Oliver says his fast-food book was big challenge

The chef is aiming to repeat the literary success of his 30 Minute Meals book which in 2010 became the UK’s biggest-selling non-fiction title ever.

He is soon to release a collection of recipes which take only half that time, but said the effort involved in perfecting the fast food meant he would not be doing it again.

He said: “I’m glad it’s all done – I won’t ever do ‘time’ again but it was pretty much a response to the public, not just in Britain.

“It’s so much more than what it sounds like. From my point of view, it was a really, really big challenge.

“It’s almost like a science experiment, but ultimately, all the public will see is nice food, written in the most simple way possible.”

Oliver, whose half-hour meal book sold in excess of 1.5 million copies, said his new recipes contained “wonderful variety”, with meals averaging around 550 calories each.

He added: “For me personally, it’s probably the most evolved and worked book.

“It’s like a mindset and a philosophy: it’s basically a bunch of systems, shortcuts, tips and hints through food that allow you to do some sumptuous stuff very quickly and reliably.”

The book is expected to be published by Penguin in September with a tie-in series on Channel 4.