Jamie Oliver’s businesses have reported an increase in profit and revenues after falling over the last few years.

The chef’s businesses, which include cookbooks, television shows, a cooking school, food products and restaurants, increased revenue to £29.7 million ($37.9 million) for 2022, and paid dividends of £6.8 million.

Some areas grew particularly fast: The Jamie Oliver Cookery School increased revenue by 35%.

Oliver’s businesses have been through a rocky period over the past few years, after the restaurant chain Jamie’s Italian went bust in 2019, leading to the closure of 22 restaurants, the loss of 1,000 jobs and around £83 million in debt. This period was “without doubt one of the hardest times of my life,” Oliver said in a statement.

But outside the UK, the restaurant businesses have added 13 new locations, growing to 70 restaurants in 22 countries.

This spring, Oliver announced that he would open his first new restaurant in the UK in four years. Called Jamie Oliver Catherine Street, it will be located in London’s West End. The menu will focus on independent suppliers and showcase British food culture; it’s slated to open in November.

Oliver, 48, originally shot to fame with his cookery show The Naked Chef that aired in 1999. His public profile grew with Jamie’s School Dinners, a TV show that exposed the poor-quality food served to school children. He has since released 32 cookbooks. In 2020, it was reported that he had sold 14.55 million copies, for £180 million.

Jamie Oliver Group chief executive Kevin Styles said: “The results for 2022 show we have the foundations in place from which to continue to evolve our business, putting our customers first, serving their mealtime needs across a range of relevant media and product solutions as well as restaurant and cooking experiences.

“We plan to bring together all aspects of our group, including media, restaurants, products and the Ministry of Food, with a strong digital transformation plan.”

Author: Helen Chandler-Wilde