Jamie Oliver to buy back Aussie resto chain

Jamie Oliver is to buy back his chain of Jamie’s Italian restaurants in Australia after its owners, the Keystone Hospitality Group, fell into administration.

The celebrity chef has agreed a deal to buy back the six Jamie’s Italian restaurants in Australia, bringing the team back in house, according to reports by The Australian.

“This was in no way a reflection on the performance or success of the restaurants,” he said in a statement, referring to the collapse of Keystone.

“The best news that could come out of the situation I’ve been placed in is for me to buy back the Jamie’s Italian franchise. I believe in it and our Australian teams 100 per cent.”

Oliver currently has 42 restaurants in the UK and more than 25 abroad run under his name, including six in Sydney, Perth, Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide and Parramatta.

“This will be a really exciting moment for me personally, and I know the guys will be ecstatic to be back in-house,” he said. “It will allow us to invest even more time and money in people and restaurants, celebrate great Aussie produce and be even more creative.”

Keystone Group went into receivership in June after failing to renegotiate loans with its investors, with its AUS$100 million restaurant and bar empire – including Bungalow 8, Cargo Bar, The Winery and Kingsleys Woolloomooloo – split up by receivers. 

The group has blamed strict alcohol and lock-out laws in Sydney for the failure of some of its venues.