Famous chefs in Chicago are joining the battle against childhood obesity by leading cooking classes for elementary school children in an effort to turn the kids away from junk food.
It's all run by the non-profit Common Threads organization. One of the classes is taught by Bill Kim, the executive chef of Chicago's "Urban Belly" restaurant.
Chef Kim says the classes begin with asking where potatoes come from. He says that's because many city children don't even consider that their chips or fries come in a healthier, more natural form from the ground at a farm.
He tells them to have their parents take them to the produce sections at the grocery, or better still, to experience a farmer's market.
By the end of the course, the kids were making glazed pork, sauteed vegetables and a whole grain pizza dough. Thousands of children have gone through the school. And many say it's made a difference in their lives.
"We used to eat a lot of fast foods," said student Dominic Coleman. "And now my mom likes to cook a lot more because I'll bring home the recipes."
