Jamie Oliver bounds into the room and starts tearing off his top.

"Mind if I change into something else?" asks the lanky food star, as he casually slips off one shirt for another. "I just need a change."

Mind? Before I have time to respond, the new top's on and he bounds across the room and envelops me in a big, warm hug. And it comes back all over again why Jamie Oliver is so genuine, with no pretences and no worries about having to impress anyone. Yet impress he does.

There is something so appealing, if not downright endearing about this award-winning chef, successful author and FoodNetwork TV personality, in town on a whirlwind visit to talk about his 18th -- and newest -- book, Cook with Jamie (Harper Collins), his latest television show, and to chat about his first passion -- food -- a subject over which he never runs out of steam.

It's not surprising he recalls past interviews -- this is my sixth with Oliver since 2001 -- and although his grin is as mischievous as ever, his hair, still a rumble of blond exclamation marks, one immediately senses a newfound maturity about him, coming through his light blue eyes and in his relaxed stance.

He's as cheeky as ever, using life's ever-popular swear words to emphasize his points of view. But whereas before the old Oliver was more guarded, today's Jamie is more candid about his life, both personally and professionally.

He admits every nuance of his married life was way too much in the news and wife Jools helped put a stop to this, making it clear "two days of the week are family time, regardless.

"We've two small girls and family is my priority," says Oliver.

There are other changes, too.

Whereas before he used to flinch whenever the old Naked Chef moniker came up, today he's more matter-of-fact and accepting of this phase in his life. "I look at how I've evolved from this Chewbacca-looking character to all the evolutions I've gone through to where I am today."

But it was The Naked Chef, a series of stories awkwardly hemmed together when he was still in his mid-teens, that defined him. "Ya know, the book was actually my binder of notes and recipes and things written on scraps of napkins and things. I just kept hammering away at getting someone to look at it."

And publishing it, which, along with being featured on a TV documentary about the River Cafe where he worked, started him on a whirlwind of a career that has garnered him dozens of accolades and awards, including an MBE (Member of the British Empire).

And he's only 32 years old.

Oliver says he has learned to "prioritize."

"I know that my life isn't an ordinary life, and I'm lucky enough to realize this. But I've also learned to make sense of what really is important to me, and I've changed my lifestyle to suit me."

Of the ups and downs of his career, Oliver's come to grips with his ambitious School Dinner series, in which his passion for bringing healthy eating to the English school system was like opening up the proverbial can of worms. And he learned a long time ago not to expect any accolades from the kids he's helped through his Fifteen cookery course and foundation, where young adults are recruited and trained in a culinary career.

But you can tell he's incredibly proud of them and, in a sense, his achievements.

"I can hold me head up high over what I've done these last dozen years."

It's when he talks about his Great Italian Escape series -- a series based on his travels around Italy and his love of Italian food -- does he truly light up.

Of particular poignancy was the kindergarten classroom scenes "where these children knew their vegetables, and how well they were fed."

But it was the week with the Benedictine monks of Farfa, north of Rome that astonished him the most -- especially when he discovered the good monks had long forgotten their culinary heritage "and were eating junk food and popping pills."

So in classic Oliver style, he rolled up his sleeves, rolled out the freshest ingredients and fed the elders good, wholesome foods "that had them smiling and dancing when I left."

To the music of The Cure, no less.

To what does Oliver attribute his success?

"My mentors and role models. Like my dad, Trevor, and my mum, Sally. Dad was 21 when I was born and he still runs the classic gastro pub.

"And of course, Gennaro Contaldo, my mentor who, to this day continues to teach me wonderful things about Italian cooking."

In fact, Oliver is a big supporter of mentoring and support systems, which may explain the passion for his work to this day.

Still, Oliver is the first to admit "my life is a mixture of plain luck and hard work. That's all."

The interview's almost over but we ask one more question: His thoughts on Canada.

"Canada is f---in' great! Look I'm not just saying this, but Canadians just get it. Canada ... is like Australia and Holland and it is truly one of my favourite countries."

Judging by the screaming fans the night before, when a two-hour book signing went on hours longer, when he had time for a smile and a word for the thousand-plus who showed up -- Jamie Oliver's one of our favourite adopted sons, too.