I know that many will scoff with the comparison and yes, they both work/ed for different causes, but I am sure that Mr Rowntree was dismissed in his day by some sections of society. Similar though is that the sections of society who dismiss both men are most probably those who stand to make a profit from those that Oliver and Rowntree are/were trying to protect.
Jamie food revolution tried to do exactly what it said it would and I am sure in many ways it has succeeded. He wanted to make people think about their lifestyle choices, namely, the food that they consumed. Now Jamie's revolution is in Hollywood and I am keen see how it pans out.
It is wrong that people need to be told how to eat. I don't know what it is, stupidity, nativity, lack of interest or arrogance that self neglect won't affect them. More often than not I suspect, it is a lack of education, a lack of willingness to education themselves and a lack of interest in educating their next of kin.
I am as guilty as the next for eating the odd burger, the odd pizza etc but it is far from a habit. Jamie said something on one episode of his show, "don't buy food if you don't recognise the names of the ingredients on the label".
It seems like such a simple mantra but one that is surprisingly difficult to keep up with. I was shocked when I looked, just how many products had unpronounceable crap on the label.
Why have we allowed companies that produce these products to do this? Are they serving our needs while slowly nurturing us into reliance or are we subservient to an industry that we see as so huge that we cannot ask for what we actually want.
There are many many factors in why we buy what we do.
In Sainsbury's, a supermarket Jamie unfortunately endorses, they sell four frozen meals for three pounds. They also sell four small chicken breasts for four pounds.
Now imagine you're on your way home after picking kids up from school and you've got to get them dinner ready before going to your second job. Do you cook or do you spend five minutes microwaving?
It's not a tough choice, it's not even a case of someone not being able to cook. It is often simply that people haven't got time.
Sometimes it is society that needs to change and sometimes industry must force change. Could supermarkets stop stocking that kind of food and instead stock fresh and healthy options? Silly question because they never will.
This is why I think Jamie Oliver should always be trending. He is trying to help change by developing businesses and organisations that provide food to schools. He is aware that there is no quick fix. His show, Ministry of Food was also another example of how his work can benefit but how people can sometimes reject benefit for convenience.
It is not my place to judge what other people do. It is up to people to do as they will and hopefully with the help of Jamie and others, they can make educated informed choices.
His words are simple and offer guidance...he isn't the Messiah, he is (a very naughty boy?!) though, a revolutionary.
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