Simon Rimmer Interview

Simon Rimmer is a celebrity chef who is best known for his role on the very popular Something For The Weekend.

But away from TV he is supporting The One Brand which, through the sales of it's products, is helping to raise money for projects in Africa.

I caught up with Simon to talk about his role with The One Brand, his work on Something For The Weekend and what lies ahead.

- You are helping promote The One Brand so can you tell me a little bit about it?

It was started by Duncan Goose an ex marketer who travelled around the world on a motorbike.  He ended up in Africa of 30 kids in class and was shocked to see that out of those 30, 15 of those kids didn’t have the strength to walk to and from school easily - thanks to a lack of water and decent nutrition.

Duncan thought he’d try and help to make the communities self-sufficient and help solve the massive water crisis facing much of the world - The One Brand was born. 

All monies from each of the products, be it One Eggs, One Bread or One Water goes to related projects in Africa - they call it ‘like for like’.

- The brand helps fund humanitarian aid projects so how did you get involved with the brand?

Well I created a selection of recipes using One products as  my inspiration (Chorizo scotch eggs, Earl grey tea and toffee bread and butter pudding and lamb tikka with cauliflower pancakes) and now I’m involved in negotiations with them to stock bread and water at my restaurants.

- So, what kind of products are available for people to buy and where can they get their hand on them?

There’s a full range of top quality every day essential products available - each one funding a related cause in Africa: One Water, One Porridge, One Bread, One Plasters, One Eggs, One loo roll and One hand-wash. They are each available from major retailers across the UK and online at Ocado.

- You can currently be seen on Something For The Weekend but that show is coming to a close so how would you describe your time with the series?

It’s the best job I’ve ever had.  It’s been life changing from a career and friendship point of view.  I’ve become incredibly good friends with Tim and I will sorely miss his company.

- Obviously you have enjoyed a very successful career to date and so, how did you get into cooking in the first place?

I did a degree in fashion and textiles and didn’t mean to be a chef at all. I decided with a friend to buy a vegetarian café, Greens, in Didsbury and I would be front of house chatting up the customers!

It didn’t quite work out that way as I ended up being in the kitchen 18 hours a day learning and creating new and exciting veggie dishes! 

- So when you were set on the idea of being a chef, what were your goals? Have you achieved all of those goals?

I suppose what I wanted once we were properly established was to try and create a veggie restaurant that you’d go to even if you weren’t vegetarian much like we all eat Chinese or Indian food. 

Just great food without meat. It’s worked out well as 70% of our customers are carnivores. 

We are one of the only vegetarian restaurants in the AA food guide, and to my knowledge, we are the only veggie restaurant with an AA rosette.

- If not what else would you like to achieve?

Well now we’re on same path with my other restaurant Earle. The first couple of years were very difficult and we didn’t get it quite right but things have turned around and we’re hoping in the next 12 months we’ll get the listings. Hopefully we’ll get the recognition for all the hard work.

- What do you get out of cooking on a personal level?

It’s still bizarrely relaxing.  When I’m cooking at home for family and friends it’s an enjoyable experience.

Getting the kids to develop their appetite and love of food is great to see.

-Many people as I am sure you’re aware won’t spend time in the kitchen because of lack of time due to people having very busy lives. So what tips would you give to those who want to cook but don’t necessarily have as much time on their hands as they would like?

You always have enough time to cook. It takes very little time to cook pasta, fish or meat.

It takes very little time to prepare the ingredients for a casserole and then leave it to cook for hours.  

If you have enough time to go to supermarket and buy a ready meal, you have enough time to cook.

- Spring is just around the corner so what foods are you cooking with at the moment and what foods are in season that we should be incorporating into our cooking at home?

I always look forward to asparagus season in May, watercress coming into season, as well as local seabass. 

- Finally what is next for you?

Amongst a ton of other things, my next book More from The Accidental Vegetarian is coming out in paperback in March (originally The Seasoned Vegetarian) and I’m busy writing my next book which will be published in 2013.

Celebrity chef Simon Rimmer is a supporter of The One Brand and has created a, selection of recipes inspired by its high quality One Good Eggs and One, Clever Loaf. For more information on the range's unique like for like, offer,  visit www.onedifference.org.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw