Jamie Oliver has reopened his Jamie's Italian restaurant in Leicester Square, London, seven years after the chain collapsed with £83m in debt and 1,000 job losses. The new flagship site is significantly smaller than previous locations, with a streamlined menu that excludes burgers and features cheaper cuts of meat.
Ed Loftus, global director of Jamie Oliver Restaurants, admitted to nerves about the relaunch. 'Bringing something back that’s failed in the eyes of the public and the trade... there were definitely nerves and a few sleepless nights,' he said. The team is determined not to repeat past mistakes, which included oversized venues and overly extensive menus.
The new menu offers starters from £8, pizzas and pastas from £13, and a sirloin steak at £29 as the most expensive main. Cheaper cuts, such as pork shoulder in the bolognese, help keep prices low. 'We aren’t giving people a huge amount of choice,' Loftus noted, adding that the focus is on being 'the best Italian option on the market' rather than competing in the mid-market burger segment.
Oliver was heavily involved in the opening, cooking in the kitchen daily and even taking calligraphy lessons to create a custom font for the restaurant's handwritten menus. Loftus described the project as 'one of the most emotional projects he’s ever done, being given a second chance.' Oliver's favourite dishes include spaghetti nero and a plank of meat and cheese.
The restaurant makes its pasta fresh on-site and avoids cream in its carbonara, adhering to the classic Roman recipe. Despite the careful planning, Loftus expressed concern about rising inflation and government policies affecting hospitality, calling for a VAT cut for all restaurants and bars.
