Chefs with a passion for the big challenges

There are two chefs dominating our TV screens these days and both are passionate about changing some aspects of our lives.

Jamie Oliver’s star has been on the rise since he first came onto our screens but in his new Channel 4 series, Jamie’s Dream School, he has moved out of the kitchen and into the classroom.

Two weeks of the series has already been aired (Wednesdays 9pm) but I was hooked from day one. Jamie takes 20 disadvantaged children, well ones who haven’t completed their GCSEs (the UK Junior Cert to you and me) in both private and public schools and persuaded a panel of experts to teach them.

Jamie believes they have been failed by the education system, just like he was, but by week two he is seeing it from the teachers’ perspective because these are a tough bunch to teach.

None of the experts are teachers but are experts in their own field – historian David Starkey for history for God’s sake! and Rolf Harris for art and actor Simon Callow for drama.

It is a great idea but let’s face it, it is an experiment filmed for entertainment, though I really believe that Jamie wants to change the system.

Poor Starkey almost pulled out because he couldn’t relate to the cheeky buggers in the class, though he was very insulting himself to one of the pupils. But by week two things were sorted. It is TV to remember.

What is striking about the series is how hyper active all the youngsters are. They are continually texting, talking to each other, listening to music on their iPods. Is it any wonder they never got their GCSEs. Even I was frustrated watching. Another thing: Most of the kids didn’t know how famous some of their ‘teachers’ were. One of the best teachers was the photographer, Rankin, who got fantastic results from his class and he genuinely seemed to be interested in them and their stories. Don’t be surprised if he has his own series next.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.