Controversial Aussie celebrity chef and US politician’s collaboration sparks debate
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In a surprising turn of events that has stirred up both curiosity and controversy, a well-known political figure has teamed up with a controversial Aussie celebrity chef to create a unique project aimed at families.
The collaboration, which has sparked considerable interest, brings together the worlds of health, cooking, and family life.
The project has already caught the attention of many, raising questions about its potential impact on the public.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a prominent figure in the anti-vaccine movement, has joined forces with former Australian TV chef Pete Evans, who shares similar views, to create a cookbook aimed at improving the diets of children.
This partnership has raised eyebrows not only because of their shared stance on vaccinations but also due to the past controversies surrounding both individuals.
The cookbook, titled Healthy Food for Healthy Kids, is set to feature 120 ‘paleo- and keto-friendly meals that your kid will love’.
The book is scheduled for release on January 28 by Kennedy's activist group, the Children's Health Defense.
The release marks Evans' return to the culinary scene after his previous publisher, Pan MacMillan, severed ties with him over a social media post that included a neo-Nazi symbol.
This follows the controversy surrounding his previous child-focused cookbook, Bubba Yum Yum: The Paleo Way, which faced backlash and a delayed release due to accusations of promoting a restrictive and potentially harmful diet.
Evans credited his close friend RFK Jr. with securing the deal after revealing the upcoming launch to his 41,000 followers on the Telegram messaging app.
‘So pleased and thankful that Robert Kennedy Jr set this up for me, with his Children's Health Defence team,’ the 51-year-old said.
‘Stay tuned for more.’
Since joining Donald Trump's campaign in August, Kennedy has become one of the president-elect's most loyal and trusted advisors, even sharing McDonald's with Trump, his eldest son Don Jr, and Elon Musk.
Kennedy, who has pledged to reform America's health organisations if confirmed as Trump's health secretary by the Senate, was also seen ringside with Republican leader and podcaster Joe Rogan.
Evans declined to discuss the specifics of the publishing deal when reached on Tuesday, November 19.
The former Channel Seven star has been at the centre of ongoing controversy and unwanted attention since being dropped from his $800,000-a-year role hosting the network's popular reality show My Kitchen Rules in May 2020.
By then, Evans had already begun aligning himself with Kennedy, sharing a selfie of them together online and commending the ‘important work’ of the outspoken anti-vaxxer and his Children's Health Defense.
Now free from the restrictions of mainstream network television, he has started posting increasingly controversial views on vaccines and the coronavirus pandemic.
In July 2020, Evans caused outrage by falsely claiming that COVID-19 was a ‘f****** hoax’ and that the pandemic ‘doesn't compare to what is happening in the world on a large scale’.
After publishing several cookbooks, Pan Macmillan ended its partnership with Evans in November of that year following his post of an offensive cartoon.
The cartoon captioned, ‘an oldie but a Goldie’, shared with his 1.5 million social media followers, featured a caterpillar wearing a Make America Great Again hat speaking to a black butterfly with a ‘Black Sun’ symbol on its wing.
This symbol, also known as the sonnenrad, has been adopted by neo-Nazis and was featured in the Christchurch terrorist's manifesto during the 2019 massacre.
‘Pan Macmillan does not support the recent posts made by Pete Evans,’ the publisher said at the time.
‘Those views are not our views as a company or the views of our staff.’
‘If any retailer wishes to return Pete Evans' book, please contact Pan Macmillan,’ they added.
Following the post, retailers such as Big W, Coles, Dymocks, Kmart, and Booktopia announced they would no longer stock his products.
Evans initially acknowledged the symbol's presence in the cartoon after someone pointed it out on social media, responding, ‘I was waiting for someone to see that.’
However, he later stated that ‘an image can represent so many things to so many’ and clarified that he did not support white supremacy or Nazism, eventually apologising to those who had ‘misinterpreted’ the cartoon.
‘Sincere apologies to anyone who misinterpreted a previous post of a caterpillar and a butterfly having a chat over a drink and perceived that I was promoting hatred,’ the celebrity chef stated.
‘I look forward to studying all of the symbols that have ever existed and research them thoroughly before posting.’
The controversy had significant consequences for Evans, leading to Channel Ten firing him just before he was set to begin filming for their reality survival show, I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!
The following month, Facebook permanently deleted his page, which had over a million followers, after determining he had consistently violated the platform's misinformation policies with his controversial posts.
‘We removed Pete Evans' account for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines,’ the social media giant stated following the move.
The company also removed his Instagram account the following February for the same reasons, although he has since quietly rejoined the platform.
Since being ‘cancelled’, Evans and his model wife, Nicola, have lived a mostly secluded life on their farm near Byron Bay.
Kennedy's Children Health Defense, a group that describes itself as a ‘children health protection and advocacy group’, has faced criticism for promoting misinformation about vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The group's influence has waned since Kennedy resigned as its Chair and Chief Litigation Counsel in April following his announcement to run for US president.
After withdrawing from the race in August, Kennedy became a strong supporter of Donald Trump, encouraging his followers to back the businessman with the slogan ‘Make America Healthy Again’.
Last week, Trump nominated Kennedy as his health secretary, tasked with overseeing the nation's health agencies and their multi-trillion-dollar budgets, despite concerns over his staunch anti-vaccine views and his promise to remove fluoride from drinking water.
Kennedy has claimed that vaccines are linked to autism and that fluoride causes arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, and IQ loss—despite scientific evidence disproving these claims.
His cousin, Caroline Kennedy, the outgoing US Ambassador to Australia, is one of those who has warned the US Senate not to confirm his nomination.
‘I think Kennedy's views on vaccines are dangerous, and I don't think most Americans share them,’ she said in a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra on Monday, November 18.
‘You know, I grew up with him. So, I have known all this for a long time, and others are just getting to know him.’
The ambassador stated that the rest of her family stood united in support of the US public health sector, with Kennedy being an exception within the political family.
‘My uncle Teddy [Kennedy] spent 50 years fighting for affordable health care in the Senate, and it's something that our whole family is so proud of, that President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act and built on the work that my uncle had done over many years, she shared.
‘I would say that our family is united in terms of our support for the public health sector and infrastructure and has the greatest admiration for the medical profession in our country.’
‘Bobby Kennedy has got a different set of views,’ Ms Kennedy added.
As public figures continue to make waves with their controversial projects, another high-profile chef's children's book has also found itself at the centre of criticism.
While Pete Evans' and Robert Kennedy Jr’s latest cookbook stirred up debate over their association with anti-vaccine ideologies, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's new release has been pulled from shelves following backlash over a subplot involving Indigenous Australians.
This latest controversy highlights how children's literature, especially when created by well-known figures, can quickly spark intense public scrutiny.
We'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Have you encountered similar controversies in the realm of health and nutrition? How do you ensure that the dietary advice you follow for your family is safe and beneficial? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below.
The collaboration, which has sparked considerable interest, brings together the worlds of health, cooking, and family life.
The project has already caught the attention of many, raising questions about its potential impact on the public.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a prominent figure in the anti-vaccine movement, has joined forces with former Australian TV chef Pete Evans, who shares similar views, to create a cookbook aimed at improving the diets of children.
This partnership has raised eyebrows not only because of their shared stance on vaccinations but also due to the past controversies surrounding both individuals.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr has teamed up with controversial chef Pete Evans to co-author Healthy Food for Healthy Kids, a cookbook for children. Credit: Instagram / Chef Pete Evans
The cookbook, titled Healthy Food for Healthy Kids, is set to feature 120 ‘paleo- and keto-friendly meals that your kid will love’.
The book is scheduled for release on January 28 by Kennedy's activist group, the Children's Health Defense.
The release marks Evans' return to the culinary scene after his previous publisher, Pan MacMillan, severed ties with him over a social media post that included a neo-Nazi symbol.
This follows the controversy surrounding his previous child-focused cookbook, Bubba Yum Yum: The Paleo Way, which faced backlash and a delayed release due to accusations of promoting a restrictive and potentially harmful diet.
Evans credited his close friend RFK Jr. with securing the deal after revealing the upcoming launch to his 41,000 followers on the Telegram messaging app.
‘So pleased and thankful that Robert Kennedy Jr set this up for me, with his Children's Health Defence team,’ the 51-year-old said.
‘Stay tuned for more.’
Since joining Donald Trump's campaign in August, Kennedy has become one of the president-elect's most loyal and trusted advisors, even sharing McDonald's with Trump, his eldest son Don Jr, and Elon Musk.
Kennedy, who has pledged to reform America's health organisations if confirmed as Trump's health secretary by the Senate, was also seen ringside with Republican leader and podcaster Joe Rogan.
Evans declined to discuss the specifics of the publishing deal when reached on Tuesday, November 19.
The former Channel Seven star has been at the centre of ongoing controversy and unwanted attention since being dropped from his $800,000-a-year role hosting the network's popular reality show My Kitchen Rules in May 2020.
By then, Evans had already begun aligning himself with Kennedy, sharing a selfie of them together online and commending the ‘important work’ of the outspoken anti-vaxxer and his Children's Health Defense.
Now free from the restrictions of mainstream network television, he has started posting increasingly controversial views on vaccines and the coronavirus pandemic.
In July 2020, Evans caused outrage by falsely claiming that COVID-19 was a ‘f****** hoax’ and that the pandemic ‘doesn't compare to what is happening in the world on a large scale’.
After publishing several cookbooks, Pan Macmillan ended its partnership with Evans in November of that year following his post of an offensive cartoon.
The cartoon captioned, ‘an oldie but a Goldie’, shared with his 1.5 million social media followers, featured a caterpillar wearing a Make America Great Again hat speaking to a black butterfly with a ‘Black Sun’ symbol on its wing.
This symbol, also known as the sonnenrad, has been adopted by neo-Nazis and was featured in the Christchurch terrorist's manifesto during the 2019 massacre.
‘Pan Macmillan does not support the recent posts made by Pete Evans,’ the publisher said at the time.
‘Those views are not our views as a company or the views of our staff.’
‘If any retailer wishes to return Pete Evans' book, please contact Pan Macmillan,’ they added.
Following the post, retailers such as Big W, Coles, Dymocks, Kmart, and Booktopia announced they would no longer stock his products.
Evans initially acknowledged the symbol's presence in the cartoon after someone pointed it out on social media, responding, ‘I was waiting for someone to see that.’
However, he later stated that ‘an image can represent so many things to so many’ and clarified that he did not support white supremacy or Nazism, eventually apologising to those who had ‘misinterpreted’ the cartoon.
‘Sincere apologies to anyone who misinterpreted a previous post of a caterpillar and a butterfly having a chat over a drink and perceived that I was promoting hatred,’ the celebrity chef stated.
‘I look forward to studying all of the symbols that have ever existed and research them thoroughly before posting.’
The controversy had significant consequences for Evans, leading to Channel Ten firing him just before he was set to begin filming for their reality survival show, I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!
The following month, Facebook permanently deleted his page, which had over a million followers, after determining he had consistently violated the platform's misinformation policies with his controversial posts.
‘We removed Pete Evans' account for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines,’ the social media giant stated following the move.
The company also removed his Instagram account the following February for the same reasons, although he has since quietly rejoined the platform.
Since being ‘cancelled’, Evans and his model wife, Nicola, have lived a mostly secluded life on their farm near Byron Bay.
Kennedy's Children Health Defense, a group that describes itself as a ‘children health protection and advocacy group’, has faced criticism for promoting misinformation about vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The group's influence has waned since Kennedy resigned as its Chair and Chief Litigation Counsel in April following his announcement to run for US president.
After withdrawing from the race in August, Kennedy became a strong supporter of Donald Trump, encouraging his followers to back the businessman with the slogan ‘Make America Healthy Again’.
Last week, Trump nominated Kennedy as his health secretary, tasked with overseeing the nation's health agencies and their multi-trillion-dollar budgets, despite concerns over his staunch anti-vaccine views and his promise to remove fluoride from drinking water.
Kennedy has claimed that vaccines are linked to autism and that fluoride causes arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, and IQ loss—despite scientific evidence disproving these claims.
His cousin, Caroline Kennedy, the outgoing US Ambassador to Australia, is one of those who has warned the US Senate not to confirm his nomination.
‘I think Kennedy's views on vaccines are dangerous, and I don't think most Americans share them,’ she said in a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra on Monday, November 18.
‘You know, I grew up with him. So, I have known all this for a long time, and others are just getting to know him.’
The ambassador stated that the rest of her family stood united in support of the US public health sector, with Kennedy being an exception within the political family.
‘My uncle Teddy [Kennedy] spent 50 years fighting for affordable health care in the Senate, and it's something that our whole family is so proud of, that President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act and built on the work that my uncle had done over many years, she shared.
‘I would say that our family is united in terms of our support for the public health sector and infrastructure and has the greatest admiration for the medical profession in our country.’
‘Bobby Kennedy has got a different set of views,’ Ms Kennedy added.
As public figures continue to make waves with their controversial projects, another high-profile chef's children's book has also found itself at the centre of criticism.
While Pete Evans' and Robert Kennedy Jr’s latest cookbook stirred up debate over their association with anti-vaccine ideologies, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's new release has been pulled from shelves following backlash over a subplot involving Indigenous Australians.
This latest controversy highlights how children's literature, especially when created by well-known figures, can quickly spark intense public scrutiny.
