Why are TV chef's so popular?

So I finally succumbed to buying one of those Jamie Oliver cookbooks on display at the Woolworth's exit aisles. I already had a Jamie Oliver cookbook, and have watched a lot of Jamie Oliver on TV, but this cookbook had a DVD accompanying it. The Happy Days DVD shows Jamie on stage cooking in front of a live audience of thousands and is a lot of fun.

Now why are TV chefs so big now? Well, I think it's because they've removed the pomposity from cooking. They make it look easy and ask "What's your excuse?"

Now I cook a bit, but I've avoided buying a pasta machine despite Jamie's many exclamations that freshly made pasta is the way to go.

And then he showed a roast chicken recipe on the DVD that just looked like a winner: chicken in a salt "cave."

And even the bread looked easy.

So I did a huge shop today and came back bearing pasta machine, bread tins and lots of ingredients.

It was easy! The bread recipe is so simple a kid could remember it. The chicken falls of the bones. And the mashed potato (although undoubtedly no good for one's health) with crème fraîche is a winner!

The next girl that comes to my place for dinner will be bowled over...