The major factor he forgot was that the man who took turkey twizzlers away from a generation, forgot that they would grow up, never forgive him, and never be his customers. 064.gif
Quote from: bobby01 on May 22, 2019, 08:43:52 AM
The major factor he forgot was that the man who took turkey twizzlers away from a generation, forgot that they would grow up, never forgive him, and never be his customers. 064.gif
And trying to get buy one get one free pizza's banned. Students will never forgive him.
Never find it funny when businesses fail, people lose jobs and homes.
Quote from: gang on May 22, 2019, 09:25:01 AM
Never find it funny when businesses fail, people lose jobs and homes.
I don't think that was the butt of the joke though mate.....
I suspect that the main reason they failed was the fact that the food was slightly worse than a succesful raid on the Marks & Spencer ready meal cabinet.
Quote from: The Old Count on May 22, 2019, 09:56:40 AM
I suspect that the main reason they failed was the fact that the food was slightly worse than a succesful raid on the Marks & Spencer ready meal cabinet.
Totally agree went once and it was awful and over priced so never went back!
I just think they lost sight of their early brand values. Ten (or whatever number it was) appealed because he was employing out of work youngsters and giving them a chance in life. Later on we had Jamie's Italian everywhere, even in Dubai. It was a bloated, over extended franchise and, I agree, the quality dropped away disastrously too.
He overstretched. Opened too many restaurants in too many places in uk and the world. There is even one here in Qatar.
Quote from: KJS on May 22, 2019, 10:08:56 AM
Quote from: The Old Count on May 22, 2019, 09:56:40 AM
I suspect that the main reason they failed was the fact that the food was slightly worse than a succesful raid on the Marks & Spencer ready meal cabinet.
Totally agree went once and it was awful and over priced so never went back!
Sorry to hear of business failure but on the other hand it is good to know that customers are demanding quality rather than jus a name.
It's very sad but trying to be everything to everyone is always destined to fail. He put a lot of his own money in as well and lost so sadly it's back to square one
Quote from: Andy S on May 22, 2019, 10:42:20 AM
It's very sad but trying to be everything to everyone is always destined to fail. He put a lot of his own money in as well and lost so sadly it's back to square one
He still does hugely well with his books so he'll be ok. Sure he start up another chain of sorts, maybe less ambitious and more towards his roots.
I worked in the catering industry as a butcher supplying some top chefs in London and from past dealings with him
and working with people who have at some point worked with him, (including a family member) he is so far up himself
he could see the back of his tonsils.
The ones i feel sorry for are the staff who due to his ego and poor management will now suffer.
Yet he will continue to make over priced food (due to his name).
I remember seeing last year he owed £70million in debt and to his staff £2million.
As you may guess im not a fan..!!
A close pal was a Chef who worked in top hotels in Channel Islands,he once told me when you see Oliver on a cooking programme its all made up bullpoo and pr.
They once had to take about 8 goes for him to get a sauce right,my pal said he wouldn't have him washing the pots in his kitchen.
Oliver is a bit like these Boy Bands,untalented but cause they got a pretty face,they are marketed for certain folks to make money.
Quote from: Syd Cupp on May 22, 2019, 01:03:48 PM
I worked in the catering industry as a butcher supplying some top chefs in London and from past dealings with him
and working with people who have at some point worked with him, (including a family member) he is so far up himself
he could see the back of his tonsils.
The ones i feel sorry for are the staff who due to his ego and poor management will now suffer.
Yet he will continue to make over priced food (due to his name).
I remember seeing last year he owed £70million in debt and to his staff £2million.
As you may guess im not a fan..!!
He comes across as trying to be too nice when in fact he probably isn't - it's all a bit forced with him.
He wants to get that Gordon Ramsey in he helps save failing restaurants, seen it on tv
I supply restaurants and hotels with fruit and veg and can tell you its not just the staff that get hurt
I know 2 suppliers who are probably in for half a million each
That sort of debt closes other companies and makes even more people lose their jobs
I quite agree the food was poor but like all these Chefs with brand names he is nowhere near the business, he just sits on the meetings at board level
Its a mixture of many things, high rents, being run by venture capitalists who couldnt butter a sandwich
Ultimately is also people like Deliveroo and Uber who take about 30% of the total bill (including VAt) from the restaurants that are a big factor in all the troubles they are in
Poeple dont go out and buy a bottle of wine or water so the restaurants are missing out on all the add ons to the final bill
I wouldn't want to belittle anyone else's info but having worked with him for a few years now and was close to people who worked with him since his first cookbook, people only had good things to say about him. Very passionate guy, keen, ambitious, energetic verging on the irritating but overall, a guy whose heart is in the right place. He's also a very good chef to boot. I've never been on the other side of his business personality ie him buying stuff from us so maybe he's different there but I wouldn't say some of the stuff above is accurate.
Quote from: gang on May 22, 2019, 09:25:01 AM
Never find it funny when businesses fail, people lose jobs and homes.
Won't affect smug Jamie, but not nice for his staff.
He has ruffled a lot of feathers with his comments so
no surprise really.And is showing us how to prepare cheap meals .
But people do not seem to go out no more too busy on social media
Quite happy to get junk food delivered and watch crap reality T.V.
To be honest , branding is more than a name. You might be attracted by the name once, but you return because of the values, standards and quality of the brand. A name is one thing, but a culture of quality is another.
Whether he expanded it too quick , I can't say but a slower approach, upholding standards throughout May have been better instead of diluting the quality of restaurants to increase the quantity. Perhaps he thought his name would carry more weight and hence opened up in tourist areas everywhere
Quote from: sunburywhite on May 22, 2019, 04:35:31 PM
I supply restaurants and hotels with fruit and veg and can tell you its not just the staff that get hurt
I know 2 suppliers who are probably in for half a million each
That sort of debt closes other companies and makes even more people lose their jobs
I quite agree the food was poor but like all these Chefs with brand names he is nowhere near the business, he just sits on the meetings at board level
Its a mixture of many things, high rents, being run by venture capitalists who couldnt butter a sandwich
Ultimately is also people like Deliveroo and Uber who take about 30% of the total bill (including VAt) from the restaurants that are a big factor in all the troubles they are in
Poeple dont go out and buy a bottle of wine or water so the restaurants are missing out on all the add ons to the final bill
hmm surely that's swings and roundabouts though, as if you are getting a takeaway delivered, its normally because you can't be bothered to cook or go out, so highly unlikely if they would have gone to sit in his restaurant if there were no means to get it delivered from his place
He doesn't seem to be such a ridiculous Mockney as he used to be.
Quote from: FFC1987 on May 22, 2019, 04:42:39 PM
I wouldn't want to belittle anyone else's info but having worked with him for a few years now and was close to people who worked with him since his first cookbook, people only had good things to say about him. Very passionate guy, keen, ambitious, energetic verging on the irritating but overall, a guy whose heart is in the right place. He's also a very good chef to boot. I've never been on the other side of his business personality ie him buying stuff from us so maybe he's different there but I wouldn't say some of the stuff above is accurate.
Yeah I'll second that. Again not from personal experience but my other half works with people who have had huge involvements in a lot of his books.
All that comes out of that is how much of a decent guys he is and there is plenty of anecdotes to back that up.
Thought the restaurants always flattered to deceive. Good decor, good idea, mediocre food. Surprised they lasted this long!
Many years ago we went to the pub in Essex that he and his parents used to run. Food was terrific.
Quote from: FFC1987 on May 22, 2019, 04:42:39 PM
I wouldn't want to belittle anyone else's info but having worked with him for a few years now and was close to people who worked with him since his first cookbook, people only had good things to say about him. Very passionate guy, keen, ambitious, energetic verging on the irritating but overall, a guy whose heart is in the right place. He's also a very good chef to boot. I've never been on the other side of his business personality ie him buying stuff from us so maybe he's different there but I wouldn't say some of the stuff above is accurate.
I've heard the exact opposite.
I heard he was only offered a TV deal because he was "a bit ruff around the edges". He was bottom of his class as culinary school.
I also know a chef that worked underneath him and he said he is the worst one he worked for. Nice enough bloke apparently, just a very untalented chef.
I never ate in his places but people who have, have said it's vastly over priced, overrated and not to bother.
I detest all these types of restaurants. Over priced, food arranged with their hands, hardly enough on the plate for a couple of mouth fulls. My wife & I owned a village pub & no food was handled. We gave proper food in good portions at sensible prices.
I have no sympathy for people who pay fortunes for poncy food.
Quote from: grandad on May 23, 2019, 11:23:32 PM
I detest all these types of restaurants. Over priced, food arranged with their hands, hardly enough on the plate for a couple of mouth fulls. My wife & I owned a village pub & no food was handled. We gave proper food in good portions at sensible prices.
I have no sympathy for people who pay fortunes for poncy food.
Surely all good is handled at some point.
Quote from: BigbadBillyMcKinley on May 23, 2019, 11:23:18 PM
Quote from: FFC1987 on May 22, 2019, 04:42:39 PM
I wouldn't want to belittle anyone else's info but having worked with him for a few years now and was close to people who worked with him since his first cookbook, people only had good things to say about him. Very passionate guy, keen, ambitious, energetic verging on the irritating but overall, a guy whose heart is in the right place. He's also a very good chef to boot. I've never been on the other side of his business personality ie him buying stuff from us so maybe he's different there but I wouldn't say some of the stuff above is accurate.
I've heard the exact opposite.
I heard he was only offered a TV deal because he was "a bit ruff around the edges". He was bottom of his class as culinary school.
I also know a chef that worked underneath him and he said he is the worst one he worked for. Nice enough bloke apparently, just a very untalented chef.
I never ate in his places but people who have, have said it's vastly over priced, overrated and not to bother.
I can only tell you what I know. Those statements, in my opinion, aren't true. He's a good, talented chef but maybe not the absolute best, knows how to market his brand well (in his books). I've eaten at fifteen for the last 3 christmas do's and its a very cool place with good food. BUT I wasn't a fan of Jamie's Italy. Thought it was a bit dated, pretentious, lacking in atmosphere and really, not memorable. As I said before, i wouldn't want to belittle others information or contacts but I've literally worked with the guy and don't agree with a lot of whats been said.
