Dear Jamie Oliver, Thank you for 5 Ingredients – you’ve created some highly-valued family connection in our household.
I thanked Spotify Wrapped recently for creating a similar sense of familial unity, but through 5 Ingredients, and in fact everything that you do, you’re tapping into something even more meaningful, even more human and even more fundamental than music: The making and sharing of good food.
On the spur of the moment on Saturday morning, I suggested that our 3 kids (10yrs-17yrs) pick a recipe from the book, come with me to the supermarket to get the ingredients, and then prep the meal for the family over the coming days.
“How ‘bout it kids?”
At which point the imaginary cognitive heuristics laser-display panel lit up like a Christmas tree: Confirmation Bias (“I can’t cook”); Bandwagon Effect (“Are you doing it?”); Conflict Avoidance (“We don’t want to disappoint”); Social Norms (“Do other kids cook for their parents?”); Optimism Bias (“Well, I could probably do that”) ; Status Quo Bias (“We don’t normally cook, we’re kids”); Negativity Effect (“I might not be good at it as I’ve not done it before”). And others probably.
But it was the “It’s only 5 ingredients guys” that sealed the deal and made it pretty easy for them to say Yes.
Or maybe it made it hard for them to say No.
Either way, they said yes and we’re 4 dinners in.
And it’s been totally awesome.
So thank you.
And thank you for being an innovation machine.
40 cookbooks since 1999?
That’s impressive.
I know, I know, the continuous production of media, publishing and “content” are not really classifiable as innovation in the traditional sense. But man, your commitment, your fresh consistency, your resilience, your ability to tap into what’s hot right now (see One, 2023 or Easy Air Fryer, 2025), your enthusiasm, your new take on an established format sure do keep you front of mind. And they do sure serve as an inspiration for anyone in an Innovation role out there thinking “here we go again”. Yes, here we do go again. And yes, bringing new news (aka innovation) with pride, enthusiasm and energy can do more to build brand equity than a traditional advertising campaign. Mental (or perhaps just on the kitchen bookshelf) availability, innit?
Thanks again Jamie. Ned