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Original poster

Jamie Oliver & his flaming perfect Xmas's!

136 replies

Halloweencat · 13/12/2021 21:18

Nothing to gain from this thread except to air my irritation lol. Just been watching Jamie Oliver create his perfect pre Xmas soiree for about 20 friends & family. Gorgeous food, drinks, cocktails, Xmas decorations, perfect children helping out & singing merrily away. I love the fact that he is so in love with food & is very passionate about it, but is life really like that for anybody, & does it give you fomo & make you feel like you're not putting in enough effort cos your Xmas does not live up to it?
After a day at work & dealing with this cold that never seems to go away I can hardly summon up the energy to do the washing up! There is always the off button on the remote to turn this fantasy land off the tv...

OP posts:
Classica · 13/12/2021 22:13

He always has Gennaro over for these gatherings so I'm assuming their friendship is real.

CalamariGames · 13/12/2021 22:17

Of course it's easy for Jamie to cater a party of 20, he's a trained chef with years of experience and a team to help him, plus it's all shot and edited to look good. As for his "perfect" family I am sure a lot of us have kids who would be on their best behaviour for a party or event especially if they knew it was being filmed, but would be normal kids in private and have the odd bad day or tantrum. I should think Jamie's family are like that. So I don't think it's fake exactly, I am sure they are a nice family who put on a great party, but it's a carefully selected version showing them at their best.

godmum56 · 13/12/2021 22:17

after his sugar tax thing he can just go and get stuffed.

5foot5 · 13/12/2021 22:22

@Classica

He always has Gennaro over for these gatherings so I'm assuming their friendship is real.
Gennaro, yes, the older Italian guy. That's the one I have seen before
Billandben444 · 13/12/2021 22:24

I'm using beef cheek and a whole bottle of red wine next time. Agree about the salad being odd - satsumas with beef stew?

Lipsandlashes · 13/12/2021 22:27

I was disgusted when he let his small child stick their fingers in the bread dough 🤮

Classica · 13/12/2021 22:29

Cheek does make the most amazing stew. So rich and tender, and such a cheap cut of meat. I use ox cheek (or beef shin) when making a spaghetti bolognese too. Obv not as quick as cooking with mince but so worth it.

Classica · 13/12/2021 22:30

Cheek does make the most amazing stew. So rich and tender, and such a cheap cut of meat. I use ox cheek (or beef shin) when making a spaghetti bolognese too. Obv not as quick as cooking with mince but so worth it.

steppemum · 13/12/2021 22:30

his garlic bread though.....

looked bloody amazing. I'm going to try it

HeddaGarbled · 13/12/2021 22:35

Ah, I do know what you mean, but I kind of forgive all that because I think he’s basically one of the good guys. And his recipes are much simpler to cook, and easier to get the ingredients for, than most celebrity chefs.

lollipoprainbow · 13/12/2021 22:35

Just watched and thought exactly the same! Although I've always had a soft spot for him but his smug wife annoys me !! I found the parts with the two little boys contrived. His parents, his mother in law all stuffing their faces. Must admit I didn't recognise Jamie in his velvet jacket I was wondering who it was until I realized !

WeAreTheHeroes · 13/12/2021 22:36

And if you're inspired to try something then it's job done, isn't it?

HeddaGarbled · 13/12/2021 22:39

Ah, I do know what you mean, but I kind of forgive all that because I think he’s basically one of the good guys. And his recipes are much simpler to cook, and easier to get the ingredients for, than most celebrity chefs.

3dogsnorth · 13/12/2021 22:49

I was a bit concerned about the quantity of food for 20 people! Didn't look nearly enough to feed them all, especially as his dad went back for thirds! Must be a bottomless beef stew!

JudgeJ · 13/12/2021 22:53

@ToykotoLosAngeles

Jamie Oliver was a very early version of an influencer and is not to be taken seriously!

That said I had colleagues in a former job in Frome who were so painfully middle-class-cookbook-stately-homes and that really was their life. It looked exhausting.

Doesn't that apply to all the cooking programmes, they all pretend to a life that's perfect, glamorous and glitzy. Nigella is far worse, no-one dresses like that to rustle up a banquet for 20 beautiful people, do these celebrities not have any tubby, uglyish friends like the rest of us?
Sunsetsupernova · 13/12/2021 22:53

I actually really enjoyed tonight’s episode. There wasn’t anything too complicated that I thought was outside my capabilities. I’ll definitely be trying out the garlic bread and cocktails on guests this weekend

5foot5 · 13/12/2021 23:07

@3dogsnorth

I was a bit concerned about the quantity of food for 20 people! Didn't look nearly enough to feed them all, especially as his dad went back for thirds! Must be a bottomless beef stew!
He did say that the recipe served ten so he was actually going to do double the quantity for his shindig.

If I do find a copy of Together under the tree then I am very tempted to give that beef stew a go for New Year's Eve actually. And maybe the garlic bread. I could envisage trying the salad - some other time!

NurseButtercup · 13/12/2021 23:13

@HeddaGarbled

Ah, I do know what you mean, but I kind of forgive all that because I think he’s basically one of the good guys. And his recipes are much simpler to cook, and easier to get the ingredients for, than most celebrity chefs.
I was coming to say this... His recipes & cooking style are simple & straightforward. He uses accessible ingredients. I've enjoyed hosting dinner parties following his recipes and I've never felt stressed.

I agree the parties look a little bit too idyllic with all those young kids milling around. I strongly suspect the children having meltdowns are edited out.
I reckon

Ralphiemia · 13/12/2021 23:17

I noticed when he strained the veg he dripped the water all over the kitchen floor back to the table. If that was my kitchen I’d have kicked him up the arse.

Ralphiemia · 13/12/2021 23:17

I noticed when he strained the veg he dripped the water all over the kitchen floor back to the table. If that was my kitchen I’d have kicked him up the arse.

Edinvillian · 13/12/2021 23:18

@Pinkcurtwinsinthebin

A couple of years ago on something like getting ahead for Christmas he made what seemed a really nice gravy, it was downright expensive and was disgusting. I normally like his stuff but I reverted to the Bisto.
I really like it, I've made it for about ten years now. In fact I just made it yesterday for the freezer. Even my DD commented that the house smelled of Christmas with it 😁
Imdreamingofapeacefulxmas · 13/12/2021 23:21

Is that his new ish house Shock if so I thought it looked absolutely amazing.

WhereYouLeftIt · 13/12/2021 23:25

DH fancies trying his hand will the garlic bread, I might have a go at the stew.

Obviously it was filmed some time in summer - isn't every Christmas cookery show? Even if the sunny weather outside wasn't obvious, his talking about us all being able to get together this year when we hadn't last year - well, it was definitely filmed pre-omicron, wasn't it? Sigh.

Marimaur · 13/12/2021 23:49

Fucking hell, it’s tv. It’s not real.

StaplesCorner · 14/12/2021 00:30

I lost heart a bit when the child strode in and shoved his hands in the dough and then climbed on the work surface and JO started with the "now we don't do that do we darling" sort of thing. It all just looks depressingly hard work.

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