‘It's time to get inventive!'

Jamie Oliver on how his new series can help us shine in the kitchen

- Victoria Wilson

One of the positive things to come out of lockdown is that many of us have been cooking more meals from scratch.

But, as a dad-of-five, Jamie Oliver knows just how tricky it can be to create mouth-watering menus that appeal to both grown-ups and children equally.

So now, hot on the heels of Keep Cooking and Carry On – the C4 series he created during the coronavirus pandemic – comes a new project, Jamie: Keep Cooking Family Favourites.

Packed with ideas, each episode sees the chef rustle up simple, affordable and tasty dishes, all made from ingredients that are often in our shopping baskets week in, week out.

In this week’s opener, Jamie reinvents the humble roast chicken by giving it a Cumberland-sausage twist that will ensure it appeals to kids. He also makes a very British spaghetti bolognese – using pale ale!

Filmed at his home, with wife Jools and their kids also appearing, Jamie, 45, hopes this series will get his family – and yours – eating really well. Here, he tells us more…

What inspired you to make this new series?

During lockdown, we’ve seen more people cooking than ever before, which is one thing we can take as a positive from this awful situation. We’ve all spent more time at home, so, for me, it’s been a good time to get inventive and come up with new ways to use the ingredients we all know and love.

Have you enjoyed ‘getting inventive’ with everyday staples?