Television chef hosts cookoff at Pullman

Food Network chef Jamie Oliver challenged Huntington's residents Tuesday at a cookoff at Pullman Square.

Tuesday's cookoff was part of Oliver's challenge to have 1,000 area residents cook a healthful stir-fry this week. About 300 people participated in Tuesday's event, including Travis Austin and his family.

"I teach at Huntington High and I've been watching him cook up there," Austin said. "The food he's prepared there has been really good."

Austin said his family typically eats boxed and takeout meals.

Austin's wife Kristen said the stir-fry used ingredients she normally would not use, including cilantro, snap peas and ginger. However, she said cooking along with Oliver was easier than following a recipe from a cookbook.

"It's easier when someone shows you rather than just following a recipe," Kristen Austin said.

The Austins brought their 5-year-old son Braden to the event.

 "We need to start healthy habits early," Travis Austin said.
Braden Austin said he eats healthy at school. He said his favorite part of the stir-fry was the lo-mein noodles, which he referred to as spaghetti.
MCTC culinary arts students helped with the cookoff. First year student Andy Stepp said the culinary arts instructor encourages the students to get involved with the Jamie Oliver Project.

"We're working really hard, but we love it," said Allison Meadows, second year MCTC culinary arts student from Barboursville, W.Va.

Students who worked the cookoff could apply those hours to their internship credit. Stepp said all culinary arts students must complete 200 internship hours before graduation.
Stepp said working with Oliver is a great opportunity for the students.

"He asked us to be involved with him, and this is a good experience for us," Stepp said.

"We also get to meet Jamie Oliver, who is a chef and someone we look up to."
Meadows said she is impressed with the amount of passion Oliver has.

"I think he genuinely cares," she said. "He's not just trying to film a television show."
Oliver is in Huntington to promote healthful eating and cooking. A 2007 Associated Press article named the Huntington area the unhealthiest in the nation based on reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Because of this distinction, some Huntington residents have expressed concern that Oliver may add to the negative image.

"Some people are really excited about it, and some people are really offended by it," Meadows said.

"Then there are some people who don't know who Jamie Oliver is and they don't know how to respond," Stepp added.

Travis Austin said Huntington could benefit from Oliver's activities in Huntington.

"I know as a family we eat out of a lot of boxes," he said. "Maybe we can get other ideas and eat healthier at home."

Whitney Burdette can be contacted at burdette56@marshall.edu.