Jamie Oliver has said all of his foodie inspirations are women — but claims there is a “deficit” of females working in commercial kitchens.
The entrepreneur and chef, 39, said he “struggles” to employ women in his kitchens despite there being a number of high-profile female chefs on television.
Oliver, who has three daughters and a son with wife Jools, said: “On TV we’re quite well represented by women but not in the industry.
“I actively search out women in the kitchen. It’s a must. If you get all men, it can turn into a testosterone fest. It’s not a good, happy place.”
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, the chef said “all my inspirations are women” naming Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers, the founders of the Michelin-starred The River Café where he was spotted by television producers.
The chef, who has fronted 20 television shows since his 1997 debut The Naked Chef, also paid tribute to his parents, who run Essex gastro pub The Cricketers — where he learned to love working with food as a child.
Oliver’s latest series, Jamie’s Comfort Food, continues tonight at 8pm on Channel 4.
