My New Pasta Obsession, Perfect for One

Today, friends, we have ​Jamie Oliver​ on ​Food with Mark Bittman​ — a brilliant, fun, witty guy. I’ve known him since he was basically a kid; we did a cooking video together for the Times in 2009. He made parmesan chicken and when he was done cooking he said, “Lovely. It’s not going to change your life, but it’s lovely.”

Getting people to cook has been a decades long passion of both mine and Jamie’s, and that’s what connected us initially. He’s one of those rare humans who manages to stay relevant and successful throughout years of change and evolution, and part of that is, no doubt, due to how personable he is, but a lot of it is talent, and the fact that he cares about more than just being a chef. His philanthropic efforts — the work he’s put into school lunches and into training disadvantaged youth in the hospitality industry — are an ongoing priority for him, and to hear him talk about it is awesome. I loved this conversation.