UN Jamie Oliver's restaurant chains go into administration - Weird sobbing noises heard coming from the freezer.

Jamie Oliver chain collapse costs 1,000 jobs

The UK celebrity chef says he is "devastated" as his restaurant group goes into administration.

www.bbc.co.uk

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has said he is "saddened" after his restaurant group went into administration, putting up to 1,300 jobs at risk.
The group, which includes the Jamie's Italian chain, Barbecoa and Fifteen, has appointed KPMG as administrators.
In total, 25 restaurants are affected by the move, 23 of which are from the Jamie's Italian chain.
Mr Oliver said: "I appreciate how difficult this is for everyone affected."
'Passion'
"I would also like to thank all the customers who have enjoyed and supported us over the last decade, it's been a real pleasure serving you."
He added: "We launched Jamie's Italian in 2008 with the intention of positively disrupting mid-market dining in the UK High Street, with great value and much higher quality ingredients, best-in-class animal welfare standards and an amazing team who shared my passion for great food and service. And we did exactly that."

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Jamie Oliver Holdings, which operates Jamie Oliver Limited and Jamie Oliver Licensing Limited, as well as the international restaurant franchise business, Jamie's Italian International Limited, will continue to trade as normal.
Fifteen Cornwall, which operates under a franchise, is also unaffected.
Fame
Mr Oliver is known for his Naked Chef books and TV shows, broadcast in dozens of countries, after first being shown in the UK 20 years ago.
He has also campaigned for healthier eating, including in school meals.
His chain is the latest victim of a tough trading environment on the UK High Street.
Mr Oliver's business has faced difficulties over the past two years, with a number of Jamie's Italian and Barbecoa restaurants shutting.
In 2017, he closed the last of his Union Jacks restaurants and also shut his magazine Jamie, which had been running for almost 10 years.
In December of that year the chef also put £3m of his own money into his restaurant businesses.
'Keep evolving'
Simon Mydlowski, a partner at law firm Gordons and an expert in the hospitality industry, said Jamie's had failed to keep up with changing trends.
"To be successful in this sector you have to be constantly evolving - from the menus and the drinks choice, to the way you engage with customers."
"Faced with higher rent, rising food prices and increased competition, restaurants need a point of difference - it's no coincidence that smaller brands with the freedom and flexibility to keep things fresh are currently the ones performing well."

Guess you could say his business is ROTTEN!

 

[EasyPeasy]

Tight bastard wont use any of his £250 million fortune to save jobs, but then again his employees are mostly Euro-rats taking jobs from British people.

 

[Autisimodo]

More proof for why Jamie Oliver is the Virgin to Gordon Ramsey's Chad.

 

[break these cuffs]

What self respecting person would go to an Italian restaurant named Jamie's?

 

[Terminus Est]

Virgin Oliver Vs. Chad Ramsey

 

[Sprig of Parsley]

I'm not sure I completely buy the whole "You need to be constantly changing" bit. There are restaurants I swear by that I don't think have significantly changed their menus in YEARS. The one I liked that did change its menu significantly got rid of a few cocktails and desserts I thought were excellent and I was kind of pissed.

 

[CWCissey]

I'm not sure I completely buy the whole "You need to be constantly changing" bit. There are restaurants I swear by that I don't think have significantly changed their menus in YEARS. The one I liked that did change its menu significantly got rid of a few cocktails and desserts I thought were excellent and I was kind of pissed.

It's more to do with Jamie saturating the market with his shitty restaurants rather than having some fucking business sense and keeping steady.

 

[Haramburger]

I sympathize with the rising rent issue, this fucks small businesses like restaurants and bars up the worst, and why fast food franchises survive, by building their own shit brickhouses to not only facilitate drivethru but also not get fucked by jews on renting an existing building.

 

[Sprig of Parsley]

I sympathize with the rising rent issue, this fucks small businesses like restaurants and bars up the worst, and why fast food franchises survive, by building their own shit brickhouses to not only facilitate drivethru but also not get fucked by jews on renting an existing building.

Yeah restaurants tend to ride razor-thin profit margins, generally.

 

[SmileyTimeDayCare]

I'm not sure I completely buy the whole "You need to be constantly changing" bit. There are restaurants I swear by that I don't think have significantly changed their menus in YEARS. The one I liked that did change its menu significantly got rid of a few cocktails and desserts I thought were excellent and I was kind of pissed.

My favorite Italian restaurant in NY hasn't changed in like 60 years.

 

[Sprig of Parsley]

My favorite Italian restaurant in NY hasn't changed in like 60 years.

Pretty sure my favorite here hasn't altered the menu at all. They still have that fucking amazing tiramisu, most importantly. You don't fix what isn't broken.

 

[Capsaicin Addict]

Yeah restaurants tend to ride razor-thin profit margins, generally.

Not just generally; try 'always'. In fact, the first sign of economic ups and downs is the presence (or lack) of restaurants, since they cater to people with enough disposable income to eat out and tend to be sensitive to economic hiccups.

 

[MasterDisaster]

Even Gordon fucked up in his early days. He opened a restuarant in his home town and it went belly up; he admitted that he'd gotten pretentious in his fame and thought his name alone could propel him forward but his over-priced hoighty-toighty food drove people off.

 

[Bassomatic]

He's kinda a pompus fuck so I don't feel to bad but on sheer economic sense this shows you how hard this market is, big names like him can and do still fail even after a huge name and respectability.

Honestly, this could happen to ANY one in this market it's that savage. -sauce was a lender specializing in high risk stuff (restaurants were our big clients for a reason)

 

[Grotesque Bushes]

I went to Jamies' twice, was disappointed and dissatisfied at both counts. I don't understand this spiel about reinventing menus etc. - when I go to an italian restaurant I want a lasagna and tiramisu, most people go for the classics. Just keep your shit fresh, filling and reasonably priced and people will keep coming. From my experience Jamies' failed on the latter two, small wonder it went down.

 

[Clem Fandango]

I went to Jamies' twice, was disappointed and dissatisfied at both counts. I don't understand this spiel about reinventing menus etc. - when I go to an italian restaurant I want a lasagna and tiramisu, most people go for the classics. Just keep your shit fresh, filling and reasonably priced and people will keep coming. From my experience Jamies' failed on the latter two, small wonder it went down.

Went for a work Christmas do once. Christ that was depressing.

Has anyone been there and come away thinking it's anything other than just another Pizza Express, Zizzi, etc etc

 

[drtoboggan]

All I have to contribute to this is Jamie Oliver has a huge tongue and I have no idea how it fits inside his mouth.

 

[Foxxo]

I'm a bonehead, what does "go into administration" mean for restaurants?

 

[Meat Poultry Veg]

I'm a bonehead, what does "go into administration" mean for restaurants?

Brits are found of understatement and euphemism, so my guess is "Your business is fucked."

 

[melty]

People who like Italian food generally like the same boring carb shit over and over, obviously "reinventing" it isn't going to work. They just want their carbs and wine.