The Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group has officially bought back the Jamie’s Italian Australian portfolio, heralding an exciting new era for the six restaurants across the country. Under the leadership of Jamie Oliver who will visit Sydney between 8–12 May, Jamie’s Italian will launch a brand new menu, collaborate with local suppliers and producers, and introduce amazing new offers for Australian guests.
Jamie Oliver said: “This is a process that I’ve never been through so it’s all very new, but it’s a really happy ending. I wish I could have done it sooner but we got there and it’s safe to say that every cloud has a silver lining.
The reason we work with partners is because they’re the local experts. We’re not bold and arrogant enough to believe we’re good at everything everywhere, but the Jamie’s Italian Australia business has always been extraordinary and, now we’ve gone through this unique process, everything I’ve ever dreamed of has happened. The staff have stuck with me – which is a testament to the amazing culture we’ve got at Jamie’s Italian – and I’ve got a business that I fully own and couldn’t be prouder of.
“I believe in Australia and I’m invested in it in so many ways. I can’t wait to get over there!”
Ben Shaughnessy, Managing Director of The Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group Australia, said: “The Australian restaurant industry is thriving and we’re really proud to be part of it. The purchase has put us in a fantastic position to invest even more into our people and restaurants in order to deliver a world-class Jamie’s Italian experience here in Australia.” Shaughnessy moved to Sydney to take up the role as MD earlier this year, after seven years at The Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group UK.
Oliver will visit Sydney to meet some of his Australian team and introduce the new menu in May. Featuring delicious Italian classics made with a Jamie twist, the menu is jam-packed with the best, sustainable and locally sourced ingredients, including fresh pasta made on site, every day. Think ‘Wild mushroom ravioli – porcini and fontal pasta parcels with wild mushroom sauce, thyme, gremolata & veggie Parmesan’ and ‘Oxtail lasagne – 12-hour slow-cooked oxtail & Chianti ragù layered with pasta, béchamel, mozzarella & Parmesan’, secondi like the ‘Slow-roasted porchetta – juicy pork belly stuffed
with garlic, chilli & herbs, served with pan-roasted mushrooms, sage & lemon zest’, and desserts such as ‘Wobbly panna cotta – organic vanilla yoghurt panna cotta with black cherry compote, spiced oaty crumble & orange zest”.
Food provenance is at the beating heart of Jamie’s Italian, so the restaurants will collaborate with talented local suppliers and producers who share the same ethos and take enormous pride in what they do, including Joto Fresh Fish, Serendipity Ice Cream, Boulangerie 113 and That’s Amore Cheese. The wine list will be shaped by a local sensibility, too, featuring both established and emerging Australian producers alongside Italian favourites.
To celebrate the new menu, Jamie’s Italian will offer a signature pasta dish for only $10 throughout May, changing every Monday from 8 May. Oliver is also introducing ‘kids eat free’ during the Easter school holidays in each city. For every main course ordered, one child can enjoy a meal on the house – selected from the six award-winning dishes from the kids’ menu, all made with fresh produce and served with a shake-me salad and drink.
Jamie’s Italian Trattoria in Parramatta will become Jamie’s Italian, joining the other five restaurants across Australia – Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Sydney. “We’re bring Parramatta under the Jamie’s Italian banner to ensure consistency of product and service across all our Australian properties”, says Shaughnessy.
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