My life in food, Jay Blades: 'My date dish? It's always scrambled eggs'
The Repair Shop star, 53, tells Tom Parker Bowles about growing up on Caribbean soul food and getting the biggest shock of his life on Celebrity MasterChef
My first food memory is a Farley's Rusk. I revisited it again when I was 18, and still loved it. You can't go wrong with a Farley's Rusk.
When I was growing up, Mum did all the cooking. I did all the eating. So it was a perfect partnership. One of my favourite dishes was bully beef and rice. It's corned beef out of a can. You fry this with some tomatoes, onions, garlic, loads of different types of pepper, along with spices. And serve with basmati rice or fried dumplings. It's unbelievable.
We always ate Caribbean food growing up. Save Fridays, when we had fish and chips. But the rest of the time it was soul food – food to feed the soul. Everything was cooked at home.
I bloody loved school food: liver and onions, kidneys and steamed cabbage – although some of the puddings were a bit moody. I don't like trifle, and hated rice pudding.
The Repair Shop star, 53, tells Tom Parker Bowles about growing up on Caribbean soul food and getting the biggest shock of his life on Celebrity MasterChef
I used to get 10p a week pocket money, and you could go down to the sweet shop and live like a king. Chocolate Tools, in the shape of a spanner or a saw. Mojos for ½p each. Flying Saucers, Sherbet Pips, all bought by the quarter. That was living it large.
There's a restaurant in London, Wong Kei, where I've been eating the same meal since I was 15. Sweet and sour pork and special fried rice. It's always tasted the same. I love it.
The only meal I could cook when I left school was a mean scrambled eggs. That's my go-to meal. When I did Celebrity MasterChef, they asked me what I would cook on a first date. I said scrambled eggs. Then they asked what I'd make on the second date. I said scrambled eggs with onions. What about the third date, they went on, something really special? Scrambled eggs with onions, a bit of garlic and I may even sprinkle some green stuff on top. But it's always scrambled eggs.
Celebrity MasterChef was scary. I remember the missus saying I'd better practise. And I said, don't worry, I know TV. They'll have people in the background doing all the cooking for you. She goes, no, I don't think it's like that. So I get there, and they say, 'Welcome to MasterChef. Underneath that box are the ingredients that you have to cook, and you have an hour, starting from now…' Then you lift up the box, and I expected someone to say 'cut'. But they didn't! As I said, very scary.
I had an Irish friend when I was young, and I went to his gran's house for tea. The place stank, really disgusting. I asked what the smell was. 'Oh, that's my gran's cooking,' he said. Anyway, she asked if we were hungry. I said, not really, but she didn't listen. It was tripe and cabbage and potatoes. Despite that stink, it tasted gorgeous. Banging.
Jay says he always ate Caribbean food growing up. Save Fridays, when they had fish and chips. Stock image used
His last dinner would be a chicken caesar salad with loads of anchovies. Without the stale bread
You get some really blinding food when filming The Repair Shop. Monday is vegetarian day. Every other day, there's a vegetarian option. So I said, as a meat eater, how come you don't give me a meat option on Monday? I told them they're refusing me my rights, and that I'm going to write to my MP about it. Sadly, the MP wasn't taking any letters about veggie options.
My comfort food has to be Caribbean. Either Saturday soup, which is a Caribbean version of bubble and squeak. Or bully beef and rice. Eating that, I can close my eyes and imagine being eight years old again. That's how good it is.
There's always a lot of fish in the fridge. And steak once a month. Then chicken caesar salad and Island Delight patties and eggs. Oh, and ginger, loads of ginger.
My last dinner would be a chicken caesar salad with loads of anchovies. Without the stale bread. Or that stale cheese. Just give me the chicken, the anchovies and the lettuce. That's my final dinner, a nice light one. I don't want to cause any wind.
Blades’s latest book, Life Lessons, will be published by Bluebird on 28 September, £14.99*
*TO PRE-ORDER A COPY FOR £12.74 UNTIL 17 SEPTEMBER, GO TO MAILSHOP.CO.UK/BOOKS OR CALL 020 3176 2937. FREE DELIVERY ON ORDERS OVER £25
