Just six months after his UK restaurant empire went into administration, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has announced the launch of a new global restaurant concept.
Called Jamie Oliver Kitchen, the all-day dining concept will be rolled out all over the world, starting in Bali and Bangkok this month.
Championing accessible dishes inspired by Oliver’s travels across the globe, the restaurants will cater to all dining occasions from morning pastries to after dinner drinks.
Given their international locations, the Jamie Oliver Kitchen sites will adapt their menus to incorporate local flavours and cooking techniques.
The interiors will be “relaxed and contemporary”, with each venue boasting an open kitchen, café area and counter-top dining.
“Over the past 20 years, I have travelled around the world to discover exciting flavour combinations, picking up incredible influences along the way. The new restaurants will bring those inspirations to life,” Oliver said.
“Whether you want to grab a quick bite in a relaxed setting, have a sit down meal with friends and family, or grab a drink at the bar, we have created a beautiful space for everyone to enjoy the food I love,” he added.
Paul Hunt, chief executive of The Jamie Oliver Group, added: “While diners around the world continue to enjoy our established brands, we wanted to create a concept that allows us to showcase the best of Jamie Oliver, while giving our franchise partners the flexibility to adapt menus to local tastes and trends.”
The first two Jamie Oliver Kitchenvenues will open at Kuta Beach in Bali and in the Siam Discovery shopping centre in Bangkok on 21 and 28 November respectively.
The Bali menu will include summer rolls and beef cheek cooked in Indonesian spices, while the Bangkok site will serve a soft shell crab burger with a green papaya salad and sriracha mayo; and slow cooked short rib cooked in massaman spices.
Both are run by franchise partner HPL and were previously Jamie’s Italian sites. A further 19 openings are planned for 2020.
The Jamie Oliver Group operates 70 restaurants in 27 markets, collaborating with 20 franchise partners. Among the brands in the chef’s international restaurant portfolio are Jamie’s Italian, Jamie Oliver’s Pizzeria, Jamie’s Deliand Jamie Oliver’s Diner.
In May Oliver’s UK restaurant business, including his flagship Fiftteen and Barbecoa sites, went into administration, putting 1,300 jobs at risk.
