Jamie Oliver - Jamie's Italian etc

[decisionsindecisions]

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.

Hi puttanesca recipe is the worst thing I've ever tasted, the level of salt would put the Dead Sea to shame.

I am extremely sorry for all the people who have lost their job, but I cannot stand Jamie Oliver so have never been to any of his restaurants, or bought any of his products.

I'm sure he will still be a multi-millionaire for a very long time to come.

I thought the food was fine actually, for a chain anyway. Had some good and bad service but generally The staff were all really well trained and gave good customer service.

I ate lunch in Jamie's Italian once when it first opened in the Westfield Centre, and never returned. The food was mediocre and overpriced, and service was appalling.

Serving shit food and having poorly trained staff is never a good combination in such a competitive market.

I think Jamie’s Italian was probably good once, but it has been very poor in recent years.

That said, I do think he has changed the restaurant market with his model. Jamie’s Italian opened the door for the success of Wahaca, Dishoom, Refinery, etc.

The story behind the story is interesting. The restaurants business was run by Oliver's brother-in-law who does not have a spotless track record in business ventures.

From what I've read, I think Oliver might see a silver lining in this since it should mean having far fewer business dealings with the BIL.

Having written that, I had a quick google and found that the Daily Mail is all over the BIL angle.

The one at Gatwick is without a doubt the worst place I have eaten in my life - they served my dp a bowl of pasta that someone else had sent back (the waiter actually told us this). It’s saying something when the cafe rouge that was there before looks like a nice place to eat in comparison

Went to Jamie's Italian once and never again - over priced style over substance. Salad was a lettuce chopped in half on a plate. It's a quirky idea but really dull to eat. I can chop a lettuce in half at home for 35p. But I wouldn't, I'd make a decent salad that tasted nice.

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.

Other chains manage it though.

And that's why people choose chain restaurants - yes, they can be bland but on the other hand you know what you're going to get. At least that's the idea.

He did put in something like £13million of his own money last year to bail it out. Hasn’t worked.

To be fair to him many in his position would have kept their own money firmly ring-fenced from the business money. So he did try I suppose!

True, other chains do manage.

He should have tried by improving the food

He's so gutted for those 1000+ employees that he's keeping his £250million worth safe by letting them lose their jobs instead.

What a guy.

I have worked in the same field as the BIL many years ago. As you say he has not got a spotless record. Though I think they are a very close family and his DP often wax lyrical about both him & Jools on instagram.

The BIL was a sexist and narcissistic individual.

Isn't inedible food the fault of the chefs in the restaurants though?

Jamie’s Italian opened the door for the success of Wahaca, Dishoom, Refinery, etc.

What? Wahaca pre-dates Jamie’s, and I can’t see anything Dishoom has in common with it - Jamie’s was like a shit, more expensive Carluccio’s. Or Prezzo.

I'm not surprised. I went to work events at a few of his places, not my choice, and they were awful. Overcrowded, noisy, food was cold and not great. The local kebab shop would have been more fun.

Reading the posts here it's clear that the reason the JI chain has failed is that people went once, or twice, then chose not to return. Quick turnover middle range restaurants like the Oliver chain need repeat frequent flyer customers, but if you offer indifferent overpriced food you lose out on returners.

I’m no fan of Jamie’s Italian but you can’t say it was worse food than Bella Italia! That place is truly the pits.

I feel incredibly sorry for the people who worked there but the food was, for the most part, inedible

I always found the food really good. Better quality ingredients than you would otherwise expect for the price.

Generally poor service though which was clearly too little people working there as a cost control measure.

Bella Italia is a lot cheaper than Jamie's though, isn't it?

Once went to a Jamie's Italian. They said a 45 minute wait for a table, we said fine we'll wait in the pub opposite. They said we had to stay in their bar (which had nowhere to sit) or they wouldn't hold the table for us.

Ive only been in a Bella Italian once - I don’t remember it being nearly as bad as Jamie’s Italian

AssangesCat funnily enough as we left Jamie's Italian after a pretty mediocre lunch, my friend remarked "style over substance".

I wonder if Jamie Oliver ever wondered why his restaurants were losing customers and money.

The one near my old work was always full.

I’m surprised other places last longer on seemingly less than that