Beckton-born footballer Jermain Defoe was a very special guest at Ministry of Food Stratford, to celebrate Food Revolution Day 2013. The Spurs and England star loves both football and cooking and wanted to help show East London that exercise and real food is good for everyone!
We celebrated Food Revolution Day with a fun community festival of sports and real food in the East Ham Leisure Centre that included footie and cooking competitions, food growers, a steel band and face painting!
Jermain watched children from local schools battle it out in a series of football and cooking competitions, with the prize being a unique chance to join a chicken fajitas masterclass taught by the man himself. But before the masterclass, Jermain was thrown into the ring with an omelette challenge against our own San Channa, Ministry of Food cook and Olympic torch-bearer. Jermain and San are both Beckton-bred, and the judge was Jermain’s mum – so sparks flew and the result was a tie!
Jamie Oliver’s chicken fajita masterclass, delivered by Jermain and San, was thoroughly enjoyed by the 8 school children, winners of the competition. All in all it was a fantastic way to celebrate Food Revolution Day.
The festival was put together by the Jamie’s Ministry of Food Stratford in collaboration with Active Newham and Community Links and the participation of Rokeby School, Nelson Primary, Brampton Manor, Carpenters Primary, Manor Park Primary and the Shipman Youth Zone.
A note from Jermain Defoe: “I came here to support Jamie’s food campaign. Jamie Oliver is someone who I look up to and what he is doing for the kids is amazing. Everyone knows that I am a local boy and it is special for me to come back to the area where I grew up. I meet a lot of kids that say, I want to be an athlete, I want to be a footballer but maybe they do not realise that food and what you eat is just as important as playing because it helps you perform. I wanted to help out today, to try to encourage kids to eat the right thing.”
Jamie Oliver said, “I’m so grateful to Jermain for taking the time to visit the Ministry of Food Stratford. I know he was a huge hit with everyone down there. I’m just sorry I didn’t get to taste his food for myself. Thanks again, mate.”
Thanks Jermain and Jamie for a lovely Food Revolution day!
By Carlos Montes, director Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food Stratford and Leaside Food.
