I’m better with my hands, and I always loved the slightly romantic idea of starting with bits of wood and being able to create something to sit on, to eat from, to store your clothes in.

Oliver contrasts abstract or purely intellectual work with tactile, craft-based making. The “romantic idea” of turning raw wood into functional objects frames manual skill as both practical and emotionally satisfying: it yields tangible results that directly support everyday life (sitting, eating, storing). In the context of a chef known for hands-on cooking, the remark also reads as a broader statement about creativity rooted in material processes—learning by doing, valuing workmanship, and finding meaning in transforming simple ingredients (or materials) into something useful and shared. It implicitly celebrates self-reliance and the dignity of craft.