Jamie Oliver, the well-known television chef, recently shared a throwback photograph of himself and his wife, Jools, from their first holiday together in Crete. The couple, both 51, posted the image on Sunday, with Oliver humorously remarking, "We haven't changed one bit."
The picture shows a younger Oliver with long, blond hair, wearing a baseball cap, alongside Jools, who also sported a matching cap. In the caption, Oliver wrote, "Throwback! Look at this photo of @joolsoliver and me on our very first holiday together all those years ago in Crete on Peninsula Spinalogkas... We haven't changed a bit, right?"
Mentioned in the notes, the couple met as teenagers when they were set up on a double date. At 17, Jools relocated to Tokyo for three months for work, during which Jamie sent her daily love letters. They married in 2000 and have five children: Poppy Honey Rose, 24; Daisy Boo Pamela, 23; Petal Blossom Rainbow, 17; Buddy Bear Maurice, 15; and River Rocket Blue Dallas, 9.
Oliver recounted their early days in an interview, describing how his friend Jimmy Doherty introduced them. He recalled a double date in Cambridge that ended with a car accident, humorously noting his own distress over the damaged vehicle, which he felt might have made a poor first impression on Jools.
Jools Oliver has previously shared evidence of Jamie's consistent communication during her time in Tokyo, posting a picture of the letters he sent, stating that he sent one every day for three months without fail.
Financially, the couple faced challenges in their early London years, with Jamie admitting they relied heavily on Jools' income from her job. He described himself as being extremely poor, with little money left at the end of the month.
When Jamie decided to propose, he sought permission from Jools' father. He was told they were too young. Sadly, Jools' father passed away before they could marry. Jamie later proposed to Jools on Christmas Eve over her father's grave, explaining it as an act of respect.
Jamie Oliver rose to widespread fame in 1999 with the premiere of his BBC Two show "The Naked Chef," followed by a series of successful cookbooks that established him as a prominent culinary figure.