Toronto restaurants escape global collapse of Jamie Oliver empire

The Naked Chef might need a new gimmick in the U.K., but thankfully the bottom falling out of Jamie Oliver's restaurant empire won't impact any of the spots that opened under his name here in Toronto.

"We are saddened by the news of the Jamie's Italian restaurant group's restructuring in the United Kingdom," said Peter Tsebelis, Managing Partner and Director, The King Street Food Company and Jamie's Italian Canada. 

"Our Canadian Yorkdale and Square One locations in Toronto and Mississauga, Ontario, remain unaffected by this recent announcement and we will continue to run our business confidently, with a strong commitment to source the best possible ingredients and provide warm hospitality to our community.”

Jamie Oliver's magazine went under in 2017, and sales at Jamie's Italian had dipped by 11 per cent last year.

All but three locations of Oliver restaurants like Jamie's Italian, Fifteen and Barbecoa are closing in the UK, including nine in London, resulting in the reported loss of 1,000 jobs. The remaining three locations are at Gatwick airport. 

Canadian locations of Oliver's restaurants are just a few of about 60 unaffected overseas outlets run by franchisees.