Jamie Oliver is all about winning, so it only makes sense that on Friday the celebrity chef teamed up with an organization that is championship or bust -- the New York Yankees.
Oliver's quest for victory isn't a game, though. He's out to change lives, campaigning to stop obesity and rid the world of unhealthy food. The culmination of a lot of hard work and planning was on Saturday, which he dubbed Food Revolution Day. To kick it off and raise awareness, Oliver stopped in the Bronx the day before to lend a hand to the Yankees Healthy Home Plate Program.
The team has partnered with Nourishing NYC to help students learn nutritious eating habits and provide the tools for a lifelong of healthy choices. The program is in its third year with chefs from Yankee Stadium serving as the educators and mentors. Oliver joined them on Friday to do some demonstrations and speak with the children who range from 12-15 years old. One of the highlights of the morning was showing them how to make a healthy breakfast, dubbed the "EggO-Mega Starter Sandwich.
"The Yankees Healthy Home Plate program is exactly what Food Revolution Day is all about -- passing on food knowledge and cooking skills to kids who need it," Oliver said.
The experience in New York City was a microcosm of what Oliver is trying to do all over the world. On Saturday, more than 650 cities in 60 countries participated in his Food Revolution Day in some form. The website for the event described it as "a chance for people who love food to come together to share information, talents and resources; to pass on their knowledge and highlight the world's food issues."
Obesity has more than doubled over the past three decades worldwide and for the first time in history being overweight is killing more people than being underweight. The whole idea behind Food Revolution Day was to inspire change, no matter how small the level.
Oliver encouraged supporters to make a home-cooked meal, shop at a farmer's market or give a tour of the produce section at the super market. He wants communities to connect through schools, restaurants and other local businesses for an end goal of better food and education for everyone.
After the experience at Yankee Stadium, where he was honored with an embroidered logo chef's jacket and hat, Oliver went on The Today Show where he summed up the movement best: "We're standing up for real food."
-- Adam Watson is the food czar at ThePostGame. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamKWatson.
Popular Stories On ThePostGame:
-- Junior Seau's Restaurant Closes
-- John Riggins, The Next Celebrity Chef
-- The World's Best Beers
-- Healthy Eating: Best And Worst Food Condiments
