Jamie Oliver’s Kitchen star Tim Siadatan was plucked from obscurity to become a chef on one of the star’s first cookery shows, and it completely transformed his life
A chef and restaurant owner has revealed how his appearance on one of Jamie Oliver’s shows proved to be a life-changing experience.
Tim Siadatan was one of the fortunate 15 youngsters to be given the opportunity to temporarily work under Jamie’s supervision on the programme Jamie’s Kitchen. But before appearing on the show, Tim said he hadn’t even planned to become a chef.
In an episode of the The Go To Food Podcast, Tim told the hosts that he was originally inspired to appear on the show after watching an interview with the celebrity chef, as well as reading his mum’s copies of Jamie’s cookery books at home.
Looking back to the time that helped set him on a path to where he is today, Tim recalled his thought process: “When I get home from work later, I’m going to do it (apply for the show). So I did. And then I got called to come for an interview and then got on it (the show) eventually.”
Tim explained how the experience has totally “transformed” his life. He said: “It totally transformed everything because it was the first time in my young life where, because I was a classic chef story of leaving school after GCSEs, dyslexic, didn’t get many GCSEs and didn’t really know what I was going to be doing.”
The programme, which aired from November to December of 2002 on Channel 4, saw jobless 16 to 24 year-olds train to be a chef under Jamie’s careful guidance.
Despite the young apprentices having no previous experience in a professional kitchen, Jamie took it upon himself to train them up to a standard where they could work in his new venture, Fifteen.
The London eatery first welcomed diners in 2002 before finally closing its doors in 2019.
Tim, who first appeared on the Channel 4 programme 23 years ago, has since carved out an impressive career in the hospitality industry.
He is now the proud owner of his own Italian restaurant, Trullo, located in Islington, London.
Following the success of his first eatery, he went on to open a second eatery, Padella, at the renowned Borough Market in London in 2016.
Fast forward four years, and he responded to the popularity of his initial location by launching a second site in the fashionable district of Shoreditch.