Locals review "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution"
"Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" focuses on Oliver's efforts in Huntington in 2009 to promote healthier eating habits by encouraging food preparation from fresh ingredients. Those efforts were focused on local schools, families and a kitchen to teach people how to cook. Each week, we will have local residents weigh in on the episodes.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Meet our panelists

“Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” premiered Sunday night on ABC to mixed reactions. The Herald-Dispatch has asked a few local residents to watch the show each week and share their thoughts on this blog.

Here are our panelists:


Forrest McGuire, 17, is a senior and student body president at Huntington High School, where part of "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" was filmed. He is captain of the Huntington High men's soccer team and a member of the Huntington High swim team. He is an active member in the HHS Young Republicans, Key Club and Student Council. He plans on attending Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in the fall and majoring in business.



Tyson Compton, a native of Louisa, Ky., has served as president of the Cabell-Huntington Convention and Visitors Bureau since February 2009. Compton came to Huntington from the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland, where he was marketing director for 14 years. Prior to that, he was marketing director for a magazine publishing group in Los Angeles. Compton serves on the boards of Leadership Tri-State, the Southeast Tourism Society, Boyd County Foundation for Children, Youth Leadership and Clear Channel Radio Local Advisory Board. He is also a member of Huntington Rotary and is actively involved with Create Huntington. He is a graduate of Community Leadership Development, a member of ACTC/OU Diversity Committee and a member of the Country Music Highway Action Team.


Mary Cook works at Village of Barboursville Elementary as cafeteria manager. She is a resident of Barboursville and has been employed by the Cabell County Board of Education for 19 years. Before Village of Barboursville Elementary, she worked at Cabell Midland High School as a cook and Huntington High as a cafeteria manager. She graduated from Marshall University and has worked in some form of the food industry since she was 14. She had her own catering business for 10 years. She was president of the Parent-Teacher Association at Barboursville Elementary School for four years and Cabell County PTA president for two years. She has two children, three stepchildren and eight grandchildren.




Amy Gannon is a registered dietitian who lives and practices in Charleston. She earned an undergraduate degree in human nutrition and foods from West Virginia University and completed a master’s degree and dietetic internship at Marshall University. In 2005, she earned a Certificate of Training in Pediatric and Adolescent Weight Management from the American Dietetic Association. She has been a consultant dietitian for the HealthyKids Weight Management Program at Charleston Area Medical Center for five years. She has experience in clinical dietetics, sales, community nutrition and higher education. She is currently serving as president of the W.Va. Dietetic Association and works as a youth specialist for WVU Extension Service- Family Nutrition Programs. In addition, Gannon is an adjunct professor for the Marshall University School of Medicine and owns a private consultative nutrition practice in Charleston.