Jamie Oliver insists his ‘great' business will ‘bounce back'

Jamie Oliver has said he has "a great business" that will "bounce back" following the restaurant closures seen at the start of this year.

The celebrity chef told the Daily Mail: "It's been very uncomfortable. I've had to man up and make a big decision. Do you just let it all go down or go in and let some go down to save the rest? We have got a great business, and we will bounce back."

In January Jamie's Italian accepted a Company Voluntary Agreement and closed 12 of its 37 restaurants.

The following month Oliver was forced to close Barbecoa in London's Piccadilly and buy a second Barbecoa outlet near St Paul's Cathedral out of administration.

In his first interview since the closures Oliver said the company was left with "robust restaurants that do really well" while acknowledging "it's a really tough market".

Having faced criticism over money owed to suppliers when the companies fell into administration, Oliver said: "Our suppliers have still got a customer and they'll be seen right. We'll work it out."

Last week the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group announced that it had signed a 10-year exclusive deal with Aramark Group, which will move its restaurant concepts into workplaces.

Jamie Oliver group announces 10-year deal with Aramark as it moves into workplaces>>

Jamie Oliver Group hires ‘business transformation partner'>>

Get The Caterer every week on your smartphone, tablet, or even in good old-fashioned hard copy (or all three!).