Jamie Oliver Eyes Return to Restaurants, Ditches TV Shows for YouTube
Jamie Oliver aka The Naked Chef is looking at returning to the restaurant scene – and admits he's given up watching TV cooking shows.
Back in the restaurant game
British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has revealed he'd like to get back into restaurants in the future after the collapse of his empire two years ago. “I’m watching for now, but I’ll definitely get back in the game,” he told Radio Times. “We’ve got some exciting ideas for Fifteen to reimagine itself, and we still have restaurants abroad.”
Oliver's UK restaurant group, whose outlets included Jamie's Italian as well as the Barbecoa and non-profit Fifteen restaurants in London went into administration in 2019. Oliver sprung to fame with his own TV show The Naked Chef, and went on to build a TV, publishing and restaurant empire.
Oliver ditches TV for YouTube
Despite becoming a household name after his TV cooking show, Oliver told Radio Times that he now prefers to go to YouTube for recipe ideas rather than watch TV programmes. “I tend not to [watch cookery shows]. I don’t think cookery takes risks with new talent,” he was quoted as saying. Oliver added that he wasn't sure if The Naked Chef, which screened in 1999, would be commissioned now. "There’s extraordinary talent out there, but they’re making their own content on YouTube.”