Jony Ive talks about his lunches with Apple’s Steve Jobs
Chalk this up to one of those guilty pleasure stories you know you don’t need to know but can’t help but want to know, but according to former Apple designer, Jony Ive, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was never happier than when he ate a good tomato.
Ive was speaking on the Ruthie’s Table 4 podcast, from The River Café, where he told a story about eating with his close friend, Jobs.
Happiness is a good tomato
“He was a vegetarian, maybe pescatarian, he loved Sashimi, and he had an extraordinary pallet, and we would love going for sashimi together,” said Ive. “But we could both eat a tomato with great olive oil and just admire and he could never be happier than that.”
The podcast isn’t really about Apple, or Steve Jobs, but does deliver a good insight into Ive and what makes him tick. His love for curry, tomatoes, and pizza ovens, and his focus on process as a miraculous force in the kitchen or the workshop, or even (presumably) factory.
Ive’s comfort food is now and was as a child nothing more than a humble pea – though he’s also partial to a chocolate digestive.
I confess I fell into the rabbit hole a little, so you should give it a listen.
Ticking time
Ive’s friend, Mark Newsom, also spoke on the podcasts, telling us that while most designers wish they could see the future and build products for it. “That’s where he’s really, really, really clever. And you know, the Apple Watch was a great case in point. There are lots of products that he’s been involved in designing that I think really clearly demonstrate that,” said Newsom.
Eating tomatoes with Steve
Finally, Ive spoke about his time with Jobs and how he got to see Silicon Valley through Jobs’ eyes. He also spoke about Jobs and food.
“We had lunch together nearly every day. So, we would, Monday to Friday, we would either have lunch in the canteen at Apple or we would go out together. And he was sort of a vegetarian, maybe pescatarian. I mean, he did love sashimi. And he had, I think, an extraordinary palate. I mean, we would love going for sashimi together. But he, I think we could both eat a tomato and just a, you know, a tomato with great olive oil and be, could never be happier than that.”
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