It’s been 25 years since British chef Jamie Oliver first burst onto television screens as “The Naked Chef,” gaining fans with his casual approach to home cooking. Over time, he didn’t just build a brand, he became the brand with multiple TV shows, restaurants around the world, more than two dozen cookbooks — 28, to be exact — and forays into writing children’s books. (His most recent one was pulled from shelves in the fall after accusations of being offensive to First Nations in Australia; he declined to discuss the matter during the interview.)
But in his latest release, ”Simply Jamie: Fast & Simple Food” out now ($45, Appetite by Random House), he pares his recipes down to the basics to get readers back into the kitchen. In a world where ordering takeout has never been easier, Oliver says it comes at the cost of eroding basic kitchen cooking skills and nutrition. While in town promoting the book as well as two new shows — ”Jamie’s Money Saving Meals” and ”Jamie: Fast & Simple” both streaming on CTV’s site and app (“Money Saving Meals” is also airing on CTV Life Channel) — Oliver talks to the Star about publishing anxieties, the internet’s effect on home cooking, and the politics of grocery shopping.