Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver has made a career out of promoting healthy, sustainable foods, especially when it comes to children’s nutrition. The British chef, restaurateur, and charity promoter focuses his television shows and cookbooks on the food, not the personality of the chef. He has rallied Brits against the use of processed foods in national public schools, and he has been a vocal opponent to GMO foods. The BBC made him a star after Oliver delivered an energetic unscripted performance in a documentary about the restaurant he worked at, The River Café. Shortly thereafter, Jamie Oliver starred in his popular and long running television show, “The Naked Chef,” which spawned several cookbooks. Oliver's public exposure led him to cook for some prominent Brits, including then Prime Minister Tony Blair. The 2005 marketing campaign titled “Feed Me Better” featured Oliver is a series of spots that encouraged eliminating junk foods and instead enjoying organically raised meats and vegetables. He positioned himself as one of the country’s leading advocates for eating healthy during the television show, “Jamie’s Ministry of Food.” With his name splattered across American entertainment shows, Oliver brought his healthy eating message to the US. While he has not reached the level of stardom achieved by fellow countryman, Gordon Ramsey, Oliver’s programmes run in over 40 countries, including on the successful American Food Network. For all of his success, he is not a stranger to controversy. He once slaughtered a fully conscious lamb on one of the cooking shows, and some of his restaurants have received food safety violations. Despite Ramsay’s highly rated American television shows, Jamie Oliver remains the most influential person in the British hospitality industry. For those interested in knowing more about this chef, a number or his cookbooks are available for purchase online.