Jay Rayner: Why Trying to Be Liked Is a Recipe for Failure

Jay Rayner has eaten some of the best meals in the world - and written some of Britain’s most memorable restaurant reviews. But the story behind the critic is even richer.

In this candid conversation, Jay joins James O’Brien to talk about the unlikely path from a famously unconventional childhood to becoming one of Britain’s most recognisable writers and broadcasters. There are school expulsions, tabloid diary columns, high-stakes investigations, celebrity encounters and the restaurant review that became an international news story.

Jay reflects on growing up with his mother, agony aunt Claire Rayner; discovering oysters at ten; and learning that food is a doorway into memory, class, politics and pleasure. He also reveals why he walked away from a fast-moving newspaper career, how he accidentally became The Observer’s restaurant critic, and why he still believes every great restaurant has a story to tell.

Along the way, Jay talks about his move to the Financial Times, his love of broadcasting and jazz, and why - after decades in journalism - he still cannot retire from the inside of his own head.

Find out more about Nights Out in the Kitchen by Jay Rayner here

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