Catherine Whyte gets a masterclass in fruit and veg from Chris Bavin – Walton’s famous former grocer and current presenter of BBC’s Eat Well For Less
© Vicki couchman/ UNP 0845 600 7737
Chris Bavin is a jolly chap. He is also a talker. I’m beginning to see why he’s made the leap from selling fruit and veg to a career on TV.
Walton locals will know Chris from his six years at the helm of independent shop The Naked Grocer, which he ran with his wife and two sisters. However, the rest of you will probably recognise him as the guy who presents Eat Well For Less? with Gregg Wallace, which is about to return to our screens for the fourth series, as well as Food: Truth or Scare with Gloria Hunniford, both on the BBC.
For those unfamiliar with the programme, Eat Well For Less? is a fun, through-the-keyhole-style look at the shopping habits of UK families. Gregg and Chris eavesdrop on their willing victims as they navigate the aisles of their local supermarket then wreak havoc in their kitchen cupboards – all to help them improve their eating habits while (hopefully) saving a sizeable slither of cash at the same time.
We meet in the café at Sunbury’s Walled Garden not far from his home, where he lives with his wife and two young children (he was born locally, too). In his late thirties, he’s surprisingly tall, with a kind face and a booming authoritative voice, which soon earns us a few glances from fellow diners.
“For me, the show has the balance between being light- hearted and fun and having a serious message,” says Chris. “It’s also a privilege to be welcomed into people’s homes.”
When I ask him to spill the beans on their most common pitfall, Chris doesn’t miss a beat.
“Lack of planning. On a Sunday evening, you need to sit down as a family and determine what meals you need to eat for that week. Then write a list, then take that list into your kitchen and cross reference that with what you’ve got in your cupboards. Take that net list to the supermarket.”
I must be looking sheepish (I don’t do lists) because he quickly adds “None of us are perfect. That’s one of the lovely things about the show. It allows you to be a little bit judgmental. You can feel good that you are not making the same mistakes, but feel reassured that if you are doing something wrong that you are certainly not alone.”
© Vicki couchman/ UNP 0845 600 7737
It’s true. You can watch the show and be appalled and amused in equal measure. Does he have any horror stories that stand out? Though I fear he’s too nice to totally dish the dirt.
I’m right. “We had a lovely lady who swore by Yorkshire Tea and wouldn’t drink anything else,” he recounts. “So, we repackaged her Yorkshire Tea in a neutral box and gave it to her. She became convinced that we had swapped brands even to the point that she got a friend to smuggle in some Yorkshire Tea for her, which she then enjoyed. When we told her she’d been drinking her favourite brand all along, she was hysterical for 10 minutes.”
But is the programme relevant to readers of Elmbridge Lifestyle and Kingston Magazine, some of the wealthiest families in the country?
Once again, Chris is quick off the mark. “Irrelevant of how much money you’ve got, why would you pay more for something, if you can get something that’s the same – in some instances better – for less. Who would be opposed to that?”
He continues: “One of the episodes we are filming now features a well-off family from Surrey. They have no need to save money. The dad’s primary concern was health. They were snacking a lot and buying a lot of convenience foods and prepackaged stuff, which come absolutely jam- packed with sugar, salt and preservatives. But when he found out how much he was spending, money quickly became the primary issue to tackle.”
Speaking of Surrey, Chris has fond memories of The Naked Grocer. It was a hugely successful enterprise – which he opened after many years working in the wholesale food business – with the shop scooping National Independent Retailer of the Year and Elmbridge’s Outstanding Contribution to the Community Award. It was through running The Naked Grocer that he was discovered by a TV production company and his TV career began.
“Unfortunately, I had to stop because I was working 80 hours a week and something had to give. But I miss our customers,” he says. I can see that he genuinely means it.
However, I have a more pressing question: did he nick the business name from The Naked Chef himself, Jamie Oliver? Chris laughs. “No, it’s just sounded playful, fun and memorable. But there’s a serious side – as a business we are very open and honest with our customers, plus we use minimal packaging.”
© Vicki couchman/ UNP 0845 600 7737
The ethos and name lives on through the veg box scheme that Chris continues to run from a farm unit in Sunbury, delivering to the Elmbridge area. You’d think that all that would be enough for anyone but – remarkably – he’s managing to find the time to pen a book as well.
“The book champions fruit and veg, putting it at the forefront of the meal. I’ve taken a lot of classic recipes and twisted them accordingly,” he says. “Also, if you’re not lucky enough to have a knowledgeable grocer near you, the book’s going to tell you what’s in season both in the UK and abroad.”
This last sentence sparks a long – and revealing – conversation about seasonality, which turns into something of a masterclass. I’ve always prided myself in knowing what’s in season in the UK – but outside our borders? I realise I’m completely clueless. I have no idea when Spanish strawberries are at their best, or when to steer clear. He continues to enlighten me:
“When a fruit or vegetable is in season, it’s cheap to buy, but it’s also at its best. However, there’s so much of it that producers don’t make any money. There’s a real irony in our industry that when fruit is in season, it’s at its lowest value. Consumers should be using that knowledge to their advantage.
“There’s a saying in Israel amongst grapefruit growers,” he continues. “There’s a point when the fruit is bitter and almost inedible. They say “It’s sour in the mouth but sweet in the pocket. It’s really telling.”
Interesting stuff. I’ve discovered that he’s not just a pretty face off the telly: his years spent supplying fruit, veg and flowers to businesses across the UK have given him a deep understanding of the industry. I’ve also learnt a lot.
The conversation – inevitably – turns to Brexit. “There can only be one outcome,” he says emphatically. “The cost of food will continue to rise. It’s going to be more important than ever for us to make smart choices when we shop.”
Indeed. Now, to start writing that shopping list.
- Vegetable and fruit boxes available from: thenakedgrocer.com. The fourth series of Eat Well For Less? airs in June on BBC One
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