First, pinch me time — because we’ve got the REAL-LIFE LEGEND that is Yotam Ottolenghi on the show! If anyone has ever wondered what the celebrated chef, writer, restaurateur, and veggie rehabilitator Yotam Ottolenghi is truly like, this episode is the perfect introduction. You’ll meet a clever, driven, and utterly charming person whose life mission is to make people happy through food.
We dive into a career that began with unexpected fame and evolved into him becoming one of the world’s most influential chefs, with over 11 million books sold globally. We decode the “Ottolenghi Effect”—or why so many of us actually know what sumac and tahini are—and explore the family ties and global collaborations behind the 100 recipes in his latest book, Comfort.
The conversation also touches on the joy and realness of gay parenting, why he created the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen, and his personal take on what "Just Right" means, both in life and in the kitchen. And of course, there are surprises—including the kitchen tools and essentials he uses (and those he doesn’t!).
Above all, this episode will leave anyone hungry—hungry for the comfort food that feels like home and inspired by Yotam’s ability to stay creative under pressure. His secret? Collaborating closely with others. As Yotam says, that’s where the real magic happens.
Comfort, by Yotam Ottolenghi and co-authors Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley is out now.
Guest: @ottolenghi
The Enoughness with Melanie Rickey
Produced and edited by Steve Hankey
The podcast is recorded at 1 Warwick in Soho, a welcoming club for members and visitors alike, and the home of The Enoughness with Melanie Rickey.
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