Jamie Oliver’s latest foodie travel series takes him on a delicious tour from the Greek islands to North Africa

 

There’s no better way to dig into a destination than breaking bread with the locals. And here to guide us to some new foodie hotspots is Jamie Oliver, back from something of a career sabbatical with his new Channel 4 show, Jamie Cooks the Mediterranean. We all know about the once-Naked Chef’s love of Italy and the produce-led simplicity of its food. So it’s refreshing to see him graze his way through Greek mezze, northern Spain’s seafood, France’s Provençal dishes, and even Tunisia’s street food. (Expect plenty of lemon squeezes and theatrically drizzled olive oil.) Here’s where to follow in Jamie’s Med-fed footsteps.

 

 

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GREECE: Fresh seafood, interesting influences

 

 

In the opening episode, Jamie visits the coastal city of Thessaloniki, Greece’s first Unesco City of Gastronomy. Here, visitors should wander the streets behind the port to find delightful family-run fish restaurants. One highlight for seafood fans is O Petros, a casual taverna where host Petros will take you to choose fish from the fishmonger’s icy trays, then prepare it any way you like – grilled, fried, carpaccio, you name it. A city of strong Turkish and Balkan influences, Thessaloniki has specialities such as keftedakia meatballs and bekri meze (stewed pork).

 

On Skopelos, a sleepy island three and a half hours by ferry onward from Thessaloniki, Jamie joins two top chefs as they roast great hunks of goat and monkfish, dangling from iron hooks over smouldering olive-wood logs. The place to eat here is along the waterfront in pretty Skopelos town, a white-washed grid of pretty alleys – try the grapevine-shaded Perivoli Restaurant – and in beautiful coves such as Agnontas, where beachfront eatery Korali does huge seafood pastas with a tranquil bay view.

 

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FRANCE: Hearty stews and light rosés

 

 

The sun-baked southern region of Provence, famous for its hearty fare and idyllic country villages, is the focus for Jamie’s France episode. Fly into the coastal city of Marseille for some of its boldest and most unique bites: this is the home of the world-famous fish stew bouillabaisse (best sampled at Le Rhul, whose chefs have been perfecting the dish since 1948). Less famous over here, but equally delicious, are anchoïade, a tapenade-like dip made with anchovies, garlic and white wine, and pistou, a pesto-type sauce that sings with Mediterranean herbs.

 

Extend your Provence trip beyond the city for a real taste of Provençal cuisine: key stops might include the time-warp food markets in villages such as L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence; a picnic in a rural vineyard; or a cooking class in the gorgeously preserved medieval town of Avignon. And don’t miss a tour of one of its wineries: head to Le Domaine de Marie or Chêne Bleu to try the local rosés and stay overnight.

 

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SPAIN: Sun-ripened savouries and surrealism

 

While many are familiar with Spain’s southern beaches, not enough tourists venture up to Spain’s far north. Cadaqués, right at its north-eastern tip, is singled out by Jamie in his show for its seafood-packed rice dishes and Catalonian delicacies. In between pottering around Cadaqués’ red-roofed old town with its art galleries and Salvador Dalí museum, be sure to tuck into restaurant Es Baluard’s famous lobster rice, fresh shellfish such as prawns and razor clams, and the local vermut (vermouth aperitif).

 

If you’re following Jamie to Spain’s number one tourist hotspot, Barcelona, expect to share its lauded restaurant scene with several thousand others. Skip La Boqueria market – permanently packed – and seek out low-key tapas bars outside the touristy Gothic Quarter, such as Can Codina in Gràcia, and El 58 in Poblenou. Must-eats here are croquetas, grilled calçots (like spring onions), potato-filled bombas balls and escalivada (roasted vegetables in olive oil). Lunch alongside one of Barcelona’s beaches is also a thrill: try stylish Barceloneta restaurant Agua for beach-clubby takes on gazpacho, black squid-ink rice and garlic prawns.

 

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TUNISIA: Spices and culture shock

 

 

North Africa may not come to mind when you think of the Med, but Tunisia sits on the other side of this vast sea, flying the flag for its spiced, slow-stewed delights. This is couscous central, with Jamie getting a masterclass in these tiny grains of durum wheat semolina, served alongside many Tunisian meat or fish dishes. Try it in the capital, Tunis, at traditional restaurants like El Mida, or L’Arbre à Couscous, where you can sample several styles in one sitting. Tunis’s Marché Centrale food market is not to be missed.

 

Leaving the capital, foodie memories to be made here include a stop in a Bedouin village around Mahdia, for home-made flatbreads, olives and olive oil. Or a spell in seaside Sousse, where hosts at the women-run Dar Omi guesthouse can take you to a market ahead of a cooking masterclass. Wherever you go, indulging in a brik (stuffed pastry) as well as chorba lentil soup and the shakshuka-like ojja, which is made with spicy merguez sausage – should be on your checklist.

 

By LUCY THACKRAY

 

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