For those of you who don’t know Jamie Oliver, listen up because you are really missing out. Jamie Oliver is a British celebrity chef who is known for his healthy spin on cuisine. Not only is he the host of numerous television shows and an acclaimed restauranteur, but he is witty and charming as well. I mean, who can resist a British accent? Here are some of the best things that he has said that you need to hear.
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1. “My general rule is that if everyone knew how to cook fresh produce from their local area, and Monday to Thursday within 20 minutes, you know, there’s millions of recipes out there to be had”
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Simple words but if you really think about it, very true. We could do wonders with fresh food and a few recipes.
2. “Stop being a vegan and start enjoying what you eat”
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Instead of following the latest trendy diet, focus on enjoying your food and eating healthy. You only get one life, so enjoy every last crumb instead of obsessively worrying about the calories.
3. “What I’ve enjoyed most, though, is meeting people who have a real interest in food and sharing ideas with them. Good food is a global thing and I find that there is always something new and amazing to learn – I love it!”
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Jamie is very well travelled with thanks to his television show and restaurants. Next time you are looking into a semester abroad, think about the types of foods you will get to experience to get you even more excited for your trip.
4. “Many kids can tell you about drugs but do not know what celery or courgettes taste like.”
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I bet you don’t even know what a courgette is. Don’t worry, I didn’t either. It is a variety of a cucurbit which means it’s in the same family as cucumber, squash and melon. Point being, we need to learn more about the good stuff.
5. Young people can be disruptive and screw up classes. But even if they are being a pain in the arse, it’s a cry for help – they don’t feel like they are being listened to.”
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This is great advice as you look back at your childhood friends or even your new college ones. If someone is struggling, it might not be because they aren’t trying but they actually have difficult things going on in their lives.
6. “I challenge you, to go to any school and open 50 lunch boxes, and I guarantee you there will be one or two cans of Red Bull, there’ll be cold McDonald’s and jam sandwiches with several cakes”
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At this day and age, this is probably true. You would not believe the food that school kids are being fed. In college, you are able to take more control over your diet so make the right choices as much as possible.
7. “I’m probably a bit romantic about it, but I think we humans miss having contact with fire. We need it”
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Ever been camping? Jamie Oliver likes going back to the basics by using a fire to cook his meals.
8. “We’re in a situation right now where weight and extreme weight and heart disease is the highest killer in the country today”
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About 610,000 Americans die every year from heart disease. That is 1 in every 4 deaths. This is an alarming number that we need to be aware of especially when choosing between take out or cooking.
9. “I wouldn’t say that processed food, ready meals and oven takeaways aren’t relevant to modern life, it’s just that over the past 40 years there are three generations of people who have come out of school and gone through their home life without ever being shown how to cook properly”
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This is a sad reality. As you start the first chapter of your life living away from home, ditch the takeout and learn how to make some healthy meals. There are tons of recipes out there that are quick to make so it won’t cut into your study time.
10. “It’s just us trying to start a movement where everybody passes on a bit of cooking knowledge. We can estimate that one person can potentially affect 180 others very quickly so we’re just trying to spread the word”
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The good ol’ power of the Internet and passing on knowledge. Use it to your advantage with the many online cooking schools that are available including All Recipes Cooking School.
11. “I think there are definitely two types of student: the academic kids and the 50% who fail. It’s very clear to see – it’s fact. We’re not doing enough for those who fail; they need a more physical, tactile approach, involving people skills, team-building, problem-solving, building things”
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There is nothing to be ashamed about if you learn a different way. Many people struggle in school and Jamie Oliver recognizes this. It is important to find your strengths and pursue what you are good at. College is a great time to explore this and learn what you like best.
12. “I love roasting because you can give it love, get it in the oven and go and play with the kids or whatever you’ve got to do, and then hours later you’ve got a lovely dinner”
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Even if you don’t have kids, you can start roasting something and then go hangout with some friends, catch up on some readings or hit up the gym. By the time you get back, a delicious dinner will be awaiting for your rumbling tummy.
13. I could cook from quite an early age – purely because I liked it”
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Jamie Oliver found his passion at a young age. Think about what you like to do and explore it further. Just because it might not seem like a conventional career path right now, if you love it you will find a way to excel at it and make a living.
14. “Just because the Americans are so good at rattling out accessible and cheap junk food, nobody looks twice when it comes to their food. But there are golden nuggets everywhere”
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Let’s break down a six pack of chicken nuggets from McDonalds. The nuggets contain 280 calories, has 16 grams of carbohydrates, 17 grams of fat and here is the kicker: 490mg of sodium. According to livestrong.com, you should be having a maximum of 2,300 mg of sodium per day. This means that six chicken nuggets knocks out a huge chunk of your daily sodium intake.
15. “It’s not the extremes and the treats that are the problem. It’s the everyday”
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You might think that the piece of chocolate cake for your BFF’s birthday is the reason you feel those extra five pounds coming on, but the real culprit is what you are eating on a daily basis. Those daily caramel macchiatos are not doing you a favour, even if you order them with skim milk.
16. “Like most of the other teachers, I’d done a bit of teaching and we all think we’re great at what we do, but you realize that normally you have an audience who are all onside, who all want to listen”
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Like our professors at school, Jamie Oliver has a lot of wisdom to impart. He has travelled the world, hosted his own television programs and more. As his audience, it is our job to soak it all in and learn the lessons that Jamie has to share.
17. “If Obama wanted to make radical changes to America’s health long-term, all he has to do is treble the price of sugar and salt”
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What do people hate more than anything? Increased prices! Imagine a world where McDonalds cost way more than anything at Whole Foods? Where would you be shopping then?
18. “We opened a shop in Rotherham which does free demonstrations every day, six days a week and it’s been very popular”
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Cooking classes are not hard to find. You can visit your local grocery store or search for online cooking classes and food blogs (like Spoon!) for more information. I bet you will be making foods you never thought you possibly could in no time!
19. “All I ever wanted to do was make food accessible to everyone; to show that you can make mistakes – I do all the time- but it doesn’t matter”
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Even the amazing Jamie Oliver makes mistakes. So what, you burn that hunk of salmon while trying out the recipe for the first time? There is always next time and I can guarantee it will be much better.