Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
A chef and TV personality who made the kitchen trendy, won a BAFTA, and is known as the Naked Chef.
On the island
Eight records
He was the lead singer of the Stone Roses, never really made much money. Seven, eight years later, he's come back, he's got a wife and kids now, a bit more responsible. And I just really wanted this album to be fantastic and it was.
Only to Be with YouFavourite
as far as getting soppy and lovey dovey, this was mine and Jules's song probably about eight years ago when we first started going out. It's probably I I loved the tune then and obviously I played it in the car when I was taking it to Cambridge for a drink and when we would be in the bars it would be playing'cause it was like number one at the time and stuff like that.
Everybody Wants to Rule the World
The next record is my earliest memory of music. It's not necessarily my best tune, but it was I was about eight years old. I was at primary school and we were on a kind of youth hostel trip sailing and stuff like that in Bradwell in Essex. There's a little youth hostel down there and we were really excited by the fact we had a games room with a snooker table and a jukebox. And this tune was on there all the time and I just see the whole room and the people and remember the whole feeling of being like pathetically young at eight years old.
Record number four is is kind of a classic band. We thought they were going to be the next Beatles, didn't quite deliver, but they were great.
Record number five, it was quite a revelation for me actually because I was in a band from the age of 11 and it was pretty special to me. The band, best friends, second family, honing your instrument and writing songs together was a beautiful thing. And at the time there was a fantastic band called The Happy Mondays and they had a lead singer that couldn't sing, but actually he sounded quite good within the music and it was kind of inspirational to us because it actually meant you don't have to be an opera singer to be able to sing a good tune.
Next record is by a band who said they were the best rock band in the world. That is certainly debatable with people like the Beatles and stuff like that along. But I think of their time and of their era, I think Oasis is a fantastic band and they've had a bit of bad press on the last couple of albums. But quite frankly, I listened to seven of their best tunes the other day and I couldn't believe it. I thought, what a genius band. And this is a tune that's probably slightly underrated, but one of my favourites called Live Forever.
Record number seven, it's a tune that I've just always loved. It's sort of one of those chill-out tunes.
Right, the last record is by a good old um I think they're an Oxford band, Radio Head, who I loved from day one. And yes, it's a nice little ballad called High and Dry. It makes me feel good, and this song was playing when things started kicking off a little bit more for me in the restaurant trade.
In conversation
Presenter asks
1:55Why is food so important to you? Can you describe why it excites you?
Food's about as important to me as my music is, or having a best friend. I think your mouth and your nose are really underrated senses, and I just think eating good food is really important to me. And quite frankly, I think, God, when's lunch? I can't wait.
Presenter asks
9:14You cannot be as happy-go-lucky as you have to appear. What has made you unhappy?
I've had to no, I'm what's made me unhappy um learning the do's and don'ts of the press, which I'm still learning. I've learnt many mistakes, but It's been bumpy in the fact that it it's been relentless. You know, of the last two years I've worked seven days a week, minimum sixteen hours a day.
Presenter asks
14:44When did you get to do the cooking [in your father's pub]?
Well, then I went to the wash up and then you kind of get into more vegetable prep and stuff like that as well.
The keepsakes
The book
The luxury
I just requested um top of the range leather man, if that's all right. ... it's like a Swiss Army knife, but it kind of a bit more uh substantial ... you've got like pliers, uh clippers, um nail clippers, knives, saws, everything.
Presenter asks
When was the first time you cooked something and somebody ate it and said mm?
About ten, and Dad taught me how to make the perfect omelette and how to make bread. And we made bread, and I just could not get over the doubling in size bit. I thought, you know, I came back to it, and I woke, but Dad, what's making it do that? It's alive. And he goes, Well, it is alive, son, it's yeast, blah, blah, blah. Sugar, air, and all that sort of thing. He would shape it, he would colour it, and really make it his own.
Presenter asks
19:00Was it purely by chance that you were spotted [at the River Cafe]?
No, it's funny because they were filming over a couple of weeks and I think the bit that did it was a night when I wasn't supposed to be working and because I'd grown up in the business I know how frustrating and stressful it is to run a big service and you're one down. And they were filming that night and it was a good time of year when there was quick cooking, beautiful mushrooms. I was doing the hardest section really was Hots One which was like risotto's pasta. Very fast, quick cooking, busy, busy. I had lots of food on there, four dishes I had on that section. And basically they were in the way and I was quite arrogant to them and I was passionate about the food but I'll kind of push the camera out in the way and say look sorry mate you know I've kind of and I'll be really doing service and the next day there were loads of phone calls
Presenter asks
25:52Will you go chasing the Michelin stars like everybody does?
Oh, I'll get a Michelin style. I probably won't get more than one because it's not my style. I'm not that bothered about'em. I might be controversial and be the first person to give'em back and say no, thanks, mate, but God bless you. Uh, I respect them highly, but um I I've never been one for bells and whistles and and things on your breast, you know, sort of like uh boasting what you've done and where you've been.
“I choose recipes which are kind of around that sort of Italian Spanish Mediterranean vibe that allow me to pick something that is start to finish very simple and damn tasty.”
“I know it's tacky, and I know I'm a chef, but I think it's important that I admit that I'm tacky, and it's a beautiful thing, and that's what makes it work.”
“I'm slightly dyslexic and I was frustrated with school. I couldn't touch and feel and smell enough things, you know, and actually the things I got an ANSC in was art and geology and they were the only things when I actually touched something and made it or created something or went out on a field trip and got you know soil samples and faults and all those sorts of things. College was good for me because it actually finally said you're not thick and I got all distinctions and honours because I was interested.”
“I think there's a lot of people underestimate predictable food. Do you know what I mean? It's alright being unpredictable and surprising people, but good, consistent, predictable food is quite nice.”