Jamie Oliver, a British chef, is apparently a big hit in Europe. (Perhaps here, too; that I had never heard of him doesn't mean a lot.) He has cooking shows, a Tupperware-style home party business, and has taken on school meals in England and the eating habits of an entire West Virginia city. I find his flamboyant style annoying, and some of his information dated or controversial (e.g. demonizing saturated fat without mentioning the more problematic trans fats), but there is still plenty worth watching. (H/T Janet)
Grandchild warning. Forty-five years ago, my British-born Girl Scout leader explained to us some of the differences between the US and the UK when it comes to acceptable and unacceptable language. Some words considered normal here were horribly offensive there, while certain words for bodily functions were unacceptable here but commonplace there. She tried to clean up her language in deference to her adopted country, but sometimes slipped—hence the explanation. Oliver's videos are best watched without grandchildren in the room.
Oliver's TED lecture on teaching children about food and good eating habits. He's not a great speaker in this context, but I like the format better than the other videos. He's a little too inclined to look into non-personal (i.e. government and business) solutions, but an important message nonetheless. If nothing else, this one's worth it for the clip at 11:16 where he asks schoolchildren to identify foods in their natural state—and they are baffled by tomatoes and potatoes.
