Jamie Oliver is dipping his foot back in the UK restaurant scene with a new, albeit virtual launch.
The celebrity chef has teamed up with delivery-first restaurant group Taster, to roll out a virtual brand called Pasta Dreams.
Launching tomorrow (13 October), initially as a delivery-first pop-up on Archer Street in Soho, the brand will then be rolled out to further sites across London and other UK cities over the coming weeks.
The ambition is for it to become the UK’s number one delivery pasta brand.
All 22 Jamie’s Italian restaurants, as well as Barbecoa and Fifteen, closed in 2019, after the UK business went into administration having failed to secure additional investment.
The international arm of the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, as well as Fifteen Cornwall, which operates under a franchise, were not affected.
Earlier this year he said delivery companies didn’t care about healthy eating.
The menu has been designed with delivery in mind and showcases Oliver’s twists on some of the UK’s favourite Italian-inspired dishes, featuring a range of handmade fresh pastas, such as mezze maniche, spaghetti alla chitarra, gnocchi, casarecce and ravioli.
Jamie Oliver, chef, restaurateur and cookbook author, said: “Taking some of my fave Italian dishes and making them ready for delivery has been an epic journey.
“By partnering with Taster, we’ve created a menu that is vibrant and delicious, plus we’re giving opportunities to passionate cooks and supporting a brilliant cause. I’m really proud to be launching Pasta Dreams.”
Anton Soulier, CEO and founder of Taster, aded: “It’s no secret that the way we eat has fundamentally changed, with food just a few taps away. It’s been a total pleasure working so closely with Jamie and his team to dream up iconic pasta dishes for delivery.
“He is the perfect partner for us because we share a belief that everyone should have access to high-quality delicious food, wherever they are. Through Pasta Dreams we want to redefine how people view and experience food designed for delivery - we can’t wait to see how it grows.”
