Observer Food Monthly Award: Best Food Blog
By Tom Lamont
Sunday 19 October 2014
The winner of OFM’s Blogger of the Year apologises, when we speak, for not blogging all that much in the weeks leading up to our chat. Jack Monroe’s online diary, about cooking for herself and her young son on a limited budget , got her a Guardian column and publishing deal, transforming this tough, funny 26-year-old from Essex into a post-austerity celebrity – feted by many on the left, derided on the right, signed up to appear on Question Time and endorse Sainsbury’s. Blogging changed her life, so much so that she now sometimes struggles to find time for it. “I’m not cooking any less,” she says, “I’m just not finding the extra half an hour at the end of the day to sit down and write.”
To briefly recap the story Monroe has told to MPs, and even a parliamentary committee collecting accounts of poverty in post-recession Britain: between winter 2011 and spring 2013, she left her job in Essex County Fire and Rescue Service. Out of work, short of cash and stressed, Monroe made inventive use of cheap supermarket goods, spending just £10 a week on food and writing up the recipes on her blog, which quickly found a large audience who related to her story. Fast forward to now and for the first time in a long time, Monroe feels financially and emotionally secure. Which brings its own problems. “I feel as though I’m expected to apologise for having improved circumstances,” she says. “People are very supportive when you’re the underdog. And as soon as you’re no longer the underdog, in people’s eyes, you’re no longer worthy of support.”
The Sainsbury’s ad last December brought “a level of vitriol that was overwhelming … It was well reported that my predecessor Jamie Oliver was on around half a million to a million a year from them. I can say quite frankly I earn not even a single figure percentage of that. People are quick to call you a sell out.” Monroe has been attacked by Edwina Currie (on television), Richard Littlejohn (in print), by countless trolls (online), the gist of the attacks, as she puts it, being: “Oh, there’s Jack banging on about her two weeks in poverty again (when it was actually closer to two years).” She’s often left wondering, “What should I apologise for? I didn’t used to have a job: that was crap. And now I have a job: life is better. I live in slight fear that people are going to expect me to loll around in a hair shirt for the rest of my life for the sake of ‘authenticity’. What’s wrong with a happy ending, for goodness sake?”
Her home life is more content. Monroe now lives with her girlfriend, the chef Allegra McEvedy, in London. Both have young children and together this family of four live in what sounds like a state of mildly chaotic, well-fed bliss. “There’s a lot worse things you could do with your life than move in with a chef with 20 years’ experience, who cooks absolutely bloody fantastic food. I think I’ve done quite well.”
McEvedy, who co-founded the successful Leon chain, has six food books to her name; Monroe will publish her second, A Year in 120 Recipes, this month. “People ask, ‘Is it competitive at home?’ It’s brilliant, actually, having someone who shares your biggest passion. And you only have to cook half the week.”
Original article published in Observer Food Monthly, October 2014.
People are very strange sometimes, I couldn’t feel prouder (I hope that doesn’t sound patronising, it’s not meant to) of you if I actually knew you:-) Do people expect you to live below the poverty line forever – for authenticity? Bloody well done! Everyone deserves to be happy, secure and well fed!
Fantastic news, Jack. Well deserved too, although I have really missed your input in recent months. It’s the ‘right’ sort of problem to have, I guess. Looking forward to the (pre-ordered) book!
Joy x
Just carry on as you are Jack! These trolls are senseless individuals who must be jealous of your inner strength not to sink in the face of adversity and grab each and every opportunity your skills have opened up. Love your blog and your book and don’t give these haters another thought!
Well I for one am delighted Jack that you found your Happy ever After…good luck to you and your new family x
Well done Jack.
I love happy endings and wish you and your family all the best.
Happy ending is great, but here’s to new beginnings and more positives from Jack &co 🙂
Being attacked vitriolically by the likes of Edwina Currie and Richard Littlejohn surely has to be the highest compliment one could ask for. A badge of honour to be reviled by these total wastes of space.
Congratylations Jack. So pleased you have won another award keep up the good work and keep the receipes coming, they are wicked!!!
Congratulations !!
Thank goodness you’re wise enough to ignore the jealous brigade. Wonderful you have pulled yourself out of the hole you and your son were in through shear determination. Brilliant.
More power to your elbow. I am happy that you are happy BUT your relationship is none of my business and should make not one jot of difference to your message. That people choose to attack you about both it, and your improved circumstances, (achieved by your own efforts) shows the moral repugnance and the lack of originality in their approach.
A well fed, well loved, powered up Jack! BOY are you now even more of a threat.
What a good piece of writing. You deserve every minute of your happy ever after 🙂
Remember to people who have real fears of starvation, homelessness, hopelessness, if not for themselves, but for loved ones, a story like yours not only gives hope, but gives some direction to make it one more day. There are a lot of truly inspiring “poor to good” life tails, but not so much from those that are giving others real tools to make life a little better, and are willing to put their mouth and time where the money is-educating the elected officials who forget what public service is supposed to be about. Keep on what you are doing and if you exceed Jaimie Olivers pay, I say Cheers!.” Best future and blessings to your family-love and caring is deserved by everyone, and anyone who attacks that, is missing something in their own lives. .
I won’t buy Jamie Oliver’s books or his products, but I will buy yours! Cooking for rich people or cooking for real people. BIG difference! I prefer to cook and eat with REAL people like you! Don’t let the bell ends grind you down!
I’m overjoyed that you’ve found your happy ending Jack, it’s not like you didn’t deserve it. You worked hard and used your initiative and pulled yourself through. You are an inspiration.
Just made your kidney bean burgers and Kerala style Aubergine Curry, to all the people that make negative comments from afar, the old adage the proof is in the pudding. Im stuffed and smiling, so Edwina is remembered for salmonella and having a fling with someone major in politics.
The heart of family life is the kitchen, may its warmth radiate throughout yours until golden brown, hah ha.