Can Jamie’s Italian succeed in the US?
Recent reports claim that Jamie Oliver is planning to launch his successful restaurant chain Jamie's Italian in the US. So if the famed British chef does make a move Stateside, how will he get on?
Jamie Oliver's relationship with the US has so far been turbulent. Here in the UK, we can't seem to get enough of him. We took on his suggestions for changing school dinners and we eat from his homeware range, visit his restaurants and download his recipe apps. His books continue to break records and top charts. But when Jamie took his Food Revolution to America, he was repeatedly told he would fail, denied access to schools and told by a radio DJ "I just don't think you should come here and tell us what to do." There were tears and a pea-pod outfit, pizza was declared a vegetable and there was a standoff with solemn-faced governors.
So, bearing all this in mind, will the American people welcome Jamie's new venture? It seems as if they will.
Jamie's successes in the US
We always hear about Jamie's failure in the US. How the Food Revolution was axed due to low ratings. But were there any successes? While he can't yet claim the Stateside success of Gordon Ramsay, for example, there are some. Over 775,000 people have signed his Food Revolution petition globally, including celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Ellen Degeneres and P. Diddy. Public schools in LA have now ditched flavoured milk, caffeinated drinks and sweets from their menus in favour of more nutritious foods, and the first series bagged an Emmy for Outstanding Reality Program in 2010. Away from Food Revolution, fans queue to see Jamie at US book signings and he makes regular appearances on TV. He's appeared on Iron Chef America and Jamie's American Road Trip aired over there this January. It's not that America dislikes Jamie. They just don't seem to take kindly to being told what to do; but then neither did we, at first. (Burgers and school gates ring any bells?)
[Relevant: Is the government undoing the school means progress?]
Jamie's Italian in the US
The Jamie's Italian business is booming, bringing in a reported pre-tax profit of £4.65m last year. And the restaurant chain already has sites overseas, in Dubai and Sydney. After all, good Italian food is loved the world over. Jamie's Italian states on their website that they want to "create a place where you'll feel right at home, tucking into any combination of great food." And when you think that they're serving up tasty, wholesome food with all of Jamie's character ("World's Best Olives on Ice" and "Smashed Honeycomb" ice cream), in a relaxed and friendly setting it doesn't seem like such a gamble after all. Their menu has healthy options, but it isn't just lettuce and iced water. Kids' meals come with a side salad and adults tuck into risottos, meatballs and fresh fish; dishes already loved in the US. And this time, Jamie doesn't need to satisfy the suits and the school governors; he needs to satisfy the American people. But are enough of them on his side?
But Jamie isn't the only chef to try his luck in the US. These acclaimed culinary masters have also ventured to America to try and cash in:
Gordon Ramsay: Gordon has enjoyed huge recent success in the US, with restaurants in New York and LA. In 2011 he opened Laurier Gordon Ramsay in Montreal, Canada. His TV shows do well, too, with Hell's Kitchen USA, Masterchef US and Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares bringing in big ratings.
[See also: Gordon Ramsay to open steakhouse restaurant in Las Vegas]
Daniel Boulud: The French chef who moved to America and built a restaurant empire which spans New York, Palm Beach, Miami and Montreal. He also has restaurants in Singapore and Beijing. His New York restaurant 'Daniel' has three Michelin stars and he was recently named in a list of the Top 10 Celebrity Chef Restaurants in the US.
Wolfgang Puck: Born in Austria, Wolfgang is a respected chef in the US. He moved stateside in 1975 and opened his first restaurant, Spago in 1982. He now owns restaurants at sites including San Francisco, Santa Monica and Beverly Hills.
What do you think? Can Jamie's Italian succeed in the US?
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