Jamie Oliver "was Brad Pitt's 40th birthday present" from Jennifer Aniston.

The 49-year-old chef was hired by the former 'Friends' actress to cook for her then-husband's milestone birthday in 2003, but he admitted he almost missed out on the prestigious job because he "didn't believe" it was really the 'Morning Show' star calling to speak to him.

Speaking on Australian radio show 'Fitzy + Wippa with Kate Ritchie', he said: “I actually was Brad Pitt’s 40th birthday present from Jen.

“She phoned up, and we put the phone down on her three times because we didn’t believe it was her. We thought it was someone trying it on.

"So she had to go through her agent to my agent, but I didn’t really have an agent, so it took a bit of a while. But basically, we got flown. I just did it.”

Jennifer told Jamie she was a big fan of his TV shows and he agreed to cook their dinner for free.

He said: “She said, ‘Would you cook for Brad? He’s well into The Naked Chef and all that business, like he watches it on TV and all that.' I said, ‘Absolutely, and I’ll do it for love, because I love you guys.’

“I don’t purposefully cook for celebrities though, [I] only do it if I’m working in the restaurant and they’re in, or if I’m asked by someone I love or admire which was the case with Jen and Brad."

The culinary expert has stayed in touch with both Jennifer and Brad since the celebratory meal.

He said: "It was Brad’s 40th, so I’ve known him for 20 years now. They’re both beautiful people. I saw Jen a couple of weeks ago, and she’s everything you would want her to be, and more.”

Jamie's wife Jools Oliver previously spoke about the dinner and how awkward she felt next to Jennifer and her friend Courteney Cox.

Referring to the two actresses by the names of their 'Friends' characters, she told Red magazine: “Jamie was doing the dinner, so I had to sit and socialise with Brad and Rachel and Monica.

“I was so embarrassed, I didn’t know what to say. Brad had just done 'Troy' and was taking his top off to show me his abs.

"From that moment on I just kind of took a step back from it all, it was all too much.”