Chef » BRITISH

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution sparks change in America

The Glutton — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:59:59 +0000

All over America, the TV show Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution has sparked hundreds of ideas and events based on the same principles as his show.

***Danville’s Children’s Choice is taking a page out of Jamie Oliver’s “Food Revolution,” with a series of classes on cooking whole, healthy foods, from homemade pasta to handrolled sushi. The classes run through Aug. 7 in the Children’s Choice kitchens at 569 San Ramon Valley Blvd., Danville. For details, visit www.choicelunch.com.

In April,the School Board increased the prices of lunch and breakfast for the first time since 1999 to provide more fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains and less processed food.

Once the next school year starts, the chefs plan to return to the schools to chat with students and see how well their recipes are received.

Dashama’s Mission: To educate and inspire the viewers about global unity, encourage them to get involved in eco-tourism to lend a hand or send donations to each village or region that we visit, as well as involving them directly through a 10 minute yoga session (yoga, meditation and centering exercises that they can do to connect within.) Dashama will be offering real and effective techniques to help the viewers and families selected to transform their lives, over come addictions, and awaken to their best lives right now.

Celebrity guest appearances will add spice and appeal to all audiences. Those who already practice this lifestyle may include: Russel Simmons, Alicia Silverstone, Christy Turlington, Woody Harrleson, Leonardo Di Caprio, Jennifer Aniston, and Gwenyth Paltro.

*** In SF’s South Bay, tweens and teens can learn the kitchen ropes at the Professional Culinary Institute of California this summer. A bakeshop camp for tweens and teens, for example, includes not just cupcakes, but also homemade marshmallows, eclairs and cream puffs. And a kitchen basics class explores the delicious world of fried chicken, jerk chicken, pho and spaetzle. 700 W. Hamilton Ave., Campbell; www.professionalculinaryinstitute.com.

***Chow Bella’s weeklong summer camps in Lafayette include a Mediterranean food fest that includes baklava, hummus and thin-crust pizza; a forkless wonders week with kebabs, mini turkey meatballs, chocolate bonbons and other kid-friendly finger foods; and an all-day buffet that includes DIY omelets, crepes and dessert classes. Founders Grove, 584 Glenside Drive, Lafayette; http://www.chowbella.net.

(box) And San Jose’s Cucina Bambini offers camps for kids on such themes as “Around the World in 5 Days,” and an appetizer class for teens that includes dips, rolls, avocado egg rolls and tuna tartare on crispy wontons. 1041 Lincoln Ave., San Jose; http://cucinabambini.com.

Dashama is an internationally known yoga teacher and author who has been teaching this holistic lifestyle for years, incorporating yoga, meditation, diet, and sustainable living, globally through the internet, books, and instructional DVDs. This show will expand her currently popular internet reality TV series.

To show your support of this wonderful holistic lifestyle TV Show, please do the following:

* Click on this link: http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html?request=video_details&respons…

* Click the play arrow to watch the video

* Click the vote button and vote

* Post a comment

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution sparks American revolution
All over America Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution has sparked hundreds of ideas and events based on the same principles as his show.

***The school district in Crown Point Indiana will institute a variety of healthy eating programs beginning next school year as part of a recent push, inspired by first lady Michelle Obama and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s “Food Revolution” TV show, to make school food as healthy as possible.
In April,the School Board increased the prices of lunch and breakfast for the first time since 1999 to provide more fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains and less processed food.
Once the next school year starts, the chefs plan to return to the schools to chat with students and see how well their recipes are received.

***Brook Burke’s travel show meets Oprah’s talk show meets Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Reality Show, with a ‘Unite the World’ global peace, yoga, lifestyle, humanitarian, and environmental sustainability theme.
Dashama’s Mission: To educate and inspire the viewers about global unity, encourage them to get involved in eco-tourism to lend a hand or send donations to each village or region that we visit, as well as involving them directly through a 10 minute yoga session (yoga, meditation and centering exercises that they can do to connect within.) Dashama will be offering real and effective techniques to help the viewers and families selected to transform their lives, over come addictions, and awaken to their best lives right now.
Celebrity guest appearances will add spice and appeal to all audiences. Those who already practice this lifestyle may include: Russel Simmons, Alicia Silverstone, Christy Turlington, Woody Harrleson, Leonardo Di Caprio, Jennifer Aniston, and Gwenyth Paltro.

***Belmont’s Kids Culinary Adventures hosts weeklong summer sessions for all ages, including an Ace of Cakes camp for teens, a Green Eggs and Ham camp for young grade schoolers, and a barbecue extravaganza for tweens. 951 Old County Road, Belmont; http://www.kidsculinaryadventures.com.
(box) And San Jose’s Cucina Bambini offers camps for kids on such themes as “Around the World in 5 Days,” and an appetizer class for teens that includes dips, rolls, avocado egg rolls and tuna tartare on crispy wontons. 1041 Lincoln Ave., San Jose; http://cucinabambini.com.
Dashama is an internationally known yoga teacher and author who has been teaching this holistic lifestyle for years, incorporating yoga, meditation, diet, and sustainable living, globally through the internet, books, and instructional DVDs. This show will expand her currently popular internet reality TV series.
To show your support of this wonderful holistic lifestyle TV Show, please do the following:

Click on this link: http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html?request=video_details&respons…
Click the play arrow to watch the video
Click the vote button and vote
Post a comment

Gordon Ramsay’s mum heart attack hell

marrianestrat — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:32:21 +0000

Hell’s Kitchen chef Gordon Ramsay has cancelled all engagements to be at his mother’s bedside after her recent heart attack.

Despite his turbulent upbringing, a heroin addict brother and an abusive father, The F Word star Ramsay, 43, remains close to his social worker mum Helen Cosgrove. ‘My mother is my bedrock, my foundation in life and, along with my wife Tana and my daughters, equally the most important woman in my life,’ says the dad-of-four. T get my determination from her,’ he adds. ‘My mother has never once taken advantage of my success – I’d like to do more for her, but she won’t let me.’ While the chef has a fiery reputation, his mum reckons that behind the scenes he is just ‘a gentle giant’. ‘He’ll always finish a call by saying: “I love you,” and I say it back,’ she added in a recent interview.

Jamie says fight for your allotment

bigtipper — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 15:41:00 +0000

Jamie Oliver has urged gardeners to be more ‘aggressive’ with local councils that fail to provide new allotments.

The celebrity chef is partly responsible for the recent craze for grow-your-own as people follow his advice to eat more healthily.

But few of his fans have enough land to grow fruit and vegetables. The latest figures show almost 200,000 keen gardeners are on waiting lists for allotments, with some set to wait 40 years.

Jamie, 33, said keen gardeners should be lobbying their local authorities using little known legislation.

He pointed out that the Small Holdings and Allotments Act forces councils to provide allotments if more than six people make a request.

The television presenter and author said people need to “get noisy” and force councils to convert unused land like disused car parks or building sites into new plots.

“Nothing seems to happen in this country any more unless you’re a bit renegade about it,” he said.

“If gardeners want more plots they should all get together. It was the same with my campaign for school dinners.

“People thought their voice couldn’t make a difference. But the minute people got together, things started to happen.”

Mr Oliver said councils that drag their feet could be breaking the law.

“There is an old law which states that if there is civic land that’s not being used, and all allotments are full, then they must hand it over,” he said.

“Councils have a lot to deal with. So gardeners need to shout loud and clear. People need to be more aggressive about it.

“They should go on to the Land Registry, identify council land that’s doing nothing, then go to the council with a clear vision of what they want.”

But Mr Oliver said that a television campaign for more allotments, similar to his Jamie’s School Dinners initiative, was unlikely due to his workload.

Donna McDaid, of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, said some councils are using a loophole in the law instead of providing land.

“Some councils are dragging their feet – they seem to think that grow-your-own is just a bit of a fad,” she said.

Jamie Oliver has urged gardeners to be more ‘aggressive’ with local councils that fail to provide new allotments. The celebrity chef is partly responsible for the recent craze for grow-your-own as people follow his advice to eat more healthily.But few of his fans have enough land to grow fruit and vegetables. The latest figures show almost 200,000 keen gardeners are on waiting lists for allotments, with some set to wait 40 years.
Jamie, 33, said keen gardeners should be lobbying their local authorities using little known legislation.He pointed out that the Small Holdings and Allotments Act forces councils to provide allotments if more than six people make a request.The television presenter and author said people need to “get noisy” and force councils to convert unused land like disused car parks or building sites into new plots.”Nothing seems to happen in this country any more unless you’re a bit renegade about it,” he said.”If gardeners want more plots they should all get together. It was the same with my campaign for school dinners.”People thought their voice couldn’t make a difference. But the minute people got together, things started to happen.”Mr Oliver said councils that drag their feet could be breaking the law.”There is an old law which states that if there is civic land that’s not being used, and all allotments are full, then they must hand it over,” he said.”Councils have a lot to deal with. So gardeners need to shout loud and clear. People need to be more aggressive about it.”They should go on to the Land Registry, identify council land that’s doing nothing, then go to the council with a clear vision of what they want.”But Mr Oliver said that a television campaign for more allotments, similar to his Jamie’s School Dinners initiative, was unlikely due to his workload.Donna McDaid, of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, said some councils are using a loophole in the law instead of providing land.”Some councils are dragging their feet – they seem to think that grow-your-own is just a bit of a fad,” she said.

Heston speaks – the kid in the sweet shop

Nick Rosen — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 10:05:30 +0000

FROM A RECENT TALK BY HESTON BLUMENTHAL:

“I’ve had developed a short animated film— a dream-like journey through intricately choreographed kaleidoscopic images of lime glaciers and swirling turtles and dissolving fob watches and playing cards dancing a Busby-Berkeley style routine that leads the viewer to the door of the most magical and enticing-looking sweetshop you can imagine, with tall arched windows flanked by pillars with candy-cane stripes and a door knocker in the shape of a duck’s beak.

As the door opens you can hear, but not see, a shopkeeper offering sweets that you might have wished for as a kid but never believed possible: apple pie caramels with edible wrappers, aerated chocolate that somehow has the savour of Jaffa cakes … This is designed in part as a reward for broaching the regrettable, but inevitable, difficulties of booking a table at the Fat Duck. (It’s a small restaurant that can serve only 40 people a time.) Once diners have made their reservation they’ll get the password to access a website showing this film, which will generate excitement and whet the appetite for the meal to come. Many of the details in the film — the turtles, the cards and the watch, among others — are covert references to dishes on the menu, so when the diner actually comes to the restaurant there’ll be the pleasure of recognition, of spotting these visual cues and allusions. A playful extra dimension to the whole experience.

I’ve also worked with a perfumer to develop a “Smell of the Sweetshop” scent: a heady blend of, among other things, caramel, liquorice, vanilla and citrus. (Citrus is what perfumers traditionally use to introduce an “upbeat” note to their creations.) The sense of smell is probably more potent than any other in triggering emotion and memories. I’m wondering about wiping a trace of it on the doorframe of the restaurant. The diners’ pulses might quicken a little with excitement as they enter, without them even knowing why.

And a vial of Smell of the Sweetshop will be part of a pink-and-white-striped paper bag of goodies that is given to diners when they leave (no sweetshop experience would be complete without a goodie bag), containing some of those impossible sweets the shopkeeper suggested — that apple pie caramel; the aerated chocolate — along with others: an edible playing card with the flavour of jam tarts, coconut baccy in its own pouch, a miniature sherbet dab. There’s a strong retro element at work here, provoking the kind of nostalgia we find both emotive and relaxing and comforting.

The audience at my Sweet Shop presentation will be given one of the bags. It’s a bit of fun but it introduces people to the kind of development that I think will be part of restaurant-going in the future. A modern restaurant needn’t just be a place to satisfy hunger. Cooking and eating should be about fun and pleasure, and all sorts of creative possibilities can help to bring that about. As long as it forms a natural part of a menu’s logic, restaurateurs should make use of technology such as holograms, lighting design and soundboxes. Or of magicians, artists, musicians, designers and scriptwriters, to produce a sensory experience as powerful as a trip to the cinema or theatre.

I’ve had developed a short animated film— a dream-like journey through intricately choreographed kaleidoscopic images of lime glaciers and swirling turtles and dissolving fob watches and playing cards dancing a Busby-Berkeley style routine that leads the viewer to the door of the most magical and enticing-looking sweetshop you can imagine, with tall arched windows flanked by pillars with candy-cane stripes and a door knocker in the shape of a duck’s beak.As the door opens you can hear, but not see, a shopkeeper offering sweets that you might have wished for as a kid but never believed possible: apple pie caramels with edible wrappers, aerated chocolate that somehow has the savour of Jaffa cakes … This is designed in part as a reward for broaching the regrettable, but inevitable, difficulties of booking a table at the Fat Duck. (It’s a small restaurant that can serve only 40 people a time.) Once diners have made their reservation they’ll get the password to access a website showing this film, which will generate excitement and whet the appetite for the meal to come. Many of the details in the film — the turtles, the cards and the watch, among others — are covert references to dishes on the menu, so when the diner actually comes to the restaurant there’ll be the pleasure of recognition, of spotting these visual cues and allusions. A playful extra dimension to the whole experience.I’ve also worked with a perfumer to develop a “Smell of the Sweetshop” scent: a heady blend of, among other things, caramel, liquorice, vanilla and citrus. (Citrus is what perfumers traditionally use to introduce an “upbeat” note to their creations.) The sense of smell is probably more potent than any other in triggering emotion and memories. I’m wondering about wiping a trace of it on the doorframe of the restaurant. The diners’ pulses might quicken a little with excitement as they enter, without them even knowing why.And a vial of Smell of the Sweetshop will be part of a pink-and-white-striped paper bag of goodies that is given to diners when they leave (no sweetshop experience would be complete without a goodie bag), containing some of those impossible sweets the shopkeeper suggested — that apple pie caramel; the aerated chocolate — along with others: an edible playing card with the flavour of jam tarts, coconut baccy in its own pouch, a miniature sherbet dab. There’s a strong retro element at work here, provoking the kind of nostalgia we find both emotive and relaxing and comforting.The audience at my Sweet Shop presentation will be given one of the bags. It’s a bit of fun but it introduces people to the kind of development that I think will be part of restaurant-going in the future. A modern restaurant needn’t just be a place to satisfy hunger. Cooking and eating should be about fun and pleasure, and all sorts of creative possibilities can help to bring that about. As long as it forms a natural part of a menu’s logic, restaurateurs should make use of technology such as holograms, lighting design and soundboxes. Or of magicians, artists, musicians, designers and scriptwriters, to produce a sensory experience as powerful as a trip to the cinema or theatre.

Delia and Heston sales surge

veg-head — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 13:14:43 +0000

Waitrose has a great advertising campaign running at the moment featuring receipes from Heston Blumenthal and Delia Smith.

The TV ads show Heston and Delia making the recipe of the week, and you can go online to see the full version of the recipe – these are brilliantly edited so you can see exactly how to make each dish. There are also recipe cards in shops and each week, special offers on the ingredients for that week’s recipe.

The campaign has been a fantastic success. How did Heston’s Tagliata recipe, impact on May bank holiday sales? “Sirloin steak sales increased by more than 900%, rump steak by more than 550% and rocket by more than 700%,” says the manager of Waitrose Cheltnham, where chef.co.uk is based.

“Each weekend we see a surge in demand for the ingredients that were featured the Thursday before. Sales uptake seems to keep growing with every new tip, recipe card and advertisement fronted by Delia and Heston.

“It’s incredible to witness.”

Waitrose has a great advertising campaign running at the moment featuring receipes from Heston Blumenthal and Delia Smith.
The TV ads show Heston and Delia making the recipe of the week, and you can go online to see the full version of the recipe – these are brilliantly edited so you can see exactly how to make each dish. There are also recipe cards in shops and each week, special offers on the ingredients for that week’s recipe.
The campaign has been a fantastic success. How did Heston’s Tagliata recipe, impact on May bank holiday sales? “Sirloin steak sales increased by more than 900%, rump steak by more than 550% and rocket by more than 700%,” says the manager of Waitrose Cheltnham, where chef.co.uk is based.”Each weekend we see a surge in demand for the ingredients that were featured the Thursday before. Sales uptake seems to keep growing with every new tip, recipe card and advertisement fronted by Delia and Heston.
“It’s incredible to witness.”

Fish TV

The Glutton — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:01:41 +0000

A new British TV series takes the idea of the camper van tour of Britain and adds a new lemon twist – two chefs on a fish-cooking tour of Britain.

Young’s Seafood is funding the new prime time series about fish and how to cook it on one of Britain’s digital TV channels.

“Mitch and Matt’s Big Fish” is planned to TX on the UKTV Food channel and features Mitchell Tonks, British fishmonger and restaurateur. Tonks, founder of Fishworks restaurant chain, will partner rugby player and ‘Masterchef’ winner, Matt Dawson. The pair travel the country in a beaten up camper van on a fish fuelled roadtrip – enjoying all kinds of seafood and finding out more about responsible fishing

As a break from the banter of two lads on a roadtrip, the programme will see the pair immerse themselves in the landscape, seascape and people that make up Britain’s fishing communities.

Delia fights for the right to cheat

Piggins — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:12:45 +0000

Delia Smith has come to the defence of her latest controversial book and TV series, calling its detractors ignorant.

This week, having bided her time during the media storm, she told Guardian bloggers, “I think a lot of people who criticised me did so out of ignorance of what I was doing.”

She added: “That kind of criticism can be tomorrow’s fish-and-chip paper.”

‘How to Cheat at Cooking’ caused a stir when it hit our screens in February. The concept was a reworking of her 1971 cookery book of the same title for a modern audience.

The high priestess of celebrity chefs targeted viewers who like to cook but are pressed for time. She encouraged them to use branded convenience foods such as Aunt Bessie’s frozen mash as short-cut ingredients in traditional dishes like shepherd’s pie.

But critics slammed the show as little more than product placement, and rolled their eyes as she recommended fast food not fresh, non-organic canned mince and over-packaged processed potatoes.

Delia did however admit that she values informed criticism. In an article debating the importance of critics, she praised the Sunday Times’ AA Gill and the London Evening Standard’s Fay Maschler. Shrewd as ever, she highlighted the similarity between chefs and reviewers, saying, ‘critics are important but you have to choose the ones who have taste’. How apt.

Read Delia’s full comment at: http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/organgrinder/2008/06/question_of_the_week_do_critic.html