Just out of curiosity...why do people dislike Jamie Oliver so much?

[luckywinner]

I am just watching an episode of Ministry of Food programme and it made me think about how everyone has such a strong opinion of him. But all he seems to be doing is trying to help people out. Am geniunely curious, he neither offends me or endears himself to me.

I have to admit, I don't really have an opinion on him either way (apart from the 4x4 of course) but his campaigning zeal is not really aimed at those of us who already cook and eat well, are they.

Have to disagree with PP, I don't think his food is complicated and expensive to make at all. Nigella on the other is, after all you're hardly likely to encounter Ras al haoul (sp) in your local Sainsbos are you?

He is a construct. A sleb figure head for a load of other, genuinely talented people who write his recipes, decide on what "campaign" he's going to do next etc.

All this social concsience stuff is all well and good, but really it's just picking up on the zietgeist and is simply a less blatant way of making money.

When Pat Llewellyn plucked him out for fame, he was chopping salad at The River Cafe. He wasn't a chef. Although I'm more than prepared to believe he has picked up a bit of knowledge along the way.

However, DP has interviewed him & thinks he's great, and I'm a surly cynical cow, so there you go

Dunno, I use Nigella how to eat, so perhaps the others are more complex. I just find that whenever I've been to Sainsbos they don't have the bits he calls for but Waitrose does . He is our go to dinner party book iykwim, I can't afford the time or ingredients for everyday I'm afraid.