Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Banned in LA?
It’s hard to believe that anyone in Hollywood would pass up an opportunity to be in the spotlight, but that’s just what’s happening, thanks to chef Jamie Oliver, host of the Emmy winning TV show, Food Revolution.
Oliver’s program was hugely popular in its debut season as he merged reality TV with practical education and nutritional information in Huntington, WV, where he worked closely with students, teachers and parents on making healthy food decisions. From working with the school cafeteria staff to teaching families how to prepare healthy meals at home, Oliver’s goal is to get people eating more fresh food to improve their health and prevent diseases like obesity and diabetes, both on the rise in children.
Planning to host the show’s second season in Los Angeles, but as image-conscious as Angelinos are, Oliver has been denied access to work with any public school. But that hasn’t stopped the plucky Brit. He’s planning to work with families directly by opening “Jamie’s Kitchen” in Westwood where he’ll offer free cooking classes for families and begin approaching supermarkets and fast food restaurants for spring filming of his program.
More than 80 percent of Los Angeles public school students qualify for reduced or free lunches, most of which are provided through a central kitchen. Oliver will be speaking to the Los Angeles school board to see if there’s any change of heart, which an LA Unified spokesperson says is unlikely.
Speaking to the LA Times, Oliver said, “I can’t get my foot into a single school. Which is a bit of a shame really,” he went on to say, “It just doesn’t seem in the interest of the public really. It’s not a great start for me, to be honest.”
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Photo: Courtesy of Jaime Oliver
