w e

Jamie Oliver has been ahousehold name for the pastseven years, but he's not youraverage TV chef. It's no secret

that not everyone is crazy about the29-year-old's cheery disposition,but why is this? After all, he's justa young family man who hopes touse his culinary talents to make theworld a better place.

We first saw the chef's sociallyresponsible side in Jamie's Kitchen,when he took 15underprivilegedyoungsters and tried - by and largesuccessfully - to turn them into

professional chefs, before offeringthem jobs at his London restaurantFifteen. Now he's on anothermission - this time to transformschool dinners from greasy, fattyjunk food to good, wholesome,nutritious nosh.

In Jamie'sSchoolDinners,heattempts to take charge of 20,000dinners in schools across southLondon and is hoping that his ideaswill encourage other schools torethink the quality of the food theyserve to their pupils.

'When we were trying to get thiscommissioned, it was always clear

this wasn't a programme, it was acampaign,' explains Jamie. 'Don'tget me wrong, I don't particularlylike making documentaries - it'svery invasive. But if we're going todo this, we should get it on telly andlet people know what's going on:

In the first instalment, we seeJamie clash with dinner lady Nora.Can the cheery chappie come upwith some healthy alternatives toher pizza and chips - with a budgetof just 37p per pupil per day?

'School dinners are not aboutfood - they're about accounts,'says Jamie, 'and pre-packed foodis an accountant's dream. It's allpre-portioned, it's all cheap andit's all made God knows where:

The chef has a battle on hishands: not only does he have to getthe dinner ladies to start cooking

8

'Jamie style', but he also needs topersuade the children to go for hiscreations, which include roast loinof pork with thyme and red oniongravy and herb-crusted fillet of fishwith green salad.

'Running my food next to thecanteen's doesn't work,' saysJamie. 'With kids being as fickle asthey are, put anyone's food nextto junk food and you haven't got achance - no matter who's cooking:

So, does Jamie think the serieswill make a lasting impression?

'It's not supposed to be beautifultelly - it's supposed to be gritty,'he says. 'But if it doesn't bringabout some sort of change, I don'tthink anything will:. Jamie is interviewed by VemonKayinJamieOliver:T4Special(C4,Sunday)