Jamie Oliver says he's 'devastated' by the closure of dozens of his Italian restaurants, writes Janet Street-Porter
Jamie Oliver says he's 'devastated' by the closure of dozens of his Italian restaurants.
Over 1,000 workers have lost their jobs without any warning - I don't imagine that they had much of a 'pukka' day either.
This latest example of rampart egomania bringing down a celebrity chef has seen Jamie Oliver - the most famous cook in the world - face the unpalatable truth; diners don't love the cheeky chap from Essex as much as he imagined.
Our hot love affair hasn't just cooled, it's the leftover lasagne at the back of the freezer.
Jamie Oliver burst into our lives in 1999, riding a scooter, exuding madcap enthusiasm for a plate of simple Italian food cooked with high quality ingredients.
This cheeky Essex lad (whose parents ran a pub) was never just a chef, though - he was determined to be the messiah of healthy eating, a bloke with just two GCSEs and severe dyslexia who wasn't interested in running for a political job but who passionately wanted Prime Ministers and Education bosses to sit up and listen when he pronounced on the state of the nation's health.
Jamie was called 'anti-poor' and accused of 'fat-shaming' for complaining about obesity and its link to junk foods.
He campaigned to improve school dinners, wanted supermarkets to stop placing chocolates and sweets by the checkouts and berated us to care about everything we ate.
Meat had to be reared and slaughtered humanely and fish must be sustainable. In short, Jamie was an evangelist for decent food - at a time when most those in power couldn't see that obese people cost health services millions, and are destined to die before they should.
Over 1,000 workers (group pictured outside Jamie's Italian in Piccadilly, London today) have lost their jobs without any warning - I don't imagine that they had much of a 'pukka' day either, writes Janet Street-Porter
Although Jamie meant well, you could be forgiven for thinking it's fine for someone living in a £9million house near Hampstead Heath with 100 staff at his headquarters, a devoted wife and five lovely healthy children, to have such high standards.
In the real world outside mansions full of children with names like River, some critics found Jamie's well-meaning pronouncements patronising and unrealistic.
If working people have five kids, they will probably be earning the minimum wage, working shifts or receiving benefits.
They will be pushed for time and many will be living in substandard accommodation without non-stick griddle pans, Jamie Oliver storage jars and a spice rack.
In many of these homes children and parents have to eat at different times, not all sitting around a table gazing in wonder a bowl of perfectly cooked meat balls and home made pasta.
Jamie Oliver's restaurant group was the main reason why his companies lost nearly £20million in 2018 - and yet he continued to trade,
