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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:
MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 14/12/2021 08:16

@Classica

He served salad with a beef stew.

IT WAS SO WRONG.

It's lovely, very common where I'm from.
MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 14/12/2021 08:19

@Whitney168

I loved it. Obviously it's not filmed at Christmas, but hey ho, that's TV. Definitely a good dose of family too, Jules is the image of her Mum.

Buddy is going to be a fabulous cook - definitely not just pulled in for filming, he obviously loves it and does a lot with his dad (and mum, probably). Shows all the instinctiveness of his dad's cookery. River, on the other hand, seems to be a little shit ...

Also not getting the whole dead behind the eyes Jules thing, looks to be living the bloody dream to me!

I also said to husband that this is why we're overweight, if that's how much beef stew he's cooking LOL.

I thought River was about 2 or 3 but apparently he's 5! His singing was fantastic though Grin
GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 14/12/2021 08:22

I didn’t see it, but TBH all those ‘perfect Christmas’ programmes/articles usually make me laugh. Ditto any by the ‘style police’ telling you how to decorate in their permitted ‘tasteful’ manner.

Funniest/most pretentious ‘perfect Christmas’ one I ever read, years ago now, was about someone living in a Georgian rectory or similar (of course!) where we were told that ‘everyone goes to the linhay to open presents’.

I still haven’t looked up ‘linhay’ but naturally I’m still devastated that we can’t have a proper ‘perfect’ Christmas without one. 😂

Peanutmnm · 14/12/2021 08:22

My Christmas is a bit fabulous. Yes chaos moments and a bit of shouting at the kids to stop putting new toys under my feet in the kitchen but my house looks fabulous, we do a beautiful table, nice wine pairings, cheese and port, blazing fires, good company from our guests and yeah, my kids are all gorgeous. Christmas gives me the warm and fuzzies.

ElftonWednesday · 14/12/2021 08:24

Jamie Oliver has a Christmas programme? I thought it was 2001 for a minute.

Movinghouseatlast · 14/12/2021 08:27

Well, I love it! His food is great, I love his house and kitchen, I love the outdoor cooking round a crackling fire.

It would hardly be a great telly programme if it was a frazzled person with a cold in a bad mood heating up beans would it?!

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 14/12/2021 08:27

@FOJN

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.

He's always done that. I can't watch him, I'm too distracted by how much mess he makes and sympathy for whoever is going to clear it up.

I doubt that's the main kitchen,I expect that's his cheffy kitchen to splatter water around and film in and there's a nice family kitchen elsewhere.
lollipoprainbow · 14/12/2021 08:28

@Peanutmnm is that you Jools??

StevieNicksscarf · 14/12/2021 08:33

I am always ambivalent to all these aspirational "insert celeb chef name's" Christmas tv programmes.

On the one hand I find myself strangely drawn to the whole fake, perfect Christmas genre with beautiful people socialising in beautiful surroundings (which is v far removed from my reality). On the other hand it makes me want to heave when they start giving us plebs advice (see also Kirsty Allsopp who bangs on about making shite so cheaply, whereas in reality buying all the equipment will set you back a day's wages).

I would be more impressed if they were cooking a meal whilst hanging out the washing, letting the dog out, answering the phone, letting the dog in, wiping the dogs feet, finding random crap for family members who can never find things that are staring them in the face, helping with homework etc etc.

Or maybe not Hmm ... It's escapism innit Grin

SSOYS · 14/12/2021 08:38

Oh good, was this from the new series. I shall watch it tonight. I like Jamie and love a bit of Christmassy TV. Yes it’s all staged and edited to look perfect- it’s a TV show.

RedHot22 · 14/12/2021 08:44

I love Jamie. Is that one where River was walking on the kitchen work surface Grin

The family and friends are genuine.

Jools possibly looks unhappy as she yearned for baby number 6. After multiple miscarriages that time has now gone.

lunar1 · 14/12/2021 08:45

Have you ever cooked a Jamie Oliver recipe? I didn't watch this one, but honestly it's the fakest thing on earth. If it was real you'd be able to see the team of 53 people cleaning up all the mess he makes.

I don't think I own enough pans, dishes, plates and cutlery etc to even contemplate his food.

I bought into the insanity of his 30 minute meals a few years ago. It cost a fortune, created an ungodly mess and took bloody ages. It's all fake, his shows do make me feel festive though 🤣

RedHot22 · 14/12/2021 08:45

I also don’t think Jamie would ever claim to have the perfect Christmas.

The food will be spot on, but then you would expect it to be really.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 14/12/2021 08:46

@RedHot22

I love Jamie. Is that one where River was walking on the kitchen work surface Grin

The family and friends are genuine.

Jools possibly looks unhappy as she yearned for baby number 6. After multiple miscarriages that time has now gone.

I don't think she looks unhappy ,she's just not botoxed and filled to the hilt and doesn't walk round with a fake smile plastered on her face. I think she looks lovely.
OfMinceAndMen · 14/12/2021 08:46

I blame Jamie Oliver for the state of our kitchen when my husband has cooked. Olive oil sloshed up the walls, fist fulls of herbs and spices thrown all over the sides, rock salt crunching under my feet.
He has such a.....reckless cooking style.

BridStar · 14/12/2021 08:48

Yes, my Christmases are lovely, because I'm not a weirdo who switches on the TV and compares myself to TV shows.

BaconAndAvocado · 14/12/2021 08:49

@Peanutmum is that you Jools? 🤣🤣

I watched some of it last night, haven’t seen Jools yet. The last one I watched where Jools was on it she had no make up on, was dressed quite plainly....quite refreshing.
Unless of course she’s secretly seething that she has to appear and is staging a subtle protest??

I didn’t fancy any of the food in it but it’s still comfort viewing for me.

DH makes Jamie’s turkey and leek pie between Christmas and New Year, it’s gorgeous!!

RedHot22 · 14/12/2021 08:50

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

Oh so do I. I was replying to @Boood’s comment
Jools looks deeply, deeply unhappy to me. As if she’d rather be ANYWHERE else.

IpanemaHen · 14/12/2021 08:55

I really like him and his family. I think he is genuinely trying to help people get over a fear of cooking and to try new things.

He’s never been popular on mumsnet though Smile

gofg · 14/12/2021 09:32

I really like him and his family. I think he is genuinely trying to help people get over a fear of cooking and to try new things.

I agree, and as for all this rubbish about Jools, she always looks perfectly happy to me.

He’s never been popular on mumsnet though

The envy shines through, every time.

starrynight87 · 14/12/2021 09:34

It was a Christmas show, I liked the show and seeing his family.

You only have to prepare a Christmas you will enjoy and have the energy or money for.

MrsSkylerWhite · 14/12/2021 09:35

He’s paying/bribing them.

It would have been filmed in summer, probably promised a holiday if they smiled for the camera Grin

Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 14/12/2021 09:40

I don't really like any of the cooking shows that involve the family or friends at the end (see also Nigella stuff), it always seems really fake.

I actually prefer stuff where the chef is either abroad or travelling round the UK - added bonus of lovely scenery.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 14/12/2021 09:49

I much prefer him to Nadia ( Nadiya?) She's got a bit too slick and glam / channelling Nigella. I used to really like her.

LimeTreeGrove · 14/12/2021 09:51

@WeAreTheHeroes

I enjoy spotting all the things that show it is not in fact Christmas when they are filming: 1. the stylist chosen flowers on the windowsill trying hard to look Christmassy; 2. the fact it was clearly light outside at the kids' bedtime meaning it was either 3pm or not winter, etc, etc.

Jamie simplifies things which is a good thing. I'm going to make the gin cocktail on NYE.

Grin I was watching the Christmas episode of the Cockfields last night. Who knew trees all keep their leaves in the Isle of Wight in December? Wink