We Talk to Ainsley Harriott
Exclusive interview by Stephen Murphey
R
eady Steady Cook’s Ainsley Harri- SM You are coming to Whitehaven Food Festival to
ott came to West Cumbria to give
do the cookery demonstrations do you give these all
cookery demonstrations during The
year round?
Whitehaven Food Festival, on August 8
and 9, alongside other celebrity chefs,
AH No, I just do the festivals every now and then;
Jean Christophe Novelli and local
it’s always good fun and I always get to work alongside
and meet up with old friends who I have worked with
chefs Ricky Andalcio from the town’s
over the years.
Zest restaurant, and Nurul Hoque.
SM You were in a band The Calypso Twins and
I caught up with Ainsley for a chat and to find out
doing comedy at the Comedy Store; would you have
more about one of Britain’s favourite celebrity chefs.
preferred to have chosen comedy/music over cooking?
Straight away he is in full-on Ainsley mode, laughing
AH No, the music thing was a great way to subsidise
and talking as he does on camera which, to be fair, is
my income, I would finish the service then run down
a little odd as he is known to be outlandish and funny
to do a gig, half an hour in Covent Garden would pay
but you just don’t expect him to be the same on the
me more money than two and a half weeks cooking.
phone. So it’s not an act, he is full-on full-time.
I loved the comedy and music though; The Calypso
Twins consisted of me and my mate Charlie, one’s
SM How long have you been in the business?
black and one’s white. We had a reunion recently – 30
years of the Comedy Store; the amazing thing is that
AH I am 52 now and started college at Westminster
so many of the people there are responsible for what
Catering College when I was 17 … wow it has been a
comedy is today.
long time, 35 years so far.
28
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52