08 Jul How Jamie Oliver learned to roll up his sleeves
“I grew up a real country boy in Clavering, in the county of Essex, about 18 miles from Cambridge. By age five, I was already helping out in my parents’ pub The Cricketers, washing glasses and chopping veg for £1 an hour. I was really good with the knife even back then, and to be honest, I cooked up some really good grub, even as a kid.
“But my parents taught me something else really important: a great work ethic and how to treat others with respect and friendliness, and how to stay polite even when you’re stressed and your feet are killing you. I sometimes wish my own kids could help their grandparents out now and again, and learn all that. Back then I soon understood: if you want to get anywhere, you have to roll up your sleeves and get on with it.”
It’s easy to drop respect, kindness and politeness when you’re stressed out and your feet are hurting. But Jamie was consciously taught how to not let that happen. He’s now known as an approachable person with approachable recipes, and I can’t think of a nicer chef!
