Jon Watts is a published author, a chef, a tv personality, a charity trustee and has a huge social media following. He uses his profile to inspire others and help those who are having a tough start in life, as he did.
Recently our Editor-at-Large, Philip Seaman met with Jon at The Big Feastival and asked him a few questions about his early life, his passion for food and what makes Hertfordshire such a great place for foodies.
Jon’s is an inspiring story of someone who has turned their life around through food, and the opportunity of working and thriving in the hospitality sector. We hope you enjoy hearing from him!
You’re very well known in St Albans and Hertfordshire, we see you as one of our own here, but you grew up in Oxfordshire – what was your early childhood like?
I grew up as the second eldest of 5 kids in a working class household. It was often chaotic, with at least one parent always out working. Until I was 12 I was at a very strict Christian school which I often describe as a cult. Food wasn’t really a part of my early life, with no one in my family really being foodies (at the time).
You’ve talked openly and extensively about getting into trouble, and getting mixed up with a difficult life & getting sentenced to time in a young offenders facility. Looking back, do you put this stage of your life down to a lack of focus and ambition to go and pursue a particular vocation?
There’s a number of reasons why this happened. Obviously the main reason was my own actions, and I am always clear to make sure that I take responsibility for anything that happened. I wouldn’t include lack of ambition, as I think I was fairly ambitious even then, but I didn’t know where to direct it. A lack of guidance, no sense of purpose, low self esteem, and peer pressures all contributed.
From what we read about your story, prison was a turning point. Firstly your dad prompting you that you needed some focus, and then the job in the kitchen giving you routine. Did this mindset shift happen quickly or did it take a while?
It’s all quite a long story, but when the offence happened in June 2007, I was bailed and wasn’t actually in custody until January 2008. That time on bail I was confronted with some harsh realities, and that with the knowledge that I was facing a lengthy prison sentence, I started to change my mindset at that point. By the time I was actually in prison I was adamant that I would take on any opportunity that I could, and at that point all that mattered was giving myself some sort of a fighting chance once I was going to be released. So to answer the question, the initial shift happened quickly, but then it was a gradual growing and learning curve.
You’ve said the job in the prison kitchen didn’t necessarily interest you at the time, but it gave you focus. At what point did you think there would be a chance of getting a day-release job in a kitchen? And was there a member of staff that helped make it happen?
There were many members of staff that made it happen. Prison officers, Governors, kitchen staff, and outside influences. I knew fairly early on in my prison kitchen days that it was possible to get a kitchen job on day release, even though it was only a small chance, I hung on to that quite quickly when I realised it was something that could really benefit me.
When you started work in Jamie Oliver’s business, you noticed that there was much more to cooking than dicing onions and making lasagne. What was that realisation like?
Honestly, incredible. It dawned on me quite quickly that it wasn’t just an opportunity to get a job, but somewhere that I could actually grow, develop, and find that purpose that I had always lacked as a youngster.
It seems like that pre-Covid era was all about you learning your trade and getting all the experience you could. Was kitchen life as hectic and busy as we see in the movies and TV shows?
Ha. Yes. Kitchen life is extremely stressful and chaotic, but at the same time it gives you a sense of meaning, purpose, and belonging. All things I needed at that time. There are some great people working in kitchens, you often find your second family in these places!
You moved to St Albans with Jamie Oliver’s business. Presume you could have stayed there, but you started your own food truck. What motivated you to go out on your own?
I had a good career with progression at Jamie’s, but they had changed a lot as a business since I had started. I wanted to be creative and do my own thing. The food truck was the perfect base for that. I did my own thing, and it opened up many doors.
Your life seems very varied now – social media, writing books, appearing on TV, inspiring people in prison. Do you still cook at home to keep yourself grounded?
It is very varied, and I find myself in the most amazing situations, it really is a dream. Last week I was private cheffing in Kefalonia, at the weekend I was cooking on stage at a food festival, and next week I will be cooking inside a prison. I film recipes for my website/socials, and yes, I suppose that is me keeping myself grounded. I often have friends around and I really enjoy cooking simple but delicious dishes for them.
At Great Food Club, we think Hertfordshire is a really foodie county, what do you think makes it so special?
I think the people. Despite being a pretty populated area it feels like there’s a proper community. Where I live in St Albans, the food scene has really blown up. Recently my friend from Oxford visited with his 10 year old son, and his son had a list of a bunch of places he had seen on TikTok to visit. I felt quite proud to live here.
If you had once piece of advice for young people in Hertfordshire trying to get into the food industry, what would it be?
Get involved, and have fun with it. It’s such a broad industry with so much opportunity, so try new things, and don’t be disheartened if sometimes it doesn’t go your way.
Jon Watts has written three books. His debut was Watts Cooking which was first published in 2023 and tells the story of his journey. Since then, he’s written Speedy Midweek Meals all about quick meals for busy families. His follow up, Speedy Comfort, was published last year – and in his words “‘it does exactly what it says on the tin! Speedy, comforting and filled with what people and families want to eat every day.”
