RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

Store Cupboard Essentials/Ingredients

Drive  Determination, Sensitivity, Passion, Modesty, Charisma, Dyslexia, Communication, Empathy, Good Intent, Integrity, Grounding

Team recognition, Creativity, Celebrity Status, Thick Skin, Campaigner, Responsible, Inspirational, Husband & Father, Genuine

Preparation/Grounding

Left Newport Free Grammar School at 16 years with no qualifications, attended Westminster Kingsway College. Left college and worked as a Pastry Chef for Antonio Carluccio, essential for core knowledge of Italian food.  From Carluccios worked at the River Café and got spotted by the BBC.

Method/Inspiration

Firstly add into the mixing bowl a typical family day out –

“We thrash the hell out of Audley End, that mini railway. I don’t know how many times my children have been on that train, it is driving me mad, but they love it. Sometimes we go to Finchingfield for a cup of tea - quite nice and not too far away. Or we go in to Cambridge, you know, go to the punts twice a year, to keep the kids interested in a city but we generally go into Walden every Saturday to have a little walk about.

I appreciate a million percent that no one asks for an autograph  - which is great, mainly because everyone knows me and are sick of me anyway, but they do watch out for me they really do. People in Walden or the village (Clavering), watch my back, sometimes you get weeks where people are trying to find me. I mean you get people driving about the village looking for me, yeah it can be a little scary I suppose, but to be honest with you the villagers are on it like a rash, they get on the phone to Dad, and Dad will always sort it out.”

Throw into the mix... the added awareness/dimension that this can be unique for someone with celebrity status, Jamie speaks of the importance of local people local produce -

“Clavering is definitely (Walden included), my safe haven. No one cares that I am here and most of the parents know me or went to school with me and I didn’t get myself into trouble, well not that much trouble, everyone is quite kind really.

What is really nice is that people in Walden don’t expect anything of me. I can go and have a bit of banter on the market, go into Barclays and do whatever I have got to do, go down to (WH) Smiths which used to be Harts, probably do what everyone one else does.

I go and heckle the butchers at Humphreys, they are great butchers; we are quite lucky in Walden, I mean Dan the Fishmonger is brilliant and the market can be very good - I still love the bloke on the fruit and veg stall, ‘bananas in pyjamas’, I was deeply upset when those people complained about him.”

For the base... his Clavering home is preferred and keeps him grounded -

“I am very much based here. I like going to the Axe (Axe & Compasses, Arkesden), I don’t get there as much as I’d like to, what with having four kids, but I love the locals there. I love the food and I love being outside there in the summer.  I love going to Walden and moping about, you know waiting outside for the misses whilst she’s in New Look, it’s very, very normal.

I kind of get enough excitement in my life Monday to Friday. I like it simple. The first four years was bonkers, it was literally like being JLS, but once I got married and had kids it simmered down. It’s not bonkers anymore. It used to be over excitable, which was exciting for a while, I mean imagine walking into a room and someone screams - it was completely ridiculous. Most people in Walden go, well that’s just Jamie, he’s like that raving idiot down the Wagon and Horses”.

Finally bake... in the oven at gas mark 7, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Garnish with... Reflection and Responsibility

When you look back at that 13 year old Jamie don’t you have a Talking Heads moment when you think how did I get here?

“Oh yeah completely. It gets more freaky; I now have to worry about the amount of people’s mortgages I’m responsible for. Then if you include their kids and their husbands in to the equation then it’s massive….  it’s funny the whole thing has completely snowballed, that was never part of the master plan!”

Serve... Whichever hat Jamie is wearing - a chef, a businessman, a boss, a husband or a father - he applies himself whole-heartedly. He is a professional, a truly inspirational man with a passion that is infectious. A lot could be gained from Jamie’s ethos, especially those who find fault in him; rather than slighting him, why not learn from him?

Henry Winkler recently spoke on The One Show to a dyslexic boy; he said

“You have a gift, you just have to find it and share it with the world.”

When applied to Jamie the relevance of this is uncanny. Jamie has found his gift and by using it unconditionally and with good intentions, he strives to make positive improvements through educated change, and, in turn, benefiting others. How many of us can say that about our day job?

We should all be extremely proud of our local lad, of his accomplishments over the past 15 years, but even more inspiring - what he could accomplish in the coming years and for future generations.

For the full article pick up Hub Magazine Issue No. 8