LIVE 24-SEVEN - JEAN-CHRISTOPHE NOVELLI
I officially love you – how sweet! When you think that I had a child who had cancer and there’s a man who can find a cure and make him well and I’m just a bloody chef! The difference between me and my mum is my mum didn’t try to get a Michelin star, I did. Anyone can cook, we do have the most lucky job because we meet people, we’re close to nature, we constantly give pleasure to people – it’s fantastic. We are part of nourishing society. I am very lucky to have received all the recognition I did and accolades and at the time I was really in need of the recognition, but when I die they are not going to say, “Here lies a Michelin star chef!” That won’t come into it. [laughing] It doesn’t matter.
It's the run up to Christmas – I can imagine it's a feast in your house. Do you have any traditions and any foodie traditions? Yes, just one. It’s a traditional Christmas. There’s no way you can change that. In fact it’s probably the only time of the year I don’t cook, my wife will be doing the cooking. We’ll be having a ham sandwich, I can see that! [laughing] That was a joke by the way! The thing about respecting traditions is that you don’t try to change them, you keep them and honour them every single year. The best thing about it is you know what you’re going to get, you enjoy it and respect it.
You are hugely supportive of several charities, I'm not sure how you find the time for all you do, but how important is charity to you, as you had your own scare with your son’s battle with cancer, didn't you? We can never give back enough. I’m more selective now about what I do because I would say yes, yes, yes to charity and then you wouldn’t see where the money was going to, but I recognise cancer charities because you know where the money is going to and how it will help. Like I said, you can never give back enough, not just charities, I do a lot with schools. There is always someone asking for something or needing and it’s nice to give back of course. Even before what happened with my son, I would do a lot for charity, I try to be generous.
I'm always interested to find out what chefs like to eat when they head to dinner and am very often surprised to find out that it’s relatively simple food. I think it was Antony Worrall Thompson who said he just likes a good dirty burger – not sure if he was being honest with me? What about you for a relaxed night out? I’m not surprised, that’s why he’s a grumpy old git, [laughing] you are what you eat! [laughing] It’s true, he’s a grumpy old git – [laughing] I was always wondering why he was the way he was …anyway…[laughing] I’m not so much concerned about what I eat, I care more about who has taken time to cook it for me. I have cooked hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dishes over my career, many covers each night, so you can see why I appreciate people cooking for me, even if it’s just a sandwich.
You have a very big collection of female admirers, it must be that French accent – just kidding – what's the funniest approach you've had from a fan? [Laughing] I don’t want to limit it just to women, there are a lot of men that like me too. [laughing] It’s quite nice, you know, to be popular. [laughing] It’s like when I first met Kevin Keegan or Michael Jackson, just me and him in a lift, that was when I was quite close to Madonna, it’s fantastic to meet people who inspire you; I still get excited about meeting people now.
I was sorry to have missed you when you were so close by in the summer, I know the Solihull Bid team were delighted to have you! Solihull was fantastic, I am still remembering the day walking the streets and meeting people – a lovely atmosphere, it really was fantastic and my stay at the Crown Plaza, please do mention that. I will – so you’ll be venturing back to Solihull for another festival? I hope so very much, I really mean that. Joyeux Noel – if I don’t get to speak to you before Katie!
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