English Star Chef, Jamie Oliver has picked his battle and is sticking to it! The battle: obesity, the country: the US, and his mission statement, goes something like this:
"I believe that every child in America has the right to fresh, nutritious school meals, and that every family deserves real, honest, wholesome food. Too many people are being affected by what they eat. It's time for a national revolution. America needs to stand up for better food!"
Oliver, who has recently won the distinguished TED prize just last February, has gained funding and significant support for his incredibly ambitious, and therefore immensely challenging project: to stop Americans from eating themselves straight into an unhealthy and shorter lifespan. The Brit is remarkably dedicated to providing an education for those in desperate need to learn how to cook simple foods, and more importantly how to eat well by getting rid of the trash.
Fist stop for Jamie-- Hutington, West Virginia, a population of 50,000--and "the most obese city, in the most obese state, in the most obese country in the world." Half of its adult population in this town are in morbidly overweight form. There is a scene in the first episode featured below where the Pasture of the town church, shows Oliver just how many of his local church goers from a photo album have been dropping off the face of West Virginia all due to obesity related deaths.
Another great scene in the first episode, is during a confessional moment given by celebrity chef, after an ugly confrontational attack thrown by the infamous cafeteria serving staff, who make our little English helper actually break down and cry--out of frustration. (Shame on you Alice!) Poor Oliver--getting hit with some hardcore American resistance--stemming from a country where the verdict for celebrating organic food remains an alien concept.
Asked whether or not he expected a what at first seemed to be an insurmountable opposition from those who stand guard in feeding our children highly processed junk, the British Chef answers,
Fist stop for Jamie-- Hutington, West Virginia, a population of 50,000--and "the most obese city, in the most obese state, in the most obese country in the world." Half of its adult population in this town are in morbidly overweight form. There is a scene in the first episode featured below where the Pasture of the town church, shows Oliver just how many of his local church goers from a photo album have been dropping off the face of West Virginia all due to obesity related deaths.
Another great scene in the first episode, is during a confessional moment given by celebrity chef, after an ugly confrontational attack thrown by the infamous cafeteria serving staff, who make our little English helper actually break down and cry--out of frustration. (Shame on you Alice!) Poor Oliver--getting hit with some hardcore American resistance--stemming from a country where the verdict for celebrating organic food remains an alien concept.
Asked whether or not he expected a what at first seemed to be an insurmountable opposition from those who stand guard in feeding our children highly processed junk, the British Chef answers,
Honestly, yes. I've never done anything worthwhile involving change that hasn't gotten resistance. Change is the hardest thing in the world and resistance is normal. It's never particularly much fun, but you have to just keep going and push through it and try. It did take about a month and a half before I broke the back of it. The thing that really helped was working with individual families – them spreading the word that I was there for good reasons and I actually was changing their lives and allowing them to live differently.
What these healthy food opposers fail to see is how Jamie is actually giving up spending quality time with his own family (the man has two young kids, and who actually missed his own daughter's second birthday just the other day) to help strangers in dire need of helping themselves wake up from their obese nightmare. The ultimate goal here is to stop these complacent eaters in passing on their own bad and at worse--deadly habits to the next generation who's currently looking at a shorter life span.
Dear America, in case you didn't want to notice--we are in fact in the midst of a health crisis. So major kudos to you Jamie Oliver for helping those who will die earlier without your help, whether they recognize or appreciate it or not. Keep it going--as there are many of us, here in the US who DO understand and most certainly appreciate your unrelenting commitment to this cause--it is to be admired not rebuked.
In the meantime, a word from Mr. Oliver:
The American Food Revolution needs to start now! If you care about your country and the health of its children please help us make a difference. We need your support to get people back in touch with food and keep cooking skills alive before it's too late. We want to make sure every kid gets good, fresh food at school. It's proven that real food promotes more effective learning. If you want better health for your kids the junk food must go. I need to be able to show The President and industry how many of you out there really care about this issue so please don't wait, sign up today. It will only take 30 seconds.
America's health needs you!
Thank you. Please forward this to your friends, family, classmates, teachers, colleagues and anyone else who you think cares as time is short.
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution starts tonight on ABC. Check out the show's full season schedule below!
