Jamie Oliver weighs in on the biggest Australian rivalry: Who does food better, Sydney or Melbourne?

Jamie Oliver has tackled one of the most divisive questions among Australians: who does food better, Sydney or Melbourne?

The British chef was asked the hotly controversial question on Friday morning in Jamie’s Italian restaurant on board the Ovation of the Seas; he is in Australia to celebrate his partnership with Royal Caribbean.

The 48-year-old restaurateur, once diplomat, told FEMAIL that although he will dine in both cities in the coming week, he was simply not prepared for the wrath he would face if he gave a definitive answer.

“I’m not going to get into that…” he laughed. “I make people give me grief!”

“I have to live with the Melbourne-Sydney rivalry (for the next few days) but it’s good to have a rivalry; one city thinks they can eat better than the other… it’s healthy, right?’

An enthusiastic Jamie grinned from ear to ear and said Aussies ‘take eating here seriously’, which is an ‘absolute pleasure’ to enjoy.

“Yesterday at both places I went you could see that they were career waiters, not just people who did it for fun or did it for a moment,” he said.

“You get a different experience when they’re really proud to do (their job) and that’s their thing. They do it so well and know the product so well.’

The 5 Ingredients author talked about Australian produce and food culture, saying the “great soil and weather” lead to incredible food experiences.

“I’m not going to get into that…” Jamie laughed when asked to pick a favorite. “I make people hurt me!”

‘Things like stone fruit are also really special here and the wine is great. You now also get great olive oil; You know, when I first came here, they planted a lot of these trees and now they’re in full production and doing great things,” he said.

“Of course you also have great vegetables and you’re a country that thrives on immigration, so you have all that talent and all that culture and all the nuances of all the different parts of the world that have made Australia, Australia. You are certainly spoiled for choice.”

The magnetic chef said one of his favorite places to visit while Down Under is Tetsuya’s – an iconic Japanese retreat in the heart of Sydney where chef Testsuya Wakuda was once at the helm. Now it’s the talented Josh Raine, formerly of Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons.

The magnetic chef said Tetsuya’s (left) is one of his favorite places to visit when Down Under. He also loves Margaret by Neil Perry (right)

In Melbourne he can’t go past Flower Drum, which he called ‘one of the most iconic restaurants’

Some of the most popular menu items include the South Australian Hiramasa kingfish, Hokkaido scallops with seaweed crumble and Bangalow sweet pork with sugarloaf cabbage and black garlic.

He told it too Good food that in Sydney he is a big fan of Neil Perry’s Margaret and Josh Niland’s hugely successful seafood restaurant, Saint Peter.

In Melbourne he can’t go past Flower Drum, which he labeled ‘one of the most iconic restaurants’, Andrew McDonnell’s Supernormal and Leonardo’s Pizza Palace. He described the latter as having an “old-school retro feel that I just loved.”

He added that Marseille, France is one of his favorite food cities to visit, thanks to its subdued coolness.

‘There is no pretension. Don’t be trendy or follow the crowd. Everyone has something: a quirk; a bit of strangeness; a bit chic. They are pushing the standards and I think that’s really great,” he said.

He also likes Leonardo’s Pizza Palace. He describes it as an “old-school retro feel that I just loved”

The 48-year-old restaurateur, once diplomat, told FEMAIL that although he will dine in both cities in the coming week, he was simply not prepared for the wrath he would face if he gave a definitive answer.

The beloved British foodie is in Australia to celebrate his partnership with the cruise line; his Jamie’s Italian started in 2014 with eight restaurants on eight ships, including Ovation of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas.

On Friday morning he delighted guests with a range of delicious dishes created by himself and his chefs, treating attendees to a fresh pasta cooking demonstration inspired by tasty, simple Italian food.

“It’s great to be back in Sydney and kickstart my promotional tour by celebrating (this) long-standing partnership,” he said.

‘We keep it simple and fresh and create a friendly atmosphere where families can enjoy some quality time together. For me, simple, beautifully cooked food has this magical way of bringing people together and creating special moments and lasting connections that go beyond the dinner table.

‘By working together we can serve top dishes in an inviting setting, making dining by the sea a real family affair.’