Parenting Under the Stars

Sorry for the lack of posting the last few days. I really don’t have a great excuse but I was reading about Jamie Oliver and his work with kids today and wanted to share with those who may not have heard about it.

Fifteen Foundation is a registered charity and social program that helps train disadvantaged youth with the skills to become a chef. Fifteen restaurant started out in London 2002. Jamie Oliver (the famous “Naked Chef”) is one of the trustees and came up with the original idea. The concept caught on and has since expanded with restaurants in Amsterdam, Melbourne and Cornwall.

• That Jamie believed in these teenagers and saw a spark that others may not have is fantastic. Besides having a big heart, Jamie Oliver is a creative genius in the kitchen. He has commented a couple times about not being very bright in various interviews but he does not give himself enough credit.

I read some of the teenage graduate’s stories; one was a former car thief/drug dealer but now excels at a fulfilling job as a junior chef at Fifteen in London. Another was an unemployed single mother and another admits to simply sitting around smoking too much pot.

Fifteen Foundation’s Mission:

“Fifteen Foundation exists to inspire disadvantaged young people – homeless, unemployed, overcoming drug or alcohol problems - to believe that they can create for themselves great careers in the restaurant industry.”

Jamie as Activist for Kids Health

Jamie has his own kids and says that it has helped him see other children not as horrible little kids but someone else’s children. He has also been very active in promoting healthy school lunches and brought attention to the fact that the kids were eating junk at school and did not have enough funding for healthy food.

You can read more about the progress made at JamieOliver.com. There’s also a forum there and lots of free yummy recipes. He also has a podcast there and sells cookbooks, DVDs and lists all his television shows. Jamie makes you smile and shows how cooking can be fun. Gotta love him.

• Here’s a video of Jamie Oliver talking with Parkinson about what inspired him to invest his money on Fifteen and disadvantaged kids in Britain.