Jamie Oliver recalls school struggles and dyslexia as he discusses neurodivergent family ahead of new children's cookbook

Jamie Oliver says he was pulled from lessons and sent to a special needs class during his school years, and he was mocked by friends for his undiagnosed dyslexia. The 50-year-old chef says the schooling left him feeling like a failure until he found his escape in cooking. Oliver has described how difficult school was for him before he discovered a passion for cooking, which gave him drive, confidence, and hope.

He credits cooking with helping him cope and notes that what school eroded away, he later found in the kitchen. Ahead of launching his Little Food Library, a new children's cookbook series aimed at kids aged two to four, the first four titles will launch worldwide on October 9, featuring step-by-step recipes that families can tackle together at home.

Oliver has spoken previously about his childhood in harsh terms, recalling labels like stupid and dunce that underscored his learning challenges and the impact on his self-worth. Those experiences, he has said, contributed to his later focus on food as a positive force in his life. In recent years, he has also opened up about his family life, including revelations that his wife Jools is neurodivergent and that some of their children have also been diagnosed.

On the Davina McCall podcast Begin Again, Oliver described Jools as the rock of the family, with incredible instinct, kindness, and humor. He said her neurodiversities make life both interesting and challenging at times, but he expressed gratitude for her partnership. The couple, who married in 2000, renewed their vows in 2023 during a Maldives ceremony attended by their children.

Oliver notes that discussing neurodiversity is important for parents and caregivers, explaining that awareness of their children's differences has helped them become better parents. He has said that talking about these issues at home, including how their children see and interpret the world, has shaped how the family communicates and supports one another. The five siblings in the Oliver household are Poppy, 23; Daisy, 22; Petal, 16; Buddy, 14; and River, eight, and Oliver jokes that four neurodiverse minds at the dinner table can make for lively meals, emphasizing the need for patience and understanding in family life.

The Little Food Library project marks Oliver’s continued push into children’s education through cooking, aligning with his broader mission to empower kids and parents to cook together. By combining accessible recipes with a philosophy of curiosity and resilience, the series aims to give young readers enduring tools to build confidence and healthy relationships with food. The collaboration reflects Oliver’s long-standing belief that cooking can be a gateway to learning, creativity, and self-worth, themes that resonate across his public work and personal life.