Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has partnered with Avilton Foods to expand his current roster of products with the launch his own line of cheeses. Oliver’snew cheese line includes Parmigiano Reggiano wedges and shavings, Fior di Latte Mozzarella, Gorgonzola and Mascarpone Layered Cheese, Barrel Aged Feta Cheese and tubs of Mascarpone and Ricotta.
Jamie Oliver’s cheese is being showcased for the first time at the International Food & Drink Event in London this week. And as you can see in the picture to the left, Jamie Oliver has humbly plastered his face all over the packaging, making his new brand of cheese even cheesier.
That is, if the rumors are true. The shadiness that is Gordon Ramsay rears its ugly face again. But then Jamie Oliver gets caught alongside him? The two celebrity chefs, who were recently featured in the British documentary, “Big Fish Fight”, were accused of serving European eel in their restaurants, by The Sunday Times, a popular British newspaper.
The European eel is a critically endangered species that has seen a population decline of up to 98% since the 1970’s, much of which has been attributed to over fishing. And while reports are clear that Jamie Oliver’s London restaurant was specifically offering European eel on their menu, reports state that two of Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants listed eel on their menus, but did not specify the exact type of eel that was being sold. It could have been fresh water eel for all we know.
Both Ramsay and Oliver have been aggressive advocates on behalf the endangered fish and shark movement for the past month and a half and are now being labeled as hypocrites.
I’ve searched for copies of the menus, the actual news article by The Sunday Times, and any other information that would add legitimacy to this story, only to come up empty handed. Not that I think Ramsay or Oliver incapable of serving up a critically endangered species, but we all know that Jamie Oliver is currently in Los Angeles filming his current season of “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution”. And, to my knowledge, the Hell’s Kitchen celebrity chef has been making the rounds here in the states, spending quite a bit of time in California and New York. If the European eel was being sold at either of their restaurants, they probably weren’t aware of it.
Hugh’s Fish Fight has now accumulated 422,000 signatures because of the support that Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver have provided. If these chefs are actually careless enough to knowingly sell an endangered species in their restaurants after so publicly advocating the protection of endangered sea life, then they deserve to be crucified and destroyed. But neither of them seems that stupid.
So why am I writing about this? I have no idea. When I initially read the news posts, I was shocked. But now I just wish the media would get their facts straight – or at least provide “real” proof – before stirring up trouble.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver recently relocated to Los Angeles, CA in hopes of introducing his Food Revolution to the schools in LA County. But the LA school district isn’t interested in being featured on Jamie’s reality show. And frankly, I don’t blame them.
For starters, why would Jamie start with Los Angeles, unless he was out for publicity? While Los Angeles isn’t the healthiest city in the US (it was ranked at #38 out of the 50 top metro areas in the US, according to the American Fitness Index), it’s definitely not the unhealthiest. It is, however, the center of the entertainment industry and the best place to gain mass media exposure. What better location for a rising celebrity chef to host his reality TV show?
But let’s look at this from a parent’s perspective. How eager do you think the average parent would be to have their child’s education interrupted by a film crew on a daily or weekly basis? Personally, I wouldn’t stand for it. My guess is that most parents wouldn’t feel at all comfortable with their child appearing on national television either. With all the crazies out there and the numerous child abductions seen daily in the news, broadcasting one’s child across the whole of America just doesn’t seem sensible.
And then there’s the School District’s perspective. Jamie Oliver wants the LA school district to agree to be portrayed as incapable of providing healthy lunches to their students. And maybe after Jamie is done filming his show, the film editors can make a few modifications to make it appear as if the schools are serving their students rat burgers instead of beef. We all know that reality TV storylines don’t play out exactly as they really happen. Scenes are left out; statements are taken out of context…
Los Angeles is the last city in the U.S. hurting for publicity and Jamie’s Food Revolution probably seems like a perfect disaster in the eyes of LA County. Can you blame them?
Maybe Jamie should target a more relevant and welcoming city, like Detroit or Las Vegas.
Congratulations to Rachael Ray for winning the People’s Choice Award's Favorite TV Chef!
The runners up? Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver, Paula Deen and… the amazing Bobby Flay! It’s pretty impressive work to take the prize from VERY stiff competition.
Celebrity Chef, Jamie Oliver, was elated to learn that his new cookbook, “Jamie's 30-Minute Meals” topped the best-sellers list this December – with more than 1.2 million copies sold. But how disappointed were the recipients of this book to find that his 30-minute meal recipes actually took double, sometimes triple the time to make?
In a bad economy, $30 is a good chunk of change to spend on a book. More so, when the buyer finds that the book doesn’t deliver what it promises. Several experienced and inexperienced cooks have come forward in annoyance (some in anger) after attempting to cook Jamie Oliver’s dishes in 30 minutes or less. Instead the cooks found the allotted time was drastically understated, taking up to 90 minutes and requiring expensive equipment not ordinarily found in the average consumer’s kitchen.
To top the negative press was Jamie’s tweet, boasting book sales:
“Wanted to say thanks for supporting 30 min meals book. We have just broken the million book sales!! Couldn't have done it without you guys!” 12:27 PM Dec 21st via Twitter for iPhone
Looks like Jamie will be eating foot for his New Year’s dinner.
It might have been wise to have a few friends test out his recipes before going to press. But then again, maybe Jamie can break another record: Most copies of a non-fiction book returned to book stores in a single month.
Jamie, maybe you should have Rachel Ray consult on your next book: “Jamie Oliver’s 30-Minute Meals – No Really”.
Do any of you struggle with a certain addiction? Just the thought of it makes your mouth water? Yes, we’re talking about… “The Food Network”.
This season’s finale of South Park, “Crème Fraiche,” was a ridiculous and sexual-innuendo-filled take on the dynamics of a family trying to cope with a father’s lust for gourmet food. His obsession with the Food Network causes problems in the home and his passion for cooking turns into a longing to be a celebrity chef. Cartman does a very entertaining impersonation of Gordon Ramsay. And Bobby Flay, Jamie Oliver, Mario Batali, Paula Dean, and Giada De Laurentiis make appearances in the “Hell’s Kitchen Nightmares Iron Top Chef Cafeteria Throw Down Ultimate Cook-off Challenge.”
Food Network is taking over mainstream media and making a big impact on how we cook and eat. That’s why we foodies can really relate to this episode. The celebrity chef appearances are a blast, but just a warning: the episode is overflowing with blatant sexual references. If you’re not a prude and you do love food check out the latest episode of South Park.
In a recent interview with the Guardian, our sympathy falls to the interviewer, Decca Aitkenhead, whose approach to Jamie Oliver’s incessant whining seems almost saintly. He insists that no one understands him and seems to have diarrhea of the mouth, when he states “God, why do I give interviews to the Guardian? They always try to dissect you..." I’m surprised that Decca remained sympathetic to him and his cause.
And when it comes to his Food Revolution, I actually do think we’re getting it. Yes, there are Americans that love their fast food and are going to fight for their right to raise fat children. We label these people as “Stupid Americans”. You have to be a complete idiot to not realize that meals made up of chips & candy is the primary cause of America’s health problems.
Jamie, this isn’t news to most of us – major campaigns opposing the junk food epidemic have been ringing out loud and clear for decades. We do understand your mission and would love to see a change in the average child’s lunch box. No one wants government control over what schools feed their students, but the people who feed our children need to have brain cells when selecting meals. Instead of campaigning for healthier food, why not campaign for smarter school employees and school lunch vendors?
Then there’s the cost factor. It’s a known fact that there’s a higher price tag associated with fresh and healthy food. And with the unemployment rate being what it is, it’s no surprise that Middle America is taking a more economical approach to feeding their children. I’d get into the taste-factor, but why point out the obvious (kids will always appreciate a Happy Meal to over-cooked/under-seasoned food).
That said, based on the rising popularity of farmers markets, we are actually seeing some traction in the daily diets of the average American. And look at the celebrities that are endorsing your Food Revolution: Heidi Klum, Paul McCartney, Kim Kardashian, Ellen Degeneres, & even Justin Bieber, who is still just a kid himself. Yes, there are some people who will resist change, but that isn’t reason enough to think that everyone is against you. People are trying to change and all your effort is appreciated by those with brain cells. Maybe you’re just spread too thin to take notice. Take a breath, play with your kids, and while you’re doing that, we’ll eat some vegetables in your honor.
