Leen Ali-Hasan Daoud is an advocate for healthy eating through her interactive Lunchbox Talk, where she challenges parents to think about unhealthy eating habits and to adopt healthier ways of eating as the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution  Ambassador for Jordan. She is also the CMO & partner of leading commercial foodservice & laundry equipment company Awar, as well as co-owns and manages KitchenAid Jordan. Her daily life inescapably revolves around the kitchen.

360:  Tell us about yourself and your lovely family.

My husband, Amin, and I have been married for over 11 years and have been blessed with three beautiful children — Mia, six; Joud, three; and Karim, one.

360:  You are an advocate for good, clean food. How did that interest start?

When I had my first daughter, Mia, I was adamant about doing everything right when it came to feeding — like most first-time mothers. I decided to breastfeed her exclusively because I didn't like not understanding what ingredients were in infant formula. When it came to making decisions about first foods, I started hyper-researching on what to feed her. Since most of the resources I was reading were from the UK or US, they outlined the harms of pesticide-laden foods. My research pushed me to start looking for other options. 

For instance, I read somewhere banana skins retained many pesticides, so I made sure I always peeled the bananas and washed my hands after handling them. I also started looking at frozen imported produce due to the lack of information about the produce in my country (although I always prefer buying local if I can). My options were limited, so vinegar and baking soda became my best friends! When I had Karim in 2014, I suddenly found so many more options than the first time around. I was then spending weekend mornings at organic farmer's markets. How lucky we are to know where our food comes from! There are so many wonderful people in Jordan who are passionate about food and feeding people responsibly, but finding them isn't always easy. But I now see a very bright future ahead for our children. I will definitely be encouraging my kids to consider an education in food or agriculture — something our community will benefit from.

“Sometimes I find myself in my car, huddling over my laptop, sipping my cold morning coffee, eating my lunch, chatting over a conference call and waiting for my daughter to finish gymnastics practice! But it's oh-so-satisfying at the end of the day! ”

360:  It’s impressive to hear that you are an Ambassador for Jamie Oliver’s Global Initiative. What are your goals behind it? And how do you think it will affect the coming generation?

Jamie Oliver is a true inspiration!  My husband and I met him at the BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham, the UK in 2008, where a series of unlikely events led to us having breakfast with him. He was currently launching his book The Ministry of Food, which teaches people how not to be intimidated by the kitchen and cooking. This little book later fueled his mega-successful Food Revolution Day, where food education events all around the world take place on the same day. I just had to be part of it! Now, as his ambassador to Jordan, I am blessed to have access to all the necessary resources, tools and an incredible ambassador community. As I organize and participate in food education events in nurseries and schools, I realize adults unintentionally tend to hide the beauty of true, good food from our kids. It’s wonderful to be able to teach adults and kids where their food comes from, how it grows and what it looks, feels and smells like before it gets pureed and hidden in their food. I’m excited to be a part of this work.

360:  What is your favorite family recipe from Jamie Oliver?

Oh, so many! Mainly the basics that I learned from him after watching him on one of his first TV shows, The Naked Chef — a title that perfectly reflects his style of cooking! Each ingredient is really "naked;" his recipes don't require a full page, just a few simple products, and they come together in a very uncomplicated way to make a good, hearty meal. These recipes include his simple porridge, oven-roasted chicken, smoothies and home-baked bread. These form the basis of my cooking.

360:  As a working mother, how do you manage to balance work and family life? And what is your greatest challenge so far?

Balancing work and family life is my greatest challenge. Owning and managing three businesses, being a founding member of the NGO Tobacco Free Jordan, working as an ambassador for Jamie Oliver Food Revolution and all my kids' in-school and out-of-school activities — it’s a mouthful just trying to say it all! I try to see how and where my commitments can cross-over and merge them whenever I can. Sometimes I find myself in my car, huddling over my laptop, sipping my cold morning coffee, eating my lunch, chatting over a conference call and waiting for my daughter to finish gymnastics practice! But it's oh-so-satisfying at the end of the day!

360:  What has been your greatest achievement after becoming a mother?

This is probably one of the toughest questions I have ever been asked! I would have liked to say nursing my three children each for a year, but sadly, my greatest achievement was coping with the loss of my father right before Mia's second birthday. He was young and seemed very strong and healthy; he passed away due to a massive heart attack. His love for my daughter was indescribable; his mentorship, persona — he was just an incredible source of strength and happiness for so many people. I was overwhelmed by the resilience that overcame me after losing him. My instinct was to pick up everything and everyone as they fell. With motherhood, the loss of a parent becomes even greater because you carry the loss for your children as well. You know what they will miss, and for me, that was an incredible achievement — to be thankful for every minute I had with him. He filled my daughter with a lifetime’s worth of love in barely two years.

360:  Can you tell us about your health education workshop? Who are you targeting? What do you hope to achieve?

I am working on several different projects with many local partners in the food industry in Jordan. Most workshops involve kids learning about produce and how/what they eat. When kids are the main focus, it’s imperative to teach parents about how to buy responsibly, reading food labels and what foods to avoid. Most importantly, I want people to know how to read into all the marketing and publicity masking harmful foods by labeling them "low-fat" and "sugar-free." This doesn’t mean they’re healthy! Every year, on Food Revolution Day, we hold cooking sessions in schools with as many kids as we can involve. In the past two years, I have been very lucky to get a virtual pat on the back from Jamie Oliver himself and get Jordan recognized as an active participant through our efforts on social media. This helps spread the word beyond our reach.

360:  What kind of advice would you share with other moms?

You are a supermom! Whoever says you can't do everything doesn't have a cape as shiny as yours! Set your goals high, organize your life and follow your dreams for you and your children. Always keep your kids as a top priority and lead by example; they learn from what you do, not what you say! If things don't go your way, it’s still better than not trying. And tomorrow is always a new day!