Jamie Oliver - Jamie's Kitchen Reviews

• Jamie Oliver as You've Never Seen Him Before

  
  By A16ZL2448JF2VY on 2005-05-03
  This is a great series that originally aired on the BBC and also played on the Food Network. I saw it when it aired on the Food Network and I was so happy to see that it was coming to DVD. It's a great show that really gives you an inside look at what it takes to get a resturaunt off the ground. As if that wasn't hard enough, to do it with 15 untrained people who have a passion for cooking but no official experience is just a daunting task.
  
  You'll see the frustration, and the aggrivation when things go wrong. As well as the jubilation when everything is going right, which is rarely the case it seems. Jamie is great at letting the camera see exactly whats going on in his mind. He rarely holds back and always speaks his mind when things arent going his way.
  
  In the end it's really a great look into how people cope with being put into situations they arent used to and how far people will go when they are passionate about something. I highly reccomend this DVD to any fan of Jamie Oliver or any person thinking about getting into the resturaunt business. It's extremely entertaining and you won't be disappointed at all.
  
  

• Fantastic Reality/Cooking Show

  
  By A27BH5ZLPBNPX1 on 2005-06-01
  This is an amazing DVD to buy for anyone interested in cooking or, especially, owning thier own restaurant (and face it---how many people do you know that say, "some day, I'd love to have my own little cafe..."). This is one of the best shows I've ever seen---It's a cross between a soap opera, cooking show and reality show. Once you start watching it, you'll be hooked.
  
  Basically, Jamie Oliver (the "Naked Chef" for those of you not obsessed with the Food Network) takes a bunch of kids who are unemployed and completely unskilled (at least in the kitchen) and turns them into chefs. Along the way, you get a glimpse into what it's like to be a celebrity chef, the pressures of opening a new restaurant (HELLO??? how can ANYone afford such a venture?) and how frustrating a project of this scope must be (especially when your every move is being watched by the cameras). It's fascinating to watch the transformation of these kids (actually, they're in their early 20's, I think).
  
  To me, this is just another example of how great British TV has become -- I highly recommend this DVD.
  
  

• This guy is histerical!

  
  By A3KSK9RDK0PIZR on 2005-05-25
  My wife bought this and we watched it over the weekend, and I was looking here to see what other people thought of it and I can't believe no one has said how funny Jamie is. When he's not being ravaged with business decisions and dealing with personal issues, Jamie seems like a great down to earth guy. He had me cracking up quite a few times. I wasn't sure if I'd like this show as I had only seen his Naked Chef show a few times and I wasn't that excited about it. But this was great. I can't believe his resturaunt ever opened with these kids. They start out not knowing anything he turns them into hard working chefs. It's really amazing.
  
  I don't know what to compare this show to but it's a reality series thats for sure. But not like other ones you've seen really. It's a lot more personal than other shows like it I think. I had a great time watching it and I think you will too.
  
  

• Has Jamie bitten off more than he can chew??

  
  By A200TCVEJ9Y13H on 2005-05-10
  He may have, but that's half the fun of watching this series..
  
  I wanted to write a review about this because I really loved the series. I'm hoping that he actually does the whole thing again. It was really exciting, and interesting to see a side of Jamie Oliver that you really never get to see on his cooking shows, even though those are based on a "reality". This is Jamie Oliver RAW. You see him out of the kitchen, dealing with the stresses of starting his resturaunt, the stresses of his gf's pregnacy, the finances, dealing with 15 kids who have never worked in a kitchen before. It's amazing the whole thing did not come falling down on him.
  
  If you have seen Olivers Twist, or The Naked chef and enjoyed those shows then you owe it to yourself to check this one out. It's not a cooking show, it's a reality show, but it's very worth the purchase. I can't wait to see the whole thing over again!
  
  

• Jamie shines under pressure

  
  By A30R3DQLW675E7 on 2006-08-30
  It was quite refreshing to see Jamie in real day-to-day stuff, even managing to burn his own breakfast! I've loved his previous dvds which are all about having a good time. Here, he's to be applauded for embarking on the monumental task of taking kids off the street and eventually turning them (some) into real chefs. The patience he shows some of the kids, who time after time start to throw away this chance, is remarkable. But he does get mad. He does grow impatient, as do his old teachers and mentors. He's got a lot riding on the line; his own money and his reputation. But he never really makes it about him. He genuinely cares about these kids. And inspite of his success and wealth, he seems to be the same old Jamie ever ready with a laugh. It's also fascinating watching the students. Some grow and mature into their new role; something they knew nothing about the year before. Others fall by the wayside and we know, as viewers, they'll one day look back on this opportunity and reget having made excuses to walk away.
  
  It's a heartfelt program and one I wish would continue being filmed . I'd love to see his next class and ride along on their journey as they make their way.
  
  
• Heartwarming and Hysterical
  By AW2QSBNKZKSNT on 2006-06-03
  A great reality show, following a group of working class youths in England getting the chance to become cooks in a top UK restaurant for free. It's highly entertaining and well worth the price. We caught this show when we were visiting Australia and got hooked. Also check out Jamie's School Dinners series, available on Amazon UK.
  
  
• Waste of money
  By A1IS70HGQPRFP5 on 2006-01-08
  If you like reality TV or soap operas, this DVD is right up your alley. Jamie is indeed informative and amusing during his cooking shows. I guess I expected something like that from this DVD.
  
  
• Jamie's Kitchen DVD
  By A2QUFRHBKYJ8X1 on 2007-03-22
  A wonderful DVD that shows the challenges one can face with the best of ideas. Jamie Oliver is a hero for doing what few entrepreneurs even try to do... establish a thriving business while making a difference in the lives of young people who are unemployed and out of school -- by helping them to become chefs -- often despite themselves. Jaime does this by putting his home and reputation on the line, and by sticking by his "15" even when they fail to fully appreciate the wonderful opportunity that they have been offered. The journey they all travel together is funny, touching, depressing, and real. Bravo Jamie.
  
  
• Jamie's Kitchen
  By A3O5U7SXSHBYIV on 2008-01-02
  Excellent product. Just what I expected and more. I cant wait for Jamies next videos.
  
  
• Surprisingly Good
  By A25XYBCC96E3AO on 2008-01-07
  This DVD surprised me. I originally purchased it for my daughter who is a huge fan of Jamie. I thought it would be on the "fluffy cook" side, but was I wrong. We watched the DVD together over Christmas holiday, and as someone who is working on a plan to start a rural kitchen incubator, the trials and tribulations of starting Jamie's Kitchen were a good reality check for me as I work through my own planning. I found myself rooting for the kids to make it through Jamie's "Fifteen" program, and I was very interested in the way Jamie handled the young people while tweaking the "Fifteen" program AND getting the nuts and bolts of the restaurant together. What an amazing accomplishment! I have watched the DVD in its entirety 4 times since Christmas, and I am not tired of it yet. I would reccommend this DVD as a reference to anyone who is thinking about starting their own restaurant or commercial kitchen, or who is thinking about becoming a chef.
  
  

• Oliver's Twist 2
• Jamie Oliver - Happy Days Tour Live!
• Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You a Better Cook
• Jamie's Italy
• Jamie Oliver - Oliver's Twist