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CELEBRITY chef Jamie Oliver has suffered a new blow after a franchise related to his beloved Fifteen restaurant shut up shop.
The closure of Fifteen Cornwall in Watergate Bay will see the loss of 100 jobs.
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The restaurant trained six to 10 young unemployed people a year in its kitchens while serving up largely locally sourced seasonal food.
Some staff burst into tears after years working there when they were delivered the news.
One told The Sun last night: “There’s going to be at least 100 people out of work now just weeks before Christmas.”
“Everyone was called in and told there was no money left in the account.
“Everyone was supposed to get paid on December 20 but they have been told this isn’t going to happen.
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“There are 100 people that worked for the restaurant and the foundation. Sixty from the charity and 40 in the restaurant – it’s devastating.
“Most of them can’t get over how Jamie was on TV weeks ago talking about the restaurant and now this.
“They feel like he should get involved to get people paid before Christmas – his name is on the door.”
Fifteen Cornwall had celebrated its millionth customer in April this year.
It shuttering comes just months after the celebrity chef’s UK restaurant business collapsed in May, making 1,000 staff made redundant.
That included the Jamie’s Italian chain, Fifteen in London and Barbecoa.
The Cornish outpost was inspired by Oliver’s first restaurant, Fifteen in London, which he set up in 2002.
The venue had survived the difficulties of Oliver’s wider business because it is an entirely separate business.
The Cornwall Food Foundation charity owned and ran the business.
While Oliver’s name is above the door under a licence agreement, the chef has no financial involvement.
Chefs and waiting staff at the restaurant were told the business would be shutting its doors on Thursday afternoon.
In a statement, Fifteen said: “We are deeply saddened to announce that Fifteen Cornwall will close and cease trading with immediate effect. We are profoundly sorry for the hurt, loss and distress this announcement will undoubtedly cause.”
Jamie Oliver said: “I am very surprised and saddened to learn that Fifteen Cornwall and the Cornwall Food Foundation have closed.
“Both organisations have always been run separately from us, but the team has done an amazing job with the trainee programme, training over 200 chefs and reaching so many more along the way – so this is a huge blow. My thoughts are with everyone affected.”
In a podcast this week the chef called the loss of his UK restaurants “awful and very upsetting and incredibly tough”.
However, he hinted at a possible comeback, saying: “I’m trying to work out… what’s the point… whatever I do next has to have purpose.. because I’m me. I can’t do cute and tiny.
“I’m going to sit by and see what happens with Brexit, what happens with high streets around Britain. We’re gonna sit by and see what happens on earth with business rates.”
Furious staff lashed out at Jamie Oliver following the collapse of his restaurant chain after 1,000 jobs were lost.
The TV chef, 44, worth an estimated £100million despite the failing restaurant empire, reportedly pumped £13million of his own money into the chain to try and save it.
But we also revealed how he pocketed a £5.2million payout months before the chain went bust.
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