Nigel Slater makes me angry.

[CatMumsw]

Just had to sit through one of his shows with my mum, who really likes him. There's something about his tone of voice, vocabulary choices and even the styling of the cooking programme that makes me want to tear my hair out.

I'm sure he's a nice enough man, but he comes across as a smarmy, self-satisfied twat. Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this!

His writing and recipes are excellent, his TV shows come across as smug and irritating. Not quite sure why really.

He irritates me too, though I enjoyed the dramatisation of Toast.

That said, pretty much all TV cookery shows (and their presenters) are annoying these days - massively formatted and over-produced. Rick Stein is about the only one I can stand.

I really like Nige, his cooking is creative and innovative, yet in an accessible way. His recipes really work, I've used several of his books for years, they are also nice to read for ideas if you're not looking for a recipe to use immediately.
I like his enthusiasm and how willing he is to share little snippets of knowledge.

I loved his autobiography Toast, and a TV programme where he revisited his childhood home was very touching.
He was lovely when he did his MumsNet live chats too.

I love Nigel. I love his recipes, his books and his presenting. I’d love to be his neighbour.

His newer recipe books aren't half as good

He didn’t have a great childhood by all accounts so I can put up with him.

It’s not a childhood I would have wanted.

Gordon Ramsey’s good when it’s him cooking too. Learnt a lot from him.

@CatMumsw

If you love winter/Christmas, do treat yourself to his book, The Christmas Chronicles. It’s winter hygge at its best (I don’t use that term in a wanky way - I’m Danish so it’s in my bones!).

Love his recipes, but like Nigella Lawson, the way he speaks, the way he uses words is oh so self conscious and studied.

There's something very unnatural about both of them. Like they sat up the night before, drafted every word, scripted each facial expression and each turn of the head, and then were pretty pleased with themselves.

He always looks so miserable to me.

Love his recipes though - books not programmes

I've just googled the guinea pig thing and it's true. What an absolute cunt. If someone came on and said "DSS has just killed the pet we got him" she'd be told he was a pyscho and she should refuse to have him in the house. Why is everyone going on about how lovely he is?! He's clearly a hideous snob with no regard for anyone but himself.

Do we always judge people in their mid 60s by singular acts they committed at age 7?

@Ninkanink, thanks for the recommendation. I LOVE Christmas, so will look it up.

@saraclara, yes, I was just thinking about Nigella in the same way!

I’ve used his recipes for years, they are reliably good, easy to make and don’t have pages of ingredients. Don’t know the man so can’t comment on him personally. I like his writing style.

Oleaginous.

I like him but know what you mean - he is a bit prissy I suppose. I loved his two veg books - veg feast? ok may be unbelieavable that what he has left is a whole salmon. With me it would be a bag of salad that has turned liquid!!!

There must be a lot of food waste in the Slater house because he has quite clearly never heard of meal planning.

Totally agree. He’s one of the many celeb chefs I want to torture by feeding crispy pancakes and smiley faces.

Every time I see him I think of him writing in his autobiography that he had pulled over to have a wank in a lay-by once

I haven't watched his programs but his books taught me how to cook and appreciate food twenty years ago.
His food writing is my absolute favorite.

@paddlingon

I haven't watched his programs but his books taught me how to cook and appreciate food twenty years ago. His food writing is my absolute favorite.

Yes me too He basically taught me to cook Alsong with Jamie Oliver first two books which are still brilliant

He always makes me feel sad, creating his lovely food then eating it all alone over the sink, staring out of the window. Poor Nigel

@Funnylittlefloozie

Oh my god, I have found (some of) my tribe. I cannot STAND Nigel Slater, he is twee and precious. When he made the 'Sandwich ' episode of Real Food, he sat with some American woman and smirked that he had always wanted to try a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You're a fecking professional foodie, Nigel, just make yourself one!!!

Ironically though, his cooking is excellent.

^^ This is hilarious

I have had exactly the same response as op to his TV programmes. Loads of people I know absolutely rave about him, but I can't see it somehow. I am sure he is a lovely bloke but he just irritates me.

His writing is great - although I prefer his old books.

On TV he makes me stabby. Especially when he makes a dinner out of leftovers which are lovely ingredients carefully wrapped in wax paper.

Leftovers in my fridge are stuff that has frozen a bit at the back, veg that is now floppy/liquid, unidentifiable things in tupperware that I should have binned that are now whiffy.

I'd like to see him make a dinner out of those.