'Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution' returns for second season

Guest blogger Amanda here:

As I sit here, on the couch, in front of the TV, eating my disappointing shrimp fried rice, two things occur to me:

1. I want Jamie Oliver, the former "Naked Chef," to stage a food revolution in my kitchen -- and not because I think he might show up naked (he won't). As soon as he's done saving West Virginia and L.A. kids, maybe he can decide Baltimore's school children could also benefit from his nutritional advice.

2. As the product of Baltimore City Schools, I fondly look back on my daily lunch of French fries and French bread pizza. Quelle Americaine, n'est pas? There was nothing green on the plate. There was nothing balanced about the meal. Yet, I ate it several times a week...and liked it. Have these Baltimore City lunches changed since the -- ahem -- '90s? Perhaps, but I'd still like Oliver to come to Charm City and save us from the ever-growing blob.


If Gordon Ramsay is the prickly hyena of the culinary world, Jamie Oliver is the shaggy, over-zealous sheepdog. Here are some observations from episode one of the second season of "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution:"

Ryan Seacrest has a radio show in L.A. Do most people know that? I had no idea. At least, Oliver was better received on the local radio than he was in Huntington, W. Va. (season one).

The kitchen Oliver set up in Huntington is still operating today. Good to know.

All the elementary schools are getting their foods from one central kitchen, even though the individual schools do have kitchens. So, not much cooking going on.

Jamie sets up his L.A. kitchen and invites kids to bring in their lunches to show him what they're served. We find out the platters are "being microwaved in a plastic sock," as Oliver puts it.

Oliver shows everyone the inedible bits of a cow and says it's not fit for human consumption, but those meat bits, called "pink slime," are allowed in American schools. He washes the pink slime in ammonia, rinses it and minces it and says that's how it's being served to school children. Ewwwww.

"This is not reality TV, it's a campaign." (Should I be blogging on our political blog?)

Oliver's ridiculously named children are adorable little poppets.

Oliver addresses the school board, which regards him with deep suspicion before passing him off to "head of food services," but instead of talking to that figure, Oliver was told to submit some sort of request to speak to them. Complete shutdown.

Patra's Drive-Thru looks awesome. Deadly, but awesome. Oliver begs to differ. He wants to revamp the menu. He asks the owner if fast food places have to be unhealthy. (He should discover Israel's Buddha Burger.) Shakes are made with real ice cream, but not real fruit. Owner won't let anything come off the menu. Not fries. Not burgers. Nothing.

Oliver makes a delicious looking burger with grass-fed Angus. The owner loves it, until he hears the price, which would be about triple his existing price, though it's better quality and less calories.

Oliver makes a healthier milkshake out of yogurt, which is apparently against the law at Patra's. Owner insists it's a smoothie. Mentally, Oliver feels "thrashed." Owner says you need to use three scoops of ice cream in a milkshake and Oliver says that's why "America's screwed." Right about now, I'm thinking we need a cameo mouthing-off from Gordon Ramsay. Also, now I really want a milkshake.

Oliver hates the idea of flavored milk. "In England, flavored milk in schools is banned," declares Oliver at a panel discussion. "Do not give kids flavored milk in schools in the middle of an obesity crisis."

Unable to set up shop in the L.A. schools, Oiver resorts to cheap stunts, but they make an impact. For instance, he fills an entire school bus with the amount of added sugar for one week in the L.A. school district. Well illustrated.

Oliver compares L.A. to Huntington and says Huntington at least felt human, but all he's getting in L.A. is cold shoulder stuff.

It seems a little odd that "Food Revolution" would even try to have a second season in a city that wasn't allowing them access to the schools. Why didn't they just go somewhere that would welcome them? Guess we'll find out in future episodes.

Remember, it's not just a TV show, it's a food movement. What do you think? Are you behind Jamie Oliver or do you think he should go back to England and get out of America's stomachs?

"Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
Source :http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/realitycheck/blog/2011/04/jamie_olivers_food_revolution_returns.html