Jamie Oliver to bring back Jamie’s Italian in the UK next year
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is to relaunch his restaurant chain in the UK in 2026, seven years after its dramatic collapse.
Jamie’s Italian is to be relaunched after a deal was reached between Oliver and Cain International-backed Brava Hospitality Group, which owns Prezzo.
The chain operated around 40 sites across the UK at its height but started to shutter locations in 2017 as part of a restructuring project.
Two years later, Jamie’s Italian collapsed into administration with the loss of around 1,000 jobs.
In an email to staff at the time, Jamie Oliver blamed “the well-publicised struggles of the casual dining sector and decline of the UK high street, along with soaring business rates”.
It is expected that the first new Jamie’s Italian will open in London’s Leicester Square in the Spring.
Despite the collapse of Jamie’s Italian in 2019, Jamie Oliver still has around 70 restaurants around the world run by franchise partners.
In a statement, Brava Hospitality Group chief executive James Brown said: “This brand has always stood for more than great food, it’s about community, people, and purpose. That’s why this next chapter feels so meaningful.”
Ed Loftus, global director of Jamie Oliver Restaurants, said: “Partnering with Brava, backed by Cain International, marks an exciting next chapter for Jamie Oliver Restaurants in the UK.
“This partnership brings together one of the world’s most recognised chefs with a highly capable operator and the long-term investment to build something with real longevity.
“We’ve taken the time to reintroduce Jamie’s Italian in a way that feels modern and focused, a tighter menu, a renewed emphasis on fresh pasta and quality ingredients, and warm, straightforward hospitality.
“Our priority is making the first location exceptional; the public will ultimately determine how quickly and how far we grow.”
Profit slips at Jamie Oliver’s business empire
In October, Morning Wire reported that Jamie Oliver and his wife Jools took home £2m less in 2024 as profit slipped at the TV chef’s business empire.
The couple paid themselves a dividend of £500,000 for the year, down from the £2.5m they received for 2023.
That figure was significantly lower than the £6.8m they took home in 2022.
A spokesperson for the Jamie Oliver Group said at the time that the £6.8m dividend had been approved after profits rose by 17.5 per cent to £7.7m in 2022.
Accounts filed with Companies House revealed in October that the group’s pre-tax profit fell from £3.5m to £3.1m in 2024 while its turnover increased from £27m to £28.5m.
The business includes all of Jamie Oliver’s media interests such as TV and digital production, book publishing, endorsements and royalty streams.
From royalties, endorsements and licensing, the group’s turnover fell from £18.3m to £17.6m in 2024.
Its income from production also declined from £3.7m to £2.1m.
However, its turnover from owned and operated restaurants surged from £335,983 to £3.6m.
Its cookery school income rose from £986,433 to £1m while franchise turnover went from £3.6m to £3.7m.