Last Sunday gave host to the premiere of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.
While I am as susceptible as anyone to the all-consuming power of vicariously participating in trashy drama, I have always made a conscious effort to avoid reality TV (both as a career and as an entertainment though, unfortunately, I have become entangled with both heads of the beast). However, given the subject matter I couldn't help but be instantly fascinated by this show. And so I marked my calander and plunged on in - wanting very much to love it and wanting, even more so, for the rest of trashy-drama-loving-America to love it. I really really hope that Oliver's message retains its sincerity and that he avoids making a superficial spectacle of it all. So far, I am on the fence.
The premiere focuses on the instant conflict Jamie hits upon his arrival to Huntington, West Virginia - opening with a scathing radio interview with a local radio station. Jamie, shaking off the local jerk, who accused him of trying to force-feed the town lettuce, heads next to a public elementary school where, despite his prettiest smiles and cutesy British turns of phrase, he finds another enemy in Alice - a tough no-nonsense lunch lady. Apparently at this school pizza works for breakfast (and counts for two servings of bread!). The only milk kids are drinking is strawberry and chocolate flavored. Apples are just for show and inevitably end up in the trash. Jamie's outrage is met with cold denial by the lunch staff who stand by their frozen processed food. As long as chicken is "one of" the ingredients in frozen chicken strips, then its legit. Luckily we finally find a friend in a local pastor (now there is a first!) - he's tired of burying his sickly parish (is it called a parish?).
We also spend some time with an overweight family who is more amenable to changing their lifestyle. Jamie shows them how to whip up a quick pasta w/salad dinner and - to my delight - features the dynamic duo!
The show ends on Jamie's tearful frustration (drama alert!) at his lack of acceptance, aggravated by a slam in the local paper, and his daunting task of being given a week to implement a new plan for the school - cooking his way - and show that he can follow all the regulations, come in on budget, and get kids to like it.
I have to say it was really interesting to see the behind the scenes of a school cafeteria. I do have sympathy for the overwhelming task before these lunch ladies. They have a ton of mouths to feed, limited time, ridiculously poor budget, and a ton of ridiculous red tape regulations and paperwork up the wazoo. But the food is completely atrocious.
I am really really excited about this show and eager to see where it goes. It has the potential to be fresh and thought provoking and through the guise of reality TV it just might captivate mainstream America. Yay for television as a tool for change! Right? I just really hope the reality TV aspect doesn't get the best of it.
If you want a more articulate review - check out this one I just found online in the Washington Post.
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