Richmond chef Ann Butler, of Edible Education, is helping to lead a revolution. Back again for the Annual Jamie Oliver Food Revolution Day in RVA, Butler is part of a global initiative aimed at inspiring people of all ages to cook and champion better food skills. The mission of Food Revolution Day is straightforward: Cook It. Share It. Live It.
“The CDC reports that kids who are exposed to at least 50 hours of food and nutrition education prior to age 12 will stick to a lifetime of healthiness. That fact alone should be enough to spur a revolution,” exclaims Butler. That’s just one reason she decided to take action and join Jamie Oliver’s crusade. She has also engaged Jennifer Madden, an intern from the Virginia Department of Health, to help organize and manage events.
“I’ve always focused on child and adult nutritional education and when I saw Jamie Oliver’s search for Food Revolution Day ambassadors last year, I knew I had to check it out. I was eager to serve as an ambassador in their inaugural event. The 2013 annual event promises to be even more popular in Richmond,” explains Butler.
The Richmond Food Revolution Day occurs every May and features more than 30 local restaurants offering fresh and local food options on their menus in celebration of the event. Greg Riggs of Field of Dreams Farms was quick to donate plenty of fresh, local food and supplies this year to support the initiative. Edible Education chefs are always on hand to work with students as they prepare their own fresh lunches and taste real food from a local garden. Other supporters include Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc., The Farm Table, Whole Foods Community Garden, Kitchen Thyme, Backyard Farmer, and dozens of volunteers.
This year, Food Revolution Day has grown to more than 1,000 events in 664 cities across 62 countries. There are 515 Food Revolution Ambassadors celebrating this global initiative. Here in RVA, Food Revolution Day spans several days of healthy events. The number of participating restaurants offering fresh, local food has grown to more than 100 local venues, with a massive Food Truck Rally becoming part of the festive atmosphere.
“We want people to get a real taste of fresh, simple, and delicious,” says Butler. “This is a great way to introduce kids to real food. We know that kids love to try something when they’ve had a chance to touch it and create it themselves.”
From kids’ cooking contests hosted by Edible Education to great local chefs judging the food, Food Revolution has become an engaging way for Richmonders of all ages to step up and take action. “It’s amazing what kids come up with,” laughs Butler. “At our last cook off, kids used tomatoes to prepare their mystery dish. They came up with unusual and healthy dishes like tomato stir fry, tomato omelets, dipping sauces, and even a tomato-based chicken soup. We can’t wait to see what these novice chefs come up with in this contest.”
The volunteer ambassadors making Food Revolution Day possible report that their reward is making a healthy difference in the lives of other people. Food Revolution Day proceeds go directly to the Jamie Oliver Foundation to further nutrition education and support for a global revolution in how people view and use food,” emphasizes Butler. “For us, the reward is healthier living.”