THE teen son of a celebrity chef from Essex is taking on the food world with a new book and CBBC show getting children into cooking.
Buddy Oliver, son of renowned TV chef Jamie, has one of the most recognisable last names in food.
Now, he is striking out on his own, with a new cookbook and TV show.
Buddy is the second youngest in the Oliver clan – parents Jools and Jamie married in a church ceremony in Essex in July 2000 and have four other children – Poppy, Daisy, Petal and River.
Family – Jamie Oliver holding newborn Buddy in 2010 (Image: Ian West/PA)
At 13, the son of industry legend Jamie, who lives in Finchingfield, isn’t a new face in the world of food.
His YouTube channel, Cooking Buddies, has a mammoth 135,000 subscribers, and has seen him whipping up meals on camera for as long as three years ago – with friends and, of course, his famous father.
Oliver’s debut cookbook, Let’s Cook, is aimed at getting children in the kitchen with colourful, fun and simple recipes.
Smile – Buddy Oliver has got one of the most recognisable last names in food (Image: David Loftus/PA)
Dishes range from staples like the ultimate burger and meatballs with spaghetti, to vegetarian options including tomato soup and greens pasta, as well as the obligatory sweet treats like rocky road.
The book is coming out alongside his new show, Cooking Buddies, which starts today, July 10 on CBBC and BBC iPlayer.
The series sees him swap skills with young friends – teaching them cooking while they show him something they’re good at, whether that’s salsa dancing or ice skating.
“Let’s Cook is full of the things I love to cook and eat,” Oliver said.
“It’s not fancy or hard to do, it’s just simple food done nicely.”
Novel – Buddy’s debut cookbook, Let’s Cook, is aimed at getting children in the kitchen (Image: Penguin Michael Joseph/PA)
For kids looking to build up a bit of confidence in the kitchen, Buddy’s top tips include starting small, learning new skills, embracing unpredictability.
But ultimately, Oliver says: “Roll up your sleeves, get stuck in, and most importantly… have fun!”
According to the budding foodie, there are plenty of reasons for kids to get into cooking – namely that you can “tweak and adjust things to make them exactly how you like them”, so you’ll “always want to eat it”.
And then when you’ve mastered the skills, Oliver says: “It’s good not always having to rely on grown-ups when you’re hungry.”
Let’s Cook: Fun, Easy Recipes For Kids is available now.
