"They were really tasty, and actually so simple once you know how. It made me want to see what else I could do.
"I learnt things like chopped salads from helping mum or dad in the kitchen, and even started to make pizza and bread. The more I learnt, the more I wanted to explore."
And now 13-year-old Buddy, son of UK cooking legend Jamie Oliver, is releasing his first cook book, Let’s Cook, to show other young people and beginner cooks how fun and tasty cooking can be.
"Once you know the basics you can give most recipes a try, or even have a go at making your own! It doesn’t always go to plan, but that doesn’t matter."
Buddy cooks for his friends for his brothers and sisters and has often appeared alongside his father on television shows as he has grown up. He also landed his own BBC television show, Cooking Buddies.
"Making the TV show was epic — it was really fun to learn some cook new skills from other kids, but also teach them dishes they can share with their friends."
In the book he has included the things he loves to cook and eat, what he calls "simple food done nicely".
"My absolute favourite recipe is the easy meatballs and spaghetti because it is fun to make and tastes good. I’m a big pasta fan, so there’s a whole chapter of easy pastas in the book."
The family-favourites section is the one he cooks from the most — with recipes for the things he likes to eat at home and can now make himself.
"I also love to make cakes and puds because they’re sweet and delicious, but I do sometimes make a bit of a mess."
Oliver says while all his children have grown up around food, it is Buddy that has been his shadow in the kitchen since he was small finding it "effortlessly exciting and a real adventure".
Oliver has always seen the ability to cook as being powerful as it grants people real freedom when it comes to what they want to eat.
"The key to learning to cook is being curious and having the confidence to give it a go. Not everything will work out perfectly — and that’s OK. Sometimes when things don’t go to plan, you might still end up with something delicious, just not what you were expecting."
He believes no-one is too young to give things a go, have a laugh and enjoy themselves in the kitchen.
"It really is super-fun. I was just 8 years old when I properly started to cook and I haven’t look back since."
In a message to parents, Oliver says they will never regret encouraging their children to learn how to cook.
"I’m not talking cheffy recipes with complicated techniques, just good, simple, nutritious, fun food that will help fuel your kids with the right stuff.
"Trust me, knowing how to make a bowl of pasta or a simple soup are skills that will set them up for life."
Giving children the opportunity to have a bit of control over shopping and the cooking means they can make it how they like it, which ultimately helps parents out when it comes to getting their children to eat healthily.
"If you want to brush up on your skills too, why not pick a new recipe and make it together. It’s wonderful to see the sense of pride when a child realises they can a valuable contribution to family mealtimes."
Buddy’s note: My dad’s nutrition team helped me to make sure that the recipes in Let’s Cook are the right balance between nutritious everyday foods and things to be enjoyed occasionally. The recipes can be enjoyed by your whole family, so just dish up smaller portions if you’re cooking for little siblings. Throughout the book, there are also handy tips to building positive eating habits that are easy to remember, and will help you on the path to leading a healthier, happier life.
The book
Let’s Cook: Fun, easy recipes for kids by Buddy Oliver is published by Penguin Michael Joseph ©Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited (2024 Let’s Cook). Recipe photography: © David Loftus, 2024.
Tasty tomato soup with melty cheese dunkers
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 carrot
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
1 celery stick
olive oil
1 organic vegetable or chicken stock cube
2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes
4 slices of bread
85g Cheddar cheese
a few sprigs of basil
200ml milk
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Method
Peel and chop the carrot, onion and garlic, then trim and finely slice the celery. Place a large saucepan on a medium heat, drizzle in 1 Tbsp of olive oil, then scrape in the chopped vegetables.
Cook for 10 minutes with the lid on (leaving a little gap), or until softened, stirring occasionally. Crumble in the stock cube, carefully top up with 500ml of boiling water and stir to dissolve.
Scrunch in the tomatoes (or tip in and break up with a spoon as you go), then turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, pop the lid back on and simmer for 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly, stirring occasionally.
Toast one side of the bread slices under the grill until golden, turn over, then coarsely grate over the Cheddar and place back under the grill until oozy and melty.
Remove the pan from the heat, pick in most of the basil leaves and pour in the milk and balsamic, then carefully blitz with a stick blender until smooth (use a tea towel to protect your hands from little splashes).
Taste and season, if needed, then ladle the soup into serving bowls or mugs. Slice the toast into soldiers and serve on the side for dunking.
Time-saver alert
Although prepping vegetables is a great way to practise your knife skills, if you want to save time, swap the carrot, onion and celery for 300g of ready-prepped frozen diced base veg mix – you can find this in most supermarkets.
Easy meatballs and spaghetti with bonus grated vegetables
Definitely one of my favourite things to make, and everyone seems to love it!
Serves 6 (makes 30 meatballs)
Ingredients
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
1 courgette
6 chestnut mushrooms
olive oil
200g lean higher-welfare minced beef
200g lean higher-welfare minced pork
50g wholemeal breadcrumbs
20g Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
1 large free-range egg
1 x 690g jar of passata
450g dried spaghetti
Method
Peel the onion and 2 cloves of garlic, then coarsely grate on a box grater with the courgette and mushrooms. Scrape everything into a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with 1 Tbsp of olive oil and cook for 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly.
Tip the cooked vegetables into a mixing bowl and leave to cool, then add the beef, pork and breadcrumbs. Finely grate in most of the Parmesan and crack in the egg, then season with black pepper.
Squish the mixture together to combine, then with wet hands, take tablespoons of the mixture and shape into 30 little balls. Pop them on to a tray as you go, then place in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up.
Place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with 1 Tbsp of olive oil, then add the meatballs and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown all over, turning regularly.
Peel and finely chop the leftover garlic cloves. Create a little space in the pan between the meatballs, add the garlic for 2 minutes, then pour in the passata and give the pan a gentle shake.
Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is thickened slightly, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with sea salt and pepper, if needed.
With about 10 minutes to go, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions, then drain, reserving a mugful of starchy cooking water.
Tip: the pasta into the meatball pan and gently toss together, loosening with a splash of pasta water, if needed. Divide between bowls, serving the meatballs on top, and finish with a grating of Parmesan.
The ultimate burger with melty cheese and salad
Homemade burgers are fast, fun and taste juicier than the ones you buy. Plus, you can stack up the toppings and layer in your favourite sauces exactly as you like them.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 gherkins
2 ripe tomatoes
200g red cabbage
red wine vinegar
½ an iceberg lettuce
½ a cucumber
extra virgin olive oil
1 x 400g tin of green lentils
250g higher-welfare minced beef or veggie mince
olive oil
4 slices of Cheddar cheese (60g total)
4 small burger buns
optional: tomato ketchup and/or mayo
Method
Slice the gherkins (use a crinkle-cut knife, if you’ve got one) and tomatoes, and set aside. Finely slice or grate the red cabbage, then toss in a mixing bowl with 1 Tbsp of red wine vinegar.
Shred the lettuce and slice the cucumber, then place in another mixing bowl and dress with 1 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.
Drain the lentils and pat dry with kitchen paper, then blitz in a food processor with the mince and a pinch of black pepper. Divide the mixture into 4 equal pieces and shape into 3cm-thick patties.
Place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat.
Brush the patties with 1 Tbsp of olive oil, then carefully place in the hot pan and cook for 4 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through, nudging the patties towards the edge of the pan to sear the sides.
When the burgers are looking good, place a slice of cheese on top of each one, add a splash of water to the pan (the steam will help the cheese to melt), then cover for an extra 4 minutes, or until melted.
Cut the buns in half (toast them if you like), add a dollop of ketchup and/or mayo (if using) to each base, then place a burger on top.
Layer the gherkin, tomato and cucumber slices, and a pinch of lettuce on top of each one, then pop the lids on. Serve the rest of the lettuce, cucumber and tomato on the side, along with the pickled cabbage.
