Oliver - Jamies Kitchen

Dedicated to my two great girls:

Lovely Jools, the best thing that ever happened to me, and little Poppy, the best thing Ive ever made.

Love Dad

X X X

WHAT A YEAR ITS BEEN. Over the past 12 months Ive really learnt a lot about myself and have gained so much from new experiences, especially from the birth of my daughter. Poppy has given me a massive wake-up call! Some things never change though I am still absolutely passionate about food. Not just eating but the whole cooking thing, hunting down great produce and especially making up recipes. When Ive found a new dish or tried out a new technique in cooking, I get the same feeling as when I first learnt how to ride a bike. I may never have been the best bike rider, but I always enjoyed it, even when I fell off or crashed. I want you to have the same attitude towards your cooking.

This year has been really exciting for me, because an idea has finally become a reality. Let me tell you about Jamies Kitchen. About seven years ago, when Id just started working at the River Caf, I was having a cup of tea with a friend, Kirsty. At the time she was working with problem children aggressive and bad-tempered, they werent fitting into their school or home environments very well and she was explaining to me that the main thing was to inspire and empower them and to give them some hands-on responsibility. She said that cooking classes had been going really well with them, because they could feel, smell and create things and above all it was fun. Plus they could eat what theyd made! Having not been the brightest banana in the bunch myself, I realized that my biggest weapon in life was the determination, enthusiasm, hands-on and actions speak louder than words approach my father taught me, and I wanted to get this across to others, especially those interested in food. Having had five really great years I felt it was about time to give a little back and help inspire others. So thats where Jamies Kitchen came from.

All my ideas got whittled down to one main one to train a team of unemployed kids with an interest and passion for food and to open a new first-class restaurant in London to be run by them. The restaurant will be a charity, with all profits used to send the kids on scholarships to work with the best chefs around the world Britain, Italy, France, Australia, Japan. Just look at the difference that the Roux brothers, Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay have made in such a short period of time. They are all incredible chefs and we should aspire to be as good as they are. Together they have broken the mould for British food and now their protgs are continuing in their footsteps and cooking to a brilliantly high standard.

The aim of this book is the same as my TV programmes. Its not a clinical or overly serious learn to cook book. Its more about giving you an honest and easy approach to cooking from my point of view. With this book, you too can get stuck in along with the kids who are training as chefs. So far theyve been brilliant getting stuck into their training and displaying a real thirst for knowledge. But it hasnt all been plain sailing as they are 15 very different individuals. Im pleased with how well theyve been doing though, and I really hope they enjoy the training and the whole experience. If they can come out the other end as fully trained, passionate chefs, Ill be a happy man.

Recently Ive travelled all over the world and have met some great people. I honestly cant tell you what a real sense of happiness and achievement I feel when I get everyone from kids, to OAPs, to students, to builders, to city boys, talking to me about the recipes theyve cooked from my books. Its an unbelievable feeling, but the best thing of all for me is when someone says they adapted a recipe as they preferred a nice cod steak to a bit of mullet, or I hate pears so I did it with peaches or I turned that ravioli into a tortellini. For me it doesnt get much better than that, because it makes me feel Ive given you guys confidence in your own cooking. Just remember, its not about being a professional chef, weighed down with facts and figures and techniques.

when I first met them I had to check my wallet was still there it was like Fame meets Reservoir Dogs!

Id like you to have a go on your own and think of me as a mate whos on hand to give you a bit of extra guidance. I want to give your cooking a kickstart, so be creative, give it your best shot and, as always, have a laugh.

When shopping for kitchen equipment, youll find that most cookshops and department stores have all these high-tech pans with glass lids, removable handles and so on, but most of the time theyre actually not very good. Just try to get yourself a minimal amount of decent sturdy kitchen equipment. Have a look in some professional kitchen shops youll be surprised to find that they dont charge over-the-top prices, as they have to stock no-nonsense inexpensive equipment.

• large non-stick frying pan
• large porcelain or stainless steel casserole
• some heavy, thick-bottomed saucepans large, medium and small
• a couple of pairs of metal tongs
• wooden spoons
• thick, sturdy wooden chopping board spend a bit more and it should last you a lot longer
• small plastic chopping boards, for meat and fish small enough to fit in the dishwasher
• olive oil drizzlers
• medium-large pestle and mortar from all good stores and supermarkets
• food processor these save time and are a good investment
• knives: 30cm cooks knife, paring knife and bread knife to get you started
• stainless steel fish slice, slotted spoon, ladle and whisk dont use plastic ones
• speed-peeler cheap as chips and really handy
• 2 or 3 good sturdy roasting trays the thicker the better so they wont kink in the oven
• salad spinner good ones only last a year, so buy yourself a cheap one
• electric scales
• a couple of sieves, fine and coarse
• measuring jug
• string
• metal box grater
• rolling pin
• cake tins
• wine rack

Some people think shopping for food is a bit of a hassle, but, to be honest, if you shop well for the best seasonal ingredients thats half the battle won. Here are some tips to help you get the best out of your shopping.

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