Jamie Does… (Channel 4 2010, Jamie Oliver)

In Jamie Does… Jamie Oliver visits six different parts of Europe and North Africa to experience local cultures through the food they produce. Oliver displays genuine enthusiasm for the places he visits, there is a great childlike glee about him actually, probably no doubt as the show gives him a great chance to get back to what he does best – cooking. What makes Jamie Oliver one of the best of all TV chefs is the way he actually takes time to explain in simple detail how to prepare and cook the recipes he shows.

In the first episode he visits the souks of Marrakesh and discovers a massive communal bread oven hidden amongst the snake charmers, cooks up chicken and lemon tagine and Moroccon roast lamb and discovers that the local kids are major Little Britain fans! In Andalucia Jamie is smitten straight away – as he says “You’ve got the mountains and all their mountain food – pigs, olives, amazing fruit and veg. You’ve got the seaside and all the fish. And this place has had so much history: it’s been taken over by both the Romans and the Moors from North Africa. So you’ve got this whole mix of different flavours going on.” He also makes a giant paella dish for a whole village.

In episode three he visits Stockholm and refuses to go skinny dipping with some blonde locals (“Jools would do her nut”), goes mushroom picking on a remote island and cooks fish for the Royal Guard. A visit to Venice offers up the chance to cook Spaghetti Vongole for local fishermen and a chance to join up with his mukka Gennaro Contaldo to make Venetian Tiramisu.

For the fifth episode Jamie heads off to the gorgeous Midi Pyrenees in France, where life is simpler and people live to a ripe old age! He prepares a classic Tarte Tatin (and tells the history of the dish, goes truffle and wild boar hunting and makes Confit of Duck – the traditional way. For the sixth and final episode Jamie headed off to Athens where Souvlaki and Kebabs are on the menu, Jamie also tries his hand at milking a goat, makes pistachio and honey cake and also cooks tuna on the beach where it has just been caught.

One of the things that really comes across in this series is Jamie’s great love for a traditional way of living, like many of us he realises that we are racing ahead of ourselves far too quickly and losing touch with the things that really matter. It’s an attitude that is carried across all of Jamie’s other work too, especially with his school dinners projects.

production details
UK / Channel 4 – Fresh One Productions / 6×60 minute episodes / Broadcast 14 April – 19 May 2010

Executive Producer: Nicola Gooch

THE EPISODES
1. Marrakesh (14 April)
2. Andalucia (21 April)
3. Stockholm (28 April)
4. Venice (5 May)
5. Midi Pyrenees (12 May)
6. Athens (19 May)

TV, Lifestyle, Jamie Oliver, Channel 4,

In Jamie Does… Jamie Oliver visits six different parts of Europe and North Africa to experience local cultures through the food they produce.