The last episode of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution ended with a teaser about the appointment of a new superintendent for the LAUSD. This final episode of the season began with Jamie meeting with Mike of MLS at Patra’s restaurant.
Deno, Patra’s owner, reported that business had continued to be good with his new healthier menu. Mike informed Jamie (and us) that the new LAUSD school superintendent was willing to grant autonomy to schools that can show results. I also learned that schools are not eligible for reimbursement for the free lunch program if they do not serve flavored milk. Later, when we get to meet the new superintendent, he says that he wants to get rid of flavored milk in LAUSD schools, which we now know that he has accomplished. Jamie predicted that with Los Angeles taking such a proactive move, that soon we may see flavored milk eliminated from schools around the country.
With the new superintendent, Jamie was allowed to go back into West Adams High, even into the school kitchen, where he and his culinary arts students got to try out the new healthier school menu items.
Also in this episode, Jamie met with seven of the best chefs in Los Angeles to ask them to participate in a cooking competition for high school students. Instead of cooking for the chefs, Jamie served them typical school food, which all of the chefs found disgusting. Each chef agreed to mentor a group of four high school students to prepare them for a cooking competition sponsored by Green Giant. Most of the students we were introduced to seemed to be aspiring chefs. The students were judged on presentation, cohesiveness, and whether or not they put their soul into the dish that they prepared. Jamie Lee Curtis made another appearance to announce the winning school which was awarded a trip to the Culinary Institute of America in New York.
In this episode, we were also introduced to the Food Revolution Truck, the new mobile teaching kitchen which held eight cooking stations inside of the truck. I am hopeful that the Food Revolution Truck will make many stops around the country, presenting to America more of an opportunity to learn how easy cooking healthy, yummy food can be.