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By Stafford Hildred

Jamie originally harbored dreams of pop stardom with his band Scarlet Division, but by the age of 16 decided to become a chef. After college he earned his stripes in France and then as a pastry chef before starting at the River Caf, where he really learned his trade. It was during a television documentary about the River Caf that Jamie first caught the attention of the program's editors.Thanks to hison-screen charisma he wasfeatured heavily in the finished documentary and the offers came flooding in. So The Naked Chef was born. The program was a huge success, with an intimate and fresh approach to the television chef. Jamie's informal and playful demeanor, as well as his obvious passion and enthusiasm for food drew in a younger audience and revolutionized thetraditionalcooking program: cooking became cool! The subsequent television series and books gave Jamie fame and fortune the world over, but he always wanted to do something positive with his success. Jamie established the Fifteen charity restaurant, where he trained 15 disadvantaged young people to work in the kitchen. The restaurant and accompanying television series proved that there is more to Jamie than his bubbly persona lets on. As if to complete his transition from cheeky chap to responsible adult, Jamie tackled his toughest challenge yet when he began a campaign to ban unhealthy food in schools and get kids eating fresh, nutritious meals. His boundless enthusiasm and passion for his cause brought him into conflict with parents, teachers, and even politicians, but his desire to bring about radical change eventually saw him meet with Tony Blair and succeed in getting hundreds of millionsin extra funding for school meals.