Look To The Stars News: Jamie Oliver

Stars Want Bluefin Tuna Off The Menu

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:00:00 -0000

A group of actors has written to Robert DeNiro’s Nobu restaurant chain to ask them to stop serving endangered Bluefin Tuna.

According the Britain’s The Telegraph, Sienna Miller, Charlize Theron, Jemima Khan, Woody Harrelson, Laura Bailey, Alicia Silverstone, Zac Goldsmith, Sting, Trudie Styler, Elle Macpherson and Stephen Fry have “written to the restaurant to say they can no longer dine with a clear conscience as long as the restaurant continues to serve bluefin tuna – a species considered by many to be as endangered as the white rhinoceros, panda or tiger.”

The plight of the bluefin tuna has been highlighted by the release of The End of the Line, a film narrated by Ted Danson that shows the effects of overfishing on the world’s oceans.

“The possibility that the magnificent bluefin tuna, one of the fastest creatures on the planet, could be extinct in as little as four years is a tragedy,” wrote the stars in their letter. “Continuing to serve bluefin leaves Nobu vulnerable to public criticism and lagging behind Moshi Moshi, [”Gordon Ramsay":http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/921-gordon-ramsay], Jamie Oliver, Itsu and numerous others. We all love [Nobu, but bluefin tuna] must be completely removed from the menu due to its perilous position as an extremely endangered animal".

“It’s astounding lunacy to serve up endangered species for sushi,” added Stephen Fry. “There’s no justification for peddling extinction, yet that is exactly what Nobu is doing in restaurants around the world.”

A spokesperson for the restaurant said they are taking the issue “very seriously… The consumption of this fish is a cultural institution in Japan and there is still an enormous demand for this delicacy at all our restaurants. In the specific case of the menus at our London restaurants it should be noted that the statement that informs diners that the tuna served is Bluefin was included at the behest of [”Greenpeace":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/142-greenpeace], with whom we have continual dialogue. We are also currently looking at Australian farm-raised tuna as an alternative."

Jamie Oliver Saves Britain's Bacon

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is once again on a mission to show us what we are really eating.

Following his successful program last year educating the world about the chicken industry, Oliver is now set to host a show revealing the dark secrets of pork production.

Jamie Saves Our Bacon is a 90-minute television special that will screen on the UK’s Channel 4 later this year and guarantees to shock viewers about the conditions pigs are kept in. Along with the RSPCA, Oliver will use the program to urge the EU to set tougher minimum welfare standards for farmers and more honest labeling about how their animals are treated.

“How many people outside of the industry know the difference between outdoor-bred and outdoor-reared, for example?” asked Oliver. “Not many.”

“Although the perception is that keeping livestock outside is best for welfare, it does not always hold true,” added a spokesperson for the RSPCA. “Free range systems in which pigs are kept throughout their lives in paddocks do ensure animals have freedom to move around and express natural behaviors.”

To find out more about the program, visit the Channel 4 website.

Martha Stewart Gets Celeb Friends To Sign Decorations

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

An eclectic array of stars, including Dido, The Wiggles, James Taylor, Patti LaBelle, Pink, and Joss Stone, have signed Christmas ornaments for Martha Stewart’s new charity auction.

Stewart’s Sirius Radio show launched the auction this week to benefit the Taste of the NFL, an organization that raises money and awareness for hunger organizations.

Other stars to join in the fun include Howard Stern, David Archuleta, the Kaiser Chiefs, Jane Krakowski, Nigella Lawson, Quincy Jones, Elle Macpherson, Tom Arnold, Jacqueline Bisset, David Cook, Nickelback, Jamie Oliver, Lee Ann Womack, and many more.

The auction – which runs until December 12 – can be accessed through eBay.

Pick Up Celebrity Hand-Me-Downs For Charity

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

It’s time to start thinking about Christmas shopping again, and this might just be the answer you’ve been searching for.

Celeb2nds.com has a whole swag of exciting items donated by your favorite stars – including Jamie Oliver’s apron, Donny Osmond’s dressing gown, Duran Duran’s drum kit, Kelly Osbourne’s dress, a card signed by David Tennant, Beverley Knight’s gold disc, and much more.

“Celeb2nds.com is an exciting new concept that allows users to get their hands on money can’t buy items from their celebrity idols, whilst raising money for some very worthy charities,” said site founder Steve Howell, who established the initiative in 2006.

80% of the proceeds from the site go to charity, with organizations such as Children with AIDS, Plan, Dial a Dream, Rainbow Trust, Elephant Family, Richard House, Kids Company, and Whizz-Kidz all benefiting.

Absolutely everything the site auctions is 100% authenticated, obtained through the correct channels and backed up by a certificate of authenticity signed by the celebrity or by one of the celebrities representatives.

Celebrity Chefs Honored For Chicken Campaigns

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall have received awards from the RSPCA for their work to improve animal welfare.

The pair received the honors at the charity’s AGM in London earlier this week after backing the RSPCA’s Freedom Foods scheme – an initiative that guarantees animals have been raised on farms that meet the charity’s standards. Both chefs released television programs earlier this year – Oliver’s Fowl Dinners and Fearnley-Whittingstall’s Chicken Run – revealing the conditions in which many chickens are farmed. Since then, the pair has continued to campaign for producers and retailers to adopt higher welfare standards… although at least one major supermarket chain in Britain has come out in direct opposition of their ideas.

Fearnley-Whittingstall, who was on hand to accept the award, thanked the RSPCA and insisted that the campaign must continue.

“We are delighted to present both Hugh and Jamie with these awards in recognition of their valuable ongoing work in this area,” said Dr Marc Cooper, RSPCA senior farm animal scientist. “We look forward to carrying on our partnership with the chefs and hope that with their support, the revolution in raising chicken welfare standards throughout the UK will continue.”

Paul McCartney Offers Download For Charity Donations

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Sir Paul McCartney has teamed up with TV chef Jamie Oliver for a new charity initiative involving awesome downloads.

The Night Of A 1000 Dinners is the annual, global initiative of Adopt-A-Minefield that encourages people to host dinners and collect donations to help landmine survivors and their families and allow communities to return land to productive use. And to celebrate the “Dining to Demine” theme, Jamie Oliver is offering a range of exclusive free recipes for the event.

Sir Paul is also doing his bit for the event by encouraging people to be a guest at his own virtual Night of a Thousand Dinners Celebration by making a minimum donation of $25. Registered guests will receive a special gift via email from Paul – a download of an exclusive track called Lifelong Passion, a song the 65-year-old singer recorded under the name of the Fireman, and the result of a collaboration with respected producer Youth.

Fans only have one day left to donate and get their downloads, available at Sir Paul’s website.

Razorlight Invites Friends To Charity Gig

Tue, 27 May 2008 11:16:44 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Fans of British rock band Razorlight listen up: drummer Andy Burrows’ new solo album – The Colour Of My Dreams – comes out today, May 27, and the man himself is performing at a charity gig to celebrate.

The show will be held at the at the Union Chapel in Islington on Wednesday, May 28, in aid of Naomi House Children’s Hospice. And there are some very special guests lined up.

“I’ve managed to persuade [”Jamie Oliver":http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/268-jamie-oliver] to come down and do a barbecue to try to add to the bizarre school fete theme, and all the proceeds made from the hotdogs will go to the Naomi House Children’s Hospice in Winchester." said Burrows. “I’ve also asked Fyfe Dangerfield from The Guillemots… and I’ve also asked Mark Morriss from The Bluetones, and my own band – Razorlight – will hopefully turn up and do something. And I’m hoping that Muse drummer Dominic Howard will turn up and do something on my drumkit, which I’m then auctioning off in aid of the charity.”

Bidding for the drumkit took place on eBay and ended yesterday.

“We were really excited that Andy decided to sell his drum kit on eBay,” said a spokesman for the site. “Not only was his video listing for the kit an exclusive live performance by a member of one of the UK’s most popular bands, but the auction was a unique opportunity for one fan to own a true one-off. With all proceeds going to such a worthy cause, we hope that it raises a large amount of money for Naomi House.”

Celebrities Send Signitures For Charity Auction

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:19:30 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Sometimes, if you really believe in a cause and you want some celebrity help, you’ve just got to ask. That’s exactly what Simon McGuinness, a British teenager who recently got a whole lot of star-power behind his mission to raise money for CAFOD, did.

“The response was overwhelming,” said Simon, who contacted over 50 celebrities and asked for signitures and items to sell in an internet auction.“I had replies and donations from Dr Who’s [”David Tennant":http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/980-david-tennant], Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver, Rowan Atkinson, and even Prime Minister Gordon Brown."

CAFOD – the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development – is a charity that supports communities abroad by helping provide food, water, education and health care, and McGuinness will stop at nothing in his quest to enlist celebrity help for the cause.

“It was just an idea and I didn’t know what sort of response I would receive so I am delighted and surprised to have made such an impact and to find that celebrities do care enough to respond to a boy’s requests,” said the thirteen-year-old. “My next step is to go for the big one, I mean the Queen, but I don’t know whether she is able to do this sort of thing.”

For more information about the auction, visit the CAFOD website.

Oprah Gives Big With New Show

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 10:59:06 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Oprah Winfrey is the brains behind a highly anticipated new series premiering next week on US television. Oprah’s Big Give is a reality show with a difference – contestants will compete to give and not receive.

In the eight one-hour episodes, a group of 10 people are given the challenge of a lifetime – to change the lives of complete strangers in the most creative and dramatic ways possible. The contestants must criss-cross the country, and find ways to impact the fates and fortunes of unsuspecting people who are in for the surprise of their lives.

The series will begin in Los Angeles, where Oprah will hand the contestants sealed envelopes with only a picture and the name of a complete stranger. Under intense pressure, they must give big to change this person’s life in just five days. The contestants must use their creativity and resources to generate the most powerful and sensational ways to make a real difference to their “charges’” lives.

The contestant deemed to be the biggest giver at the end of the series will win $1 million.

“Big Give is fun, entertaining, emotional, inspiring, and intense,” Winfrey told TV Guide. “It’s always fun for me to be able to give and to watch people’s reactions. I love a great surprise. There are many moments that will leave you in tears of joy. I wouldn’t be involved with anything that was going to humiliate or dehumanize or make anybody feel bad. When we decided to do a series, we knew that we had to create something that was different, a new kind of television, a new kind of idea.”

And she has roped in an impressive array of her celebrity stars to help her. The series will be hosted by Nate Berkus, and a panel of judges will be made up of “Naked Chef” Jamie Oliver, NFL player Tony Gonzalez, and Malaak Compton-Rock, wife of comedian Chris Rock. There will also be appearances by Donald Trump, John Travolta, skateboard legend Tony Hawk, Andre Agassi, and Jennifer Aniston.

“[Aniston] comes on one of the shows and delivers a really big surprise, something nobody expected,” Winfrey told OK! Magazine. “I always say that she’s everybody’s favorite Friend, and that’s absolutely what she’s like in real life.”

Oprah’s Big Give premieres on ABC on March 2 at 9pm.

Jamie Oliver's Charity Dinner Raises £225,000

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 18:17:11 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver hosted his Fifteen Foundation’s annual fund-raising dinner in London on December 5th, raising £225,000 ($457,000) to help train unemployed youths for careers in the restaurant business.

Disadvantaged would-be chefs are taught the trade in the Foundation’s “Fifteen” restaurants located in London, Amsterdam, Melbourne and western England.

“We’re trying to build a training kitchen above Fifteen to help the local community, and we’d like to increase the number of apprentices each year to 45 from about 20 to 25,” Oliver told Bloomberg before the event.

“We need a lot of dosh but it’s not only about the money. This is a chance for us to tell high- profile people what we’re trying to do. We’re helping kids from tough backgrounds and events like this help us to get to the next level.’’

Entertainment for the event was provided by ex-Boyzone singer Ronan Keating.

“Jamie’s a good friend of mine and I’m delighted to be here,‘’ Keating, said. "With him, it’s not about fame, it’s not about celebrity, it’s about helping people."

Fifteen Foundation apprentices prepared a sumptuous meal for the event. One trainee, 21-year-old Portia Eyeson, said “Fifteen has been very good for me. I heard about it through the [”Centrepoint":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/423-centrepoint] hostel for the homeless."

Clinton And Rachael Ray Unite For Kids' Nutrition

Fri, 11 May 2007 09:32:27 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

TV chef Rachael Ray is launching a charitable organisation aimed at helping children in the U.S. to eat more healthily, with the support of former president Bill Clinton.

Yum-o! will work with schools to improve cafeteria food, create scholarships, educate parents about healthy eating, and help fund charitable groups that feed needy children.

The organisation will work with Clinton’s Alliance for a Healthier Generation, and the American Heart Association to improve school food.

Clinton appeared on Ray’s TV show on April 26 to announce their collaboration. British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver launched a similar programme in the UK over two years ago, which has led to increased government funding for school meals, making healthier menus possible.

“Great food changes the entire quality of your life,” said Ray. “It’s just this great building block for families.”

Oprah Gets Reality TV Show

Mon, 07 May 2007 20:19:53 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Oprah is turning some of her uplifting energy towards a new prime time reality program, The Big Give. The show, set to air on ABC, offers 10 people from around the U.S. the chance to become great philanthropists.

Contestants will strive to find “the most powerful, sensational, emotional and dramatic ways to give to others” as they travel through the U.S. inventing creative ways to help local communities and make a difference to the lives of the people they meet. The winner will be the person who makes the biggest impact with the large amount of money they are given.

Eager to get involved in the project, Jennifer Aniston and Jamie Oliver have agreed to feature in one of the 8 episodes, raising as much money as they can for charity.

According to Ellen Rakieten, an executive overseeing the series, the program makers hope to inspire people to help others, and illustrate that “The best feeling you can have is to give to other people.”

Jamie Oliver Gives Recipe to Prince

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 00:02:17 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has offered the Prince of Wales the use of one of his recipes for charity.

The recently-created gingerbread recipe may become part of Prince Charles’ Duchy Originals range of foods, the profits from which go directly to the Prince’s Trust charity.

Oliver made the offer at a reception hosted by the prince at Clarence House for the cooks and headteachers of 60 schools. The event aimed to stress the importance of giving pupils healthy meals — the topic of Oliver’s “Jamie’s School Dinners” TV show and associated campaign.

The UK government have pledged to improve school meals following the campaign, and Oliver said, “In a a year or so we will review what’s happened.”

“We will study where the money’s gone. As usual with politics there’s a lot of detail involved. It has captured the public’s imagination and lots of good stuff’s happened.”

Doctor Who Joins Charity Comic Cast

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 23:00:00 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

A special edition of UK children’s comic the Beano will feature celebrity guests in an effort to raise money for this year’s Comic Relief event on March 16.

Dennis the Menace and the Bash Street Kids will be joined by Doctor Who, chef Jamie Oliver, Rowan Atkinson, Jonathan Ross and others. The reluctant students will be forced to study by the Daleks, and have their school lunch cooked by Oliver.

The unusual cast will make its appearance in the first ever issue of the new monthly BeanoMAX publication, going on sale on February 15.

Look To The Stars News: Jamie Oliver

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