"I absolutely couldn't have done it without Sustainable Food Systems"

We have spent the past 8 months working behind the scenes with Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. The final episode of the hit ABC TV show, filmed in Cabell County, West Virginia, aired Friday, April 26th and can still be viewed online at Hulu.com and ABC.com.

"The school food system can be unbelievably complicated, and when you're trying to make radical changes from the inside, like I'm doing in Huntington, you really need good people who understand it working with you. John Turenne and the team at Sustainable Food Systems, were a massive help. They helped me tweak my recipes to suit the tastes of kids in the States, and also made sure those new meals satisfied USDA standards.

They are still there now, working with those wonderful school cooks keeping everyone motivated and focused on improving things for the long term. I absolutely couldn't have done it without Sustainable Food Systems. I wish we had them here in the UK, but I have a funny feeling I'll be seeing them again soon."

Jamie Oliver

Sustainable Food Systems LLC has been retained to continue the revolution! We are thrilled that we have the opportunity to continue working with the dedicated and passionate cooks and school administrators as well as getting to know the kids and the people in the community. We have already successfully transitioned food service for 19 schools and over 80 cooks in the district, and we will transition the remaining seven schools by the end of May.

plate full of good food

boy full of good food

When the work is completed, the food service personnel in all Cabell County schools will have the technical skills needed to develop and prepare menus that are cost effective, nutritionally compliant to USDA guidelines and, of course, delicious.

It is our hope that the foundation we have started in West Virginia is just the beginning of enormous change for long-term health reform in communities throughout the US.

The Food Revolution has raised the awareness of school food issues from a grass roots issue to a mainstream conversation. Now it's time to focus on the true challenge of changing lifelong habits. Affecting change is difficult, but Sustainable Food Systems' successful process of transition addresses the relevant issues and institutes change by sharing knowledge, creating systems and following through with support and guidance.

These are all excellent developments without question that will hopefully be followed by systemic and policy change in more than just one school district. We have made a significant impact on the ground in this community and we have approached the cooks in a supportive and empathetic way working along side them and almost literally spending time in their shoes. Our work has not only paid off but also revealed to us, yet again, that it's these very cooks as well as the children who embrace these changes who are the true heroes of the food revolution. Join them and us as we strive to take the revolution to the next stage.

Chef John, Chef Alden &
the Lunch Ladies

Chef John and the kids

Contact us to see how we can help you start a Food Revolution in your school, hospital or organization!

Please join the conversation on our Facebook Pageand share your Food Revolution experience.