Oliver's experience on the series led to a broader national campaign called Feed Me Better, aimed at improving school dinners throughout Britain.

Thirdly, Oliver's unconventional ingredients and meal ideas startled the dinner ladies, increased their workload dramatically, and exceeded the allocated budget.

During a visit to a primary school in Peterlee, Oliver realised that part of the challenge in promoting healthier eating habits among children was influenced by the food they were consuming at home.

The HM Government, and Prime Minister Tony Blair promised to take steps to improve school dinners shortly after the programme aired.

Certain junk foods (such as the notorious Bernard Matthews "Turkey Twizzlers" much derided on the show) were banned from schools by their local borough or county council.

The end-of-year deficit is between £12000 and £15000 (the school management declined to be precise, on the advice of the local council), the children are slipping back into their old habits, and Jamie's new menu is losing popularity.

Initial take-up is good, following a demonstration to parents of a terms'-worth of junk food that their children eat (a plastic mat with a pile of chips (2 binfuls), saturated fat, Coke, burgers, with a garnish of crisps and sweets), and a brief speech at the school's Easter service.

In London, meeting first with Alan Johnson, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, and Prime Minister Tony Blair, Jamie secures promises of an additional £280M for 3 years, a trust to allow schools without kitchens to build, a pledge to consider a series of training kitchens across the country, and creation of a voluntary code of conduct concerning advertising of junk food to children.