Despite my cynicism and pessimism, I’ve always rather liked Jamie Oliver. I like his enthusiasm, his recipes tend be tasty and realistic for anyone to make – and they work.
His new magazine Jamie is a beautifully-produced thing, like a really good clothing catalogue. Very pretty, but not much in it for me, I thought, as I flicked through the second issue but then I came to an article called ‘Meet Dennis’ which stopped me in my tracks.
First I thought this man was an artist. Then I started reading and found he was a tramp. I was expecting something twee and patronising, but Jamie’s story of his encounter with Dennis made me stop and think about what is really important to me. Dennis had no home and almost no money or possessions but he was carrying an £8 loaf of bread, a bread Jamie describes as the best bread in the world. He quizzed Dennis on why he had it. He replied “it’s the best bread on the street”.
I wrote to the magazine saying how I thought they’d pitched the tone of this piece just right – and that I wanted to rip these pages out and frame them. The editor wrote back and thanked me and told me not to rip the pages out but I had to wait and see why. Bit mysterious.
This morning a HUGE parcel arrived at our house. It was a large photo of Dennis and Jamie that Jamie’s had on his office wall for five years. He signed it and sent it to me. I am insanely touched.
So my hunch was right, Jamie is a very good bloke indeed.
Fabulous! What a nice story.
Thank you James. This evening I still have a smile on my face because of this.
Grace
I’m terribly sorry to be so cynical. It may well be the company I keep. I too have (and actually still have) a cynical view of that Oliver bloke and his latest foray into printed cookery just leaves me cold.
I would suggest that the delivery of the parcel and the surprise discovered inside the wrapping is in fact proof positive that his editor is a) an astute individual and b) very good at persuading.
This said, I don’t deny you the joy of the photograph or the warm fuzzy feeling you undoubtedly had when you discovered you were the recipient ;)
Hi there Jon. Maybe the editor is astute and persuasive – but I’m not sure what was to be gained from them sending me the picture, it’s not like I said who I worked for. I just think it was a nice gesture… and I’m saying that as someone who usually thinks the worst and (in the words of a friend recently) someone who ‘tends to think about things too much’. Which reminds me, I must write up the story of the florist…
Oh lord. Now I read your previous comment and I’m thinking “Blogmywiki probably thinks I’m being a miserable so and so”.
Not so .. I was just being *mildly amusing* although I serve and take the point that only I probably found it amusing. ;0)