英首相邀平民大廚掌勺G20 配“反危機食譜”

JAMIE OLIVER has been invited by Gordon Brown to cook a banquet at No 10 for President Barack Obama and other leaders of the G20, offering a cut-price menu to reflect recessionary times.

Downing Street sources say the celebrity chef will cook using “honest high-street products” and avoid expensive or “fancy” ingredients.

The prime minister is keen to avoid a repeat of the embarrassment last year when he sat down to an 18-course gastronomic extravaganza at a Japanese summit to discuss world food shortages.

Obama, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and other leaders will be served by apprentices from Fifteen, the London restaurant Oliver founded to help train underprivileged young people.

Brown wants the dinner next week to reflect the emphasis of the London summit, which he hopes will lead to an agreement to lift the world out of recession. “To be invited to cook for such an important group of people who are trying to solve some of the world’s major problems, well that really is a privilege,” said Oliver.

“I’m hoping the menu I’m working on will show British food and produce is some of the best in the world, but also show we have pioneered a high-quality apprentice scheme at Fifteen London that is giving young people a skill to be proud of.”

The chef has yet to finalise the menu, but is expected to draw inspiration from his latest book, Jamie’s Ministry of Food, which has budget recipes for beef and ale stew and “mega” chocolate fudge cake.

This week Brown leaves for a six-day world tour to build support for his proposed “global new deal”.

The journey culminates with a gathering of centre-left leaders at Vina del Mar, a Chilean beach resort.

（平民廚師）傑米•奧利弗應英國首相戈登•布朗的邀請，將擔任在唐寧街10號舉行的G20宴會的主廚。屆時他將爲美國總統巴拉克•奧巴馬和其他各國首腦配製經濟實惠的“反危機”食譜。

唐寧街的消息人士稱這位知名廚師將會用“實惠的高地街大衆食材”來烹製菜餚，而不會使用昂貴或“花哨”的材料。

布朗首相希望通過此舉避免去年在日本峯會上的尷尬重演。去年在日本舉行的八國峯會上，日本主辦方一邊與各國領袖討論世界糧食短缺問題，一邊卻提供包括18道精美菜餚的豪華大餐。

本次宴會的服務生將由來自奧利弗在倫敦開辦的“十五”（Fifteen）餐廳的學徒們擔任，屆時他們將負責招待奧巴馬、法國總統尼古拉斯•薩科齊、德國總理安格拉•默克爾以及其他國家領導人。奧利弗開辦“十五”餐廳的主要目的是爲了教授窮苦家庭出生的的年輕人掌握一項謀生技能。

布朗希望借下週的宴會來反映倫敦峯會的重點，他希望各國在這次峯會上能達成協議，共同應對世界經濟衰退。奧利弗說：“能夠應邀來爲這些試圖解決世界重大問題的各國要人們掌勺，我深感榮幸。”

“我希望我配製的菜單能夠展現英國堪稱世界一流的食物和產品，並能展示我們在倫敦“十五”餐廳率先開展的高質量的學徒項目，這一項目能讓年輕人掌握一項可引以爲傲的技能。”

這位大廚還沒有最終確定菜單，但他很可能會從他最新出版的書《傑米的食品部》中汲取靈感，該書介紹了牛肉、啤酒燉菜和“特級”巧克力軟糖蛋糕等食譜。

本週布朗將踏上爲期六天的世界之旅，爲他的“全球新政”提議尋求支持。

本次旅行將以中左政黨領導人在智利海邊度假勝地維納德馬的聚會而告終。

Vocabulary:

cut-price:廉價的