens to a mixture of "Catatonia and Texas
with a harder edge."
Jamie married his childhood sweetheart, Jools, in 2000.
They live in London with their daughters Poppy Honey and
Daisy Boo.