Guest Author - Karyn Johnson
English chefs are popular throughout England and abroad, which is surprising, given the reputation English food has for being bland and just downright unpalatable. But this is nowadays an undeserved reputation, and chefs like Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay, Nigella Lawson, Ainsley Harriott, and their ilk are teaching everyone with access to a television how to chop, mix, bake, and sauté their way to culinary success. While some of these chefs have more traditional cooking shows, chefs like Ramsay and Oliver are educating the public about more than just how to cook.
Jamie Oliver, better known as "The Naked Chef", is perhaps the most popular English chef. He has moved past his Naked Chef phase and is now doing a show called Jamie's School Dinners, which is encouraging schools to serve healthier lunches to students. He emphasizes using very fresh, organic ingredients. His popularity has reached North American shores, as well as Australia and New Zealand, and his cookbooks continue to fly off the shelves.
One of the hottest shows in England right now is The "F" Word, a show where Gordon Ramsay brings in wannabe chefs to work in a restaurant. I got to watch it on my most recent trip to England, and I found that Ramsay, although vulgar in his speech, is very passionate and inspires his apprentices to do well in the kitchen. All the food made, even by the novice cooks, looked outstanding. This show is fun to watch, but also educational. It forces people to look at the origins of their food. Ramsay stars in another show that is popular in England and North America - Hell's Kitchen.
Ainsley Harriott is probably best known for being host of the show Ready Steady Cook, which has been televised since 1994. His endearing quirkiness and sense of humor has won him legions of fans in England and abroad…he even had his own US talk show for a year! He has his own brand of rice, pasta, and soup products. Harriott encourages the use of the freshest ingredients, and thinks that simple dishes can be just as good as fancy gourmet meals.
Nigella Lawson is popular in England and North America, with shows such as Nigella Bites Forever Summer with Nigella and the upcoming Nigella Feasts, which will be broadcast on USA's Food Network. She will soon be the subject of a BBC documentary, part of a series called Who Do You Think You Are?. She has been accused of using her sex appeal to attract viewers to her show, which she categorically denies, but regardless of whether she does so or not, she has proven that she knows what she's doing in the kitchen.
There's a culinary revolution going on in England, and these chefs are causing it. The variety of foods available at British supermarkets is amazing, and with chefs like Oliver, Ramsay, Harriott, and Lawson teaching the masses how to cook good meals, nobody ever has to eat terrible food again. If you think British food is inedible, think again. These chefs will prove you wrong!
