Jamie Oliver webchat, Thursday 29 August, 2.45pm

[GeraldineMumsnet]

We're chuffed that Jamie Oliver is paying a return visit to Mumsnet this Thursday. His first MN webchat was back in 2010.

Jamie has a new book out, Save with Jamie: Shop Smart, Cook Clever, Waste Less (all subjects dear to MNers' hearts). It has 100 brand-new recipes designed to be accessible, reliable and, above all, affordable.

This is what Jamie says about his new book: "For years I have been telling people that if you look back through history, the best food in the world has always come from communities under massive financial pressure. But the proviso is that you MUST be able to cook! If you can't, and have no money, that is where the trouble starts. This is a cook book which, from start to finish has tasty recipes, all dedicated to great value, is a brilliant weapon to have on the shelf, and is relevant to every household. If you use this book the way it's intended, you should end up saving a wodge of cash from your wallet."

And to tie in with the book, he has a new six-part series on Channel 4 starting on Monday 2 Sept at 8pm.

Please post your question and join Jamie for a chat at 2.45pm on Thurs.

There is strong opinions, and then there is spouting Daily Mail type crap, that basically demonises the poor even more, and creates a bigger rich/poor divide.

Jamie, what newpaper do you read?

Yes like, what's your last supper, cos with this lot you might have one

Home economics back in schools would definitely be the best thing because not everyone has parents who can or would teach them how to cook.

Fish - he did do an apology, just not a very big one. Big enough for me, it's a 'debate' after all.

Im off to shoot a deer

I'll have the haunch please Usual. Ta.

To the poster who said some of us were making vitriolic comments. I dont see how they can be vitriolic when some of us were posting from experience.
Ive explained upthread my experience and knowledge of Italy is based on the fact that half my family is Italian and the fact that my mother is still working full time at 77even though shes too ill to because that is what her upbringing has done to her THAT is what poverty AND the fear of it does to the mind.

Has JO answered the one about how he pays the waiters, commis chef, kitchen porter et al yet? You know zero contract/minimum wagey Q yet?

LittleAbruzzenBear - hear, hear!!!

Even my more-Conservative-than-Maggie dh understood why a family would have a decent tv - even with a sky package, it is still a very cheap way to entertain and inform a whole family.

not possible in most primary schools though-no space for cookery other than in school kitchen which is used all morning then left clean for next day.
We manage a bit of cooking(biscuits, mini pizzas, cheese scones) with reception using portable mini ovens but thats it

Although funding is helpful with any endeavour in schools, a bigger issue is time. I'm a primary teacher and there just isn't enough time to get through everything that people want covered. There just isn't. I agree that working with food is a very important skill but something has to go to make room for it on any meaningful scale. Many people have really good ideas for things that should be covered in school time, many are really valuable, but something has to give somewhere.

He didn't apologise. He didn't modify his position. He acknowledged it's a complex situation and one many of us feel strongly about.

Hi Jamie,

Really love your books, we have a favourite meal from nearly each one.

I'm a bit baffled though, your new 'Save With Jamie' Has an RRP of around £25. I know while it's new you can pick it up in a lot of places for about £10, but that's not really the point. Are you planning to make it available to families/people at a discounted rate long term? Even £10 is a lot for some, and possibly the people who could most benefit.

All that said, my copy is on pre order

Agree with your post BIWI and your question to Jamie.

Please answer HoneyDragons question on barbecue sauce. It is on p4.

Great ideas for oils....and glad to hear you are backing 'School Food Plan' . We're hoping too that it will be implemented properly. Austere times demand investment in this sort of thing.

BerryLellow - I just bought it on Amazon for £9.99, so it's very affordable!

What is the easiest meal i can teach ds for uni?

Hi jamie I have been looking into a gluten free diet for my daughter who is autistic. Have you got any recipes that are quick and easy? (I'm no master chef)

Not if your entire food budget for the week is £50...

@TheJoyfulPuddlejumper

Oh I have a better question! (Sorry MNHQ!).

When you say that your new hideously expensive book is all about value and budget, what exactly do you mean by value and budget? I have £35 a week to feed a family of four. I know families who have less. Can we afford your recipes?

Some of them. The brief of the book was to develop really delicious tasty food that doesn't feel like a compromise on a tight budget. My brief on a tight budget was to be at half the price of an everyday take-away. So the average price of a meal in my book is £1.38 per portion, and that's still using higher-welfare meat, which you can easily save money on if you switched.

It's also about waste, the national average for waste is something like 40% of all we buy ends up in the bin, so we've really tried to find ways of dealing with that, lots of tips and tricks of using things up and turning things that don't look great into things that taste good.

To be honest the book's not based on being a super super tight budget cookbook. You can see from the average price where I'm positioned and I'll promise you nice delicious meal. But if you're on really tight budget, then I hear there are super threads on Mumsnet and other websites for this.

Its gone quiet!

BerryLellow I'm waiting for Amazon Christmas Lightening deals when it will be a fiver :)

ah well if 'mr gove' is on the case we'll all be grand then

he has the basic basics but he loves a restaurant and i don;t think he will be going to many of those! I mean impressive but basic {smile]