Hilarie: Jamie gives us all food for thought

Oct 4 2008 by Hilarie Stelfox, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

As Jamie discovered during his sojourn to the litter-strewn streets of downtown Rotherham, there are now three generations of families with no cooking skills whatsoever.

One of the young women in the programme didn’t even know how to turn on the hob of a cooker. Another one asked what was meant by the word ‘simmer’ and how she’d know if water was boiling.

And how we laughed at Delia for teaching us to boil an egg!

There were many moments during the filming of this first programme in which the ever-ebullient Jamie was clearly lost for words.

He was taken to task for not understanding the financial problems facing those on the lowest incomes: “You’re rich aren’t you?” one of his critics said, failing to understand that Jamie was making the point that fresh ingredients need not cost more than the processed crud being widely consumed. And that food is such a vital commodity it really should be a priority.

And he had to watch while one drama queen burst into tears, claiming such destitution that she couldn’t afford decent food – and then promptly lit up a fag. You could almost see Jamie having to restrain himself from stating the obvious: “but you CAN afford cigarettes.”