Outlets are later planned for Singapore and Japan, Edward Pinshow, president of Tranic Ltd., which is forming a venture with Jamie’s Italian International, said today in a telephone interview. Hong Kong will be used as a base for training, logistics and finance, he said.
Several chefs -- including Alain Ducasse and Joel Robuchon -- have opened establishments in Hong Kong in recent years. Most have stuck to the high end, with spending of more than HK$1,000 ($129) a head. Amid the economic slump, restaurant receipts fell 0.7 percent in the second quarter, government figures show.
“This restaurant takes the snobbery out of quality dining,” Pinshow said. “You are as likely to see a bricklayer in Jamie’s Italian as you would a CEO.”
Jamie’s Italian aims to serve good-value rustic Italian food made with fresh, seasonal ingredients in an informal, open- kitchen environment. There are five branches in the U.K. The latest opened earlier this month in London’s Canary Wharf.
The bill for a group of four sharing antipasti, two pastas, one meat dish and a fish may come to about HK$300 a head, including a glass of wine each, Pinshow said. Portions are large, which encourages sharing, he said. Single diners spending less than HK$100 could try a mushroom linguine with soft drinks.
Jamie’s Italian has an appeal that might translate into almost every major city in the world, Kevin Bacon, managing director of Jamie’s Italian’s, said in a statement. “Ultimately, it works, it’s special,” he said.
Oliver, 34, became a television celebrity in 1999 with his cooking series, “The Naked Chef.” His training of underprivileged youths into chefs and his campaign to improve school food in the U.K. have been made into hit television documentaries, such as “Jamie’s School Dinners.”
The first Jamie’s Italian opened in 2008.
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