The founders of a London fast food chain were today entrusted with improving meals in England’s schools — but there will be no role for Jamie Oliver who has campaigned tirelessly on the issue.
Education Secretary Michael Gove has chosen Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent, who run Leon, to find ways to stop schools serving fatty dinners and make children pick healthy options.
Leon markets itself as offering healthy fast food.
Oliver has criticised Mr Gove for not being tough enough on junk food and allowing academies to set their own standards on meals. Other schools have to stick to nutrition guidelines.
Mr Gove launched the review today with a visit to a breakfast club at Lauriston School in Hackney.
He acknowledged Oliver’s work on school food, but said he wanted to move “to the next level” with the Leon pair’s business expertise.
He added: “Over the last five years school, food has improved dramatically but there is still a way to go. We know we can have charismatic figures who through passion can achieve certain changes but we have to build on that.”
Half of secondary schools still offer pizzas and starchy food cooked in oil most days.
Mr Gove said he had not ruled out making any proposals from the review apply to academies as well. He said: “My brief was to be as radical as possible... I have a totally open mind.”
Asked if he got on with Oliver, Mr Gove said: “Every time I have met him I have had a blast and he has always been incredibly nice to me — he calls me Govey. I still have all his cookbooks.”
Mr Dimbleby said: “Our job is to find out which schools are doing well and why.”
Mr Vincent said: “I see Jamie Oliver as synonymous with the school food campaign. Trying to compete with him is like trying to compete with Jesus. It is blasphemous.”
