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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Jamie Oliver - Jamie's Italian etc

157 replies

decisionsindecisions · 21/05/2019 16:11

AIBU to not be at all surprised about the collapse of his restaurant chains?

I feel incredibly sorry for the people who worked there but the food was, for the most part, inedible. His food on his tv shows always looks fantastic but unfortunately this did not seem to translate into his restaurants, particularly Jamie's Italian.

Obviously he was just the "brand" to get people through the door but if the food is shite then the business was sure to fail.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 21/05/2019 16:13

I have never been to one, never wanted to line his pockets.

V sad for people losing their jobs.

Sexnotgender · 21/05/2019 16:14

I heard very mediocre things about the restaurants, never been to one.

Sad that people are losing their jobs though.

FunkyColdMedina19 · 21/05/2019 16:14

Same here. Feel very sad for the people losing their jobs but the food was over priced and subpar. Can't stand that smarmy man anyway!

Atalune · 21/05/2019 16:15

Jamie’s Italian was overpriced for what it was which was a shame, tiny portions too. He did put in something like £13million of his own money last year to bail it out. Hasn’t worked.

I have been to 15 in Cornwall though and it’s amazing!

Kernobhead · 21/05/2019 16:15

The food was awful, really salty to the point of being inedible. Service not great, and fussy tables and serving dishes etc.

Feel for the staff, but it’s not come as much if a surprise.

Sparklingbrook · 21/05/2019 16:15

He says this on Twitter

I’m devastated that our much-loved UK restaurants have gone into administration. I am deeply saddened by this outcome and would like to thank all of the people who have put their hearts and souls into this business over the years. Jamie Oliver

Was it a surprise to him?

Crunchymum · 21/05/2019 16:16

Fifteen in London was fab.

Jamie's Italian was mediocre at best.

PinkHeartLovesCake · 21/05/2019 16:16

It was always going to fail. The brand will only take something so far, to last it needs to provide what it does well and unfortunately Jamie’s Italian didn’t do that.

Shame people will lose jobs though

RussellSprout · 21/05/2019 16:19

Got overcharged for a bowl of essentially pasta and cheese there recently, £15 I'll never see again plus drinks/tip etc.

Quintella · 21/05/2019 16:21

I only ate in a Jamie's Italian once. Food was nothing to write home about and it was expensive enough. Not the kind of money I want to spend in a chain restaurant.

IcedPurple · 21/05/2019 16:21

Sorry for anyone losing their jobs, but the restaurants were overpriced consdiering they were serving bog-standard pizza and pasta that you can get anywhere.

Plus the whole 'celebrity chef' thing is a bit last decade, so customers will want more than Jamie's name and smug gob for their money.

PerfectPeony2 · 21/05/2019 16:23

I actually don’t think it’s the food. I’ve always thought the food is nice just ridiculously overpriced when you can go somewhere like Prezzo instead.

Sgtmajormummy · 21/05/2019 16:23

Didn’t he offer jobs in Jamie’s Italian to help offer a fresh start to the homeless or young people fresh from a stint in prison? It’s a shame if that opportunity has been lost.
I know Saint Jamie Oliver can be a bit overbearing but his heart’s In the right place.

IcedPurple · 21/05/2019 16:24

@Sparklingbrook

Plus, the restaurants can't have been 'much-loved' if the business has gone bust!

Quintella · 21/05/2019 16:24

I hope this doesn't put any smaller food suppliers out of business

Sparklingbrook · 21/05/2019 16:25

Yes exactly Iced, it's all a bit confusing.

BarnabasTheMaineCoon · 21/05/2019 16:25

He's such a wanker. He'll be just fine. Just bought a £10m spread in Essex after bitching that he'd leave if Brexit occurred. We should be so luck.

TheQueef · 21/05/2019 16:26

He gets my dander up but I can't crib him because he tried to help.
I wonder how many of the staff have criminal records and will be hard to employ.

Thisnamechanger · 21/05/2019 16:27

I loved JOI but I can see it was pricey. I actually really like JO. Rewatched school Dinner's the other day and I think he did do a lot of good starting those conversations. Biased though as am from Essex. Grin

Original poster
decisionsindecisions · 21/05/2019 16:27

I went to Jamie's Italian in Nottingham twice. The first time was kind of ok but the second time was terrible. The service was dire but this was probably a result of a lack of training. The staff were, at best, disinterested and at worst rude. The food was either bland, cold, too salty or it took that long to arrive that you were wondering if they had forgotten your order.

A lot of Jamie's tv shows focus on italian food/fresh ingredients and it's just a shame that this was not replicated in his restaurants.

OP posts:
OnlyFoolsnMothers · 21/05/2019 16:29

love his shows
love his books
love his stance/ work with school dinners

BUT his restaurants were crap- well the chains were- I dont think its unreasonable for people to expect decent food and service if they are forking out to eat out. So sorry to everyone that lost their jobs but good riddance, the public arent fools.

Quintella · 21/05/2019 16:29

When you've got a chain of 25 or so restaurants it's going to be a pretty tough task to ensure that the quality remains the same throughout.

Sparklingbrook · 21/05/2019 16:29

I only really liked him in the very beginning when he lived in the flat, slid down the bannister and drove his moped to get the shopping in. Bish bash bosh etc. Naked Chef was it?

He's totally unrelatable now. Plus he said breastfeeding was easy. Hmm

Undies1990 · 21/05/2019 16:30

I've been to Jamie's in Gatwick airport - very expensive and not worth the money. They have a lot of staff who work really hard with long hours so I feel for them, not Jamie.

CigarsofthePharoahs · 21/05/2019 16:31

I went in what used to be our local JI twice.
It was overpriced, the portions were small and food quality was meh.
The staff looked overworked and harassed and service was slow. We only went the 2nd time due to what looked like a good lunch offer that wasn't.
It was also a very stupid place to put an Italian restaurant that was mediocre. There is a pizza express, Bella Italia and a Strada all within sight and all did better food at lower prices.