HUNTINGTON -- Jamie Oliver doesn't proclaim to be a miracle worker, nor does he have all of the answers to America's obesity problem.

But the celebrity chef says he can arm schools, churches and community and government leaders with the knowledge to make healthy choices that will have a lasting impact.

"Everyone will say they are doing a lot now and trying their hardest to improve eating habits here," Oliver said during a community meeting Wednesday night at Huntington City Hall. "Ultimately, we have to be honest with ourselves and say, 'No, we can do a lot more.' "

Oliver gave an audience of approximately 150 people more details about an unscripted television series that will focus on improving Huntington's eating habits and air on ABC early next year.

Oliver became known to American audiences through his Food Network cooking show, "The Naked Chef." The reality-based series will lean more toward "Jamie's School Dinners," a British television series about Oliver's efforts in his native England to remove unhealthy food from school cafeterias.

He also mentioned that the show may address the availability of fresh produce at local grocery stores and the growth of fast-food restaurants.

Oliver immediately addressed two questions that have been widely discussed since news of the show broke: Why was Huntington chosen and how will it be portrayed?

He cited news reports last year that labeled Huntington as the unhealthiest city in America.

"This is also the unhealthiest country in the world," he said.

Oliver said he knows some people are fearful that the show will use negative stereotypes to portray Huntington and West Virginia as a whole.

"I don't get the whole north, south, east west thing. I don't even know what a hillbilly is," he said. "I want you to feel like you're in good hands, really."

But the show won't be "sparkly or pretty" either, Oliver said.

"It's not worth anything unless it has legs to continue on past that," he said.

Oliver will live in Huntington for the next two to three months as he looks for "local ambassadors" to help carry out his mission. The thrust of that includes changing kids' eating habits in school and the home, he said.

Targeting schools is a sure-fire way to feed kids a decent breakfast and lunch and teach them how to cook nutritious meals, Oliver said.

"I also think this may be the first generation where the kids teach the parents," he said.

That struck a chord with Proctorville resident Dee Necco, who brought her 7-year-old daughter, Sophia, to the town hall meeting. Sophia Necco brought a copy of her school lunch menu from Chesapeake Elementary School. The menu included items such as funnel cakes, miniature corn dogs, hamburgers and hot dogs.

"He's right about children being the agent for change," Dee Necco said. "My daughter will call me out every time I try to eat something unhealthy."

Some audience members spoke of a lack of fresh produce at local grocery stores, while others said that the fast food and processed food industries give Americans a head start toward a life of obesity.

Oliver responded that he's not going into filming thinking he can eliminate fast food or processed food. But there can be a balance, he said. He noted that a local Hardee's has agreed to consider adding healthy items to its menu.

Oliver said he will open a food center of sorts at 1 p.m. Friday at Pullman Square that will provide meal plans and show people how to prepare food in a healthy way. The center will take a while to get up and running, but he hopes it will eventually be staffed by local residents.

"I really think we can tell a story here that inspires towns across the country," he said. "If we don't get it right, then shame on me."

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