Jeremy King joins Jamie Oliver Group in advisory role

Jeremy King has joined the Jamie Oliver Group in a non-executive director role across the wider business.

It is understood he will not oversee the opening of Oliver’s upcoming London restaurant at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in Covent Garden but will sit on the board and advise on the wider company.

The Jamie Oliver Group said in a statement: “The Jamie Oliver Group confirms Jeremy King has joined its main board as a non-executive director.

“King joined in late spring. Together with the rest of the holdings board, he will help to advise on the group’s business.”

One of the most respected figures in the London hospitality industry, King founded the Corbin & King restaurant group with his business partner Chris Corbin in 1981 and ran some of the capital’s most beloved restaurants including the Wolseley and Brasserie Zedel.

He was controversially ousted from the company last year after a battle for control with Thai hotel group Minor International, which has since rebranded the business as the Wolseley Hospitality Group.

He will be advising Oliver as the chef returns to the UK restaurant scene this year for the first time since the collapse of his UK restaurant arm in 2019, which included the Jamie’s Italian, Barbecoa and Fifteen London brands.

Kevin Styles, who was hired as chief executive of the Jamie Oliver Group last year, told the Sunday Times the new restaurant would be "polished" but "accessible" and serve pre-theatre and children's menus across its approximately 150 covers.

Styles did not confirm whether the concept would be spun out into a chain but said the launch was part of a five-year plan for the business.

King received the Catey Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.