Jamie Oliver facts for kids
.jpg)
Oliver in 2014
|
|
| Born | Jamie Trevor Oliver 27 May 1975 Clavering, Essex, England |
|---|---|
| Cooking style | |
| Education | Newport Free Grammar School Westminster Kingsway College |
| Spouse |
Juliette Norton
(m. 2000) |
|
Current restaurant(s)
|
|
Jamie Trevor Oliver is a famous English celebrity chef, restaurant owner, and cookbook author. He was born on May 27, 1975. Jamie is well-known for his relaxed way of cooking. This style has led him to host many TV shows and open several restaurants.
Jamie first became famous in 1999 with his BBC Two TV show The Naked Chef. In 2005, he started a campaign called "Feed Me Better." This campaign aimed to help schoolchildren eat healthier foods. The British government later supported his efforts. He also owned a group of restaurants called Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group. The first one, Jamie's Italian, opened in Oxford in 2008.
Jamie Oliver is one of the best-selling British authors. He is second only to J. K. Rowling in overall book sales. He is also the top-selling British non-fiction author ever. By February 2019, he had sold over 14.55 million books. In June 2003, he received an MBE award for his work in the food industry.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jamie Trevor Oliver grew up in Clavering, Essex, England. His parents, Trevor and Sally Oliver, ran a pub and restaurant called The Cricketers. Jamie learned to cook there by helping his parents in the kitchen. He went to Newport Free Grammar School in Newport.
He left school at 16 with two GCSEs in art and geology. After that, he went to Westminster Technical College, now called Westminster Kingsway College. There, he earned a cooking qualification in home economics.
Cooking Career Highlights
Jamie Oliver's first cooking job was as a pastry chef at Antonio Carluccio's restaurant. There, he learned about Italian cuisine and met his mentor, Gennaro Contaldo. Later, Jamie hired Gennaro to help with his Jamie's Italian restaurants. Jamie then worked as a sous-chef at the River Cafe in Fulham. The BBC noticed him in 1997 when he appeared in a documentary.
In 1999, Jamie's TV show The Naked Chef started on BBC Two. His cookbook from the show quickly became a bestseller in the UK. That same year, he was asked to cook lunch for Prime Minister Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street.
After three series of The Naked Chef, Jamie moved to Channel 4 in 2002. His first show there was Jamie's Kitchen. This show followed him as he set up his restaurant, Fifteen, in London. Fifteen trained young adults from difficult backgrounds for jobs in the restaurant world. This restaurant helped many people until it closed in May 2019.
In November 2023, Jamie opened a new restaurant in London called Jamie Oliver Catherine Street. This was his first new restaurant since his previous chain closed. In March 2024, he opened Jamie's Italian Belgrade in Serbia.
In 2023, Jamie Oliver released his first children's book, "Billy and the Giant Adventure." A second book, Billy and the Epic Escape, came out in March 2024. However, this sequel was criticized by an Australian Indigenous Australian education group. They felt it was insensitive to the history of the Stolen Generations. Jamie recalled the book and apologized for causing offense.
Jamie Oliver's company, Jamie Oliver Holdings Ltd., has been very successful. In 2014, his wealth was estimated at £240 million. By 2024, it was estimated at £173 million. He also voiced the health inspector in the UK version of the Disney Pixar movie Ratatouille.
Jamie Oliver's Restaurants
In June 2008, Jamie opened his first high street restaurant, Jamie's Italian, in Oxford. At its busiest, there were 42 Jamie's Italian restaurants in the UK. The brand also had locations in other countries like Australia, Canada, and the UAE.
In 2011, Jamie faced some criticism. He promotes cooking from scratch, but it was found that some sauces used in his Glasgow restaurant came from a factory far away. He also faced concerns about food safety in his restaurants that year.
Jamie also opened Barbecoa, a barbecue restaurant, with his friend Adam Perry Lang. There were two locations in London. In 2014, one Barbecoa restaurant temporarily closed after hygiene inspectors found issues like mouse droppings. In February 2018, the company that owned Barbecoa went into a process to manage its debts.
In January 2017, six Jamie's Italian restaurants in the UK closed, affecting 120 jobs. In January 2018, more restaurants closed as part of a plan to reduce the company's debt. The group of restaurants went into a process to manage its debts on May 21, 2019. This led to 22 out of 25 restaurants closing and about 1,000 jobs being lost. However, Jamie's Italian restaurants at Gatwick Airport and 61 locations overseas, run by other companies, were not affected.
In January 2020, it was reported that most of the money owed by Jamie Oliver's restaurant chain after its closure would not be recovered. In 2020, a court ruled that Oliver's restaurants did not follow labor laws when making employees redundant.
Advertising Work
From June 2000, Jamie Oliver was the face of the Sainsbury's supermarket chain in the UK. He appeared in their TV and radio ads. This deal was worth a lot of money each year. However, Jamie was criticized by Sainsbury's CEO Justin King after he spoke out against "junk" food sold by supermarkets. In July 2011, after eleven years, Jamie's partnership with Sainsbury's ended.
Jamie also promotes non-stick pans for Tefal and has appeared in Australian ads for Yalumba wines. In August 2013, he partnered with Canadian supermarket chain Sobeys to promote better nutrition. In October 2013, he started working with the Australian chain Woolworths Supermarkets on similar campaigns.
In 2014, Jamie faced strong criticism about the funding for his advertising with Woolworths. Some argued that farmers were struggling while his wealth increased from these deals.
In January 2016, Jamie partnered with HelloFresh, a meal kit delivery service. Customers receive one of his recipes with all the ingredients. HelloFresh also agreed to support the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation. In September 2018, Jamie created recipes and tips for Tesco.
In 2019, Jamie partnered with Royal Dutch Shell to offer his Deli by Shell food range at petrol stations. This deal was criticized by some who felt it helped Shell improve its image, despite concerns about Shell's actions on climate change. Critics felt this damaged Jamie's image as someone working for children's interests.
Charity Work and Campaigns
Jamie Oliver created the Fifteen charity restaurant. Here, he trained young people who had faced difficulties to work in the food industry. After the success of the first Fifteen in London, more opened in Amsterdam and Cornwall.
In 2005, Jamie started a campaign called "Feed Me Better." This campaign aimed to get British schoolchildren to eat healthy foods and stop eating junk food. Because of his efforts, the British government promised to spend money on school dinners. His campaign made people vote him the "Most Inspiring Political Figure of 2005."
He continued his focus on healthy, fresh food with Jamie's Ministry of Food. This TV series showed Jamie inspiring people in Rotherham, Yorkshire, to cook healthy meals. Another series, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution (2010–11), saw him travel to the US to change how Americans eat and reduce their reliance on fast food.
In December 2009, Jamie Oliver received the 2010 TED Prize. This award recognized his campaigns to make changes in people's lives and at a government level. In 2010, he joined other chefs in The Big Fish Fight. This series raised awareness about throwing away hundreds of thousands of fish that fishermen are not allowed to keep. He also supports the environmental charity Trees for Cities.
In April 2022, Jamie co-organized a charity dinner in London with Ukrainian chef Yurii Kovryzhenko. This event, called #CookForUkraine, raised money for Ukrainians affected by the conflict.
Jamie Oliver has been criticized for underestimating the cost of healthy food for people on tight budgets. Some argue that his advice doesn't always fit the realities of poverty.
Awards and Recognition
On May 13, 2001, Jamie's series The Naked Chef won a BAFTA award for Best Feature. This was at the 2001 British Academy Television Awards in London.
In June 2003, Jamie Oliver was awarded the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for his contributions to the food industry.
On August 21, 2010, Jamie won an Emmy for Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. This series focused on the problem of childhood obesity in America.
In 2013, he received an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of General Practitioners. This was for his work in fighting childhood obesity by making school dinners better.
In 2019, Jamie Oliver was awarded the Order of the Star of Italy with the rank of Knight. The ceremony took place at the Italian embassy in 2021.
Personal Life
In July 2000, Jamie Oliver married Juliette Norton, who is known as "Jools." They have five children together. Jamie has severe dyslexia. He read his first novel, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, in 2013 when he was 38 years old.
In the summer of 2019, Jamie and his family moved to Spains Hall. This is a 16th-century mansion in Finchingfield, Essex. The property includes a large estate with a farmhouse, lodge, swimming pool, and tennis court.
Television Shows
| Year | Programme | Description/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1999–2001 | The Naked Chef | Jamie's first TV series, which made him famous. The title refers to the simple, "naked" ingredients in his recipes. |
| 2002 | Jamie's Kitchen | This documentary series followed Jamie as he trained a group of young people facing challenges. They were offered jobs at his new restaurant, Fifteen. |
| 2005 | Jamie's School Dinners | A documentary series where Jamie worked to improve the unhealthy food served in British schools. His campaign led to the British government promising to spend more on school meals. |
| 2007 | Jamie at Home | Jamie shared home-style recipes and gardening tips, often using ingredients from his own garden. |
| 2008 | Jamie's Ministry of Food | Jamie tried to teach people in Rotherham how to cook fresh food and eat healthily. The show started a "Pass It On" campaign to share cooking skills. |
| 2010–2011 | Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution | Jamie traveled to the United States to try and change eating habits and improve school meals. The show won an Emmy award. |
| 2010 | Jamie's 30-Minute Meals | This series focused on making delicious home-cooked meals in just 30 minutes, using simple techniques. |
| 2011 | Jamie's Dream School | Jamie brought together famous experts to teach young people who had struggled in traditional schools. |
| 2012 | Jamie's 15-Minute Meals | Following his 30-minute meals, this series showed how to make fresh meals even faster, in just 15 minutes. |
| 2012–present | Jamie & Jimmy's Food Fight Club / Jamie & Jimmy's Friday Night Feast | Jamie and his childhood friend Jimmy Doherty cook amazing meals at a cafe on a pier. They often feature celebrity guests and champion classic British foods. |
| 2015 | Jamie's Super Food | This series focused on healthy, nutritious recipes. Jamie traveled to places known for long, healthy lives to find cooking secrets. |
| 2017-2020 | Jamie's Quick & Easy Food | Jamie showed how to cook great meals using only five main ingredients, making cooking simple and fast. |
| 2019 | Jamie's Meat-Free Meals / Jamie's Ultimate Veg | Jamie encouraged people to eat less meat and try more vegetable-based dishes, finding inspiration from around the world. |
| 2020 | Jamie: Keep Cooking and Carry On | During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jamie shared recipes using limited ingredients for people cooking at home. |
| 2022 | Jamie's One-Pan Wonders | Jamie introduced recipes for meals that could be cooked using just one pan, making cleanup easy. |
| 2023 | Jamie Cooks The Mediterranean | Jamie explored and cooked dishes inspired by the healthy and delicious foods of the Mediterranean region. |
| 2024 | Jamie’s Air-Fryer Meals | Jamie shared recipes specifically designed for cooking with an air fryer. |
| 2025 | Jamie’s Dyslexia Revolution | An upcoming documentary where Jamie will explore dyslexia. |
Other TV Appearances
Jamie Oliver has appeared on other TV shows. He was a guest host on Channel 4's The Friday Night Project. He also appeared twice on BBC Two's Top Gear in the "Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car" segment.
He was also a challenger on Iron Chef America in 2008, where he competed against Iron Chef Mario Batali. In 2008, Jamie was one of the judges on Oprah's Big Give, hosted by Oprah Winfrey.
In 2006, Jamie went on an Australian tour, performing live shows in Sydney and Melbourne. These shows featured his mentor Gennaro Contaldo and students from Fifteen London. A TV documentary called Jamie Oliver: Australian Diary covered these events.
On December 27, 2022, Jamie Oliver was a guest editor for the Today Programme on BBC Radio 4.
Books
- The Naked Chef (1999)
- The Return of the Naked Chef (2000)
- Happy Days with the Naked Chef (2001)
- Jamie's Kitchen (2002)
- Jamie's Dinners (2004)
- Jamie's Italy (2005)
- Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You a Better Cook (2006)
- Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life (2007)
- Jamie's Ministry of Food: Anyone Can Learn to Cook in 24 Hours (2008)
- Jamie's America (2009)
- Jamie does...Spain, Italy, Sweden, Morocco, Greece, France (2010)
- Jamie's 30-Minute Meals (2010)
- Jamie's Great Britain (2011)
- Jamie's 15-Minute Meals (2012)
- Save with Jamie (2013)
- Jamie's Comfort Food (2014)
- Everyday Super Food (2015)
- Super Food Family Classics (2016)
- Jamie Oliver's Christmas Cookbook (2016)
- 5 Ingredients – Quick & Easy Food (2017)
- Jamie Cooks Italy (2018)
- Jamie's Friday Night Feast Cookbook (2018)
- Veg: Easy & Delicious Meals for Everyone (2019)
- 7 Ways (2020)
- Together (2021)
- One: Simple One-Pan Wonders (2022)
- 5 Ingredients Mediterranean (2023)
- Simply Jamie (2024)
- Easy Air Fryer: Big & Bold Delicious Food (2025)
- Eat Yourself Healthy: Food to Change Your Life (2025)
See also
In Spanish: Jamie Oliver para niños
