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Exclusive: Jamie's Italian, King Street, Preview Pictures
Jonathan Schofield takes a camera to an extraordinary space
HERE are the exclusive pictures from Jamie Oliver's new Italian restaurant due to open 20 February.
Manchester seems to be on the verge of getting it's own banking bonus.
Gordo and I went along armed with a camera.
J Oliver was there himself doing publicity shots so we got a show around by Chloe Green, the restaurant's PR manager, and Neil Burke, the restaurant's general manager.
Then someone pulled a big string in the back of the sweet man that is Gennaro Contaldo, and the restaurateur and TV personality, gave us a seamless monologue, chapter and verse, on the origin of the Jamie's Italian restaurants for half an hour. Despite this it was very entertaining.
Then he fed us. This underlined the restaurant's mantra of always making sure the finest ingredients are sourced.
"We want the best of everything, at prices people can afford," said Contaldo.
Men With Food, famous chef on the left, infamous eater on the right
Jamie's Italian in Manchester occupies one of the city's great buildings Edwin Lutyens' Midland Bank designed in the twenties built in the early thirties.
The refit has shown huge respect for the old building - done it justice. This is a grand space in every way and should be a delight to eat within. Or maybe lounge around with a beer, or coffee or bottle of full red.
The Vault lined in steel, with steel safety deposit boxes and ten inch steel doors will be an extraordinary place to dine - as long as you aren't claustrophobic.
But then the 278 cover restaurant is full of impressive spaces. The wood panelled bank manager's office is also available for private dining.
There will be lots of staff, 130 of them, and the head chef will be Gareth Howard, recruited in-house from Jamie's Birmingham.
There will also be lots of light, the Banking Hall in the main space has been taken full advantage of, and on the bright day we visited almost glowed. At night the scale and lighting effects will no doubt continue to enthrall. The space will be enlived by the movement of people and the buzz of chatter.
It's all looking very good. Manchester seems to be on the verge of getting it's own banking bonus.
You can follow Jonathan Schofield on Twitter here @JonathSchofield
Ground Floor View Of The Main Restaurant Area
Elegant And Effortless Ceiling Pattern
Bank Clock Back To Working Order
Gennaro Contaldo Takes A Massive Bite Out Of A Ham
Hamtastic Bar
Through A Glass Darkly
Detail From The Bank Woodwork, Tuscan Columns, Heavy Cornice, Triglyph With Perfect Guttae. Honestly This Is Real English
Crisp Wooden Details From The Original Bank
Stairwell
Entrance To The Vault, Look At That Door. Don't Attempt A Runner
Jamie's Italian King Street 036
Private Dining In The Vault - It Will Offer A Special Jamie's Menu At Around
Neil Burke - Manager
Detail From The Vault
Safety Deposit Boxes In The Vault
Each Loo Could House A Nineteenth Century Mill Worker's Family
Sink In Ladies Loo Before Addition Of Sweet Smelling Soaps And Potions
Midland Bank Branding In The Wrought Ironwork, Topped With An Urn
More Details From The Original Bank
Tops Of The Columns Finished Of With Edwin Lutyens' Trademark Delhi Order With Bells Motif
View Of The Restaurant In The Former Banking Hall
View Of The Restaurant In The Former Banking Hall Again
Lamps, Windows And Light, Lots Of It
Jamie's Italian, King Street
Chef Gennaro Conrtaldo - The World's Fastest And Most Enthusiastic Talker
Food, Lovely Food, On A Massive Table Tennis Bat
Jamie's Italian On King Street Gets First Visit From The Godfather
Edwin's Beautiful Bank Now Restaurant
Entrance Hall Details
Lutyens' Classic About To Set Sail Again
There's A New Kid On The Block
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Be nice if this edition of Jamie's Italian doesn't go the way of others I've tried i.e. start out great before settling down to mediocre six months later, with increasingly poor service along the way. Coz when it's good, it's great.
I have eaten in several of Jamie's Italians around the country and I have never had a bad experience or food yet. Cant wait for it to open in Manchester, the olives are fantastic too!
Jamie has that look about him of "I have spent a shit load of money I hope it works"
Good lord that all looks very good indeed. Will going along ASAP
Can't wait, love Jamie's food.
THIS PLACE LOOKS AMAZING!! I seriously doubt 'ANONYMOUS' has eaten in many Jamie's Italians 'increasingly poor service' WHAT? The service is always fantastic, believe me, I've actually been to a few....
Went to pertutti on liverpool rd, it was amazing hope jamie's can match the service and quality of food. can't wait to try it.
Pertutti staff ;-)
Plan to go on opening night. Look fantastic. Hungry just thinking about it!
you'll be lucky - been trying to get telephone number for booking from HO - and still nothing - let me know ifyou get it before me eh!
I'm sure Councillor Peel may well get a table!
Big fan of Jamies but think this place still looks too much like a bank ..... shame
It's a listed building, you can't touch it, that goes for all features inside, so considering, I think they've done pretty well.
Dar Marble & Granite Ltd 0161 834 3989
fabricated and fitted all the new marble bar tops and marble tiling
I would love to the one lucky person to sit with giddy like minded people on the first night !!! I believe in miracles x
Hope your reading Mr Holiver haha
How are you booking, peeps? Cant find a tel number anywhere?! I wanna come, too!
From the FAQ page:
"There's a Jamie's Italian opening soon in my home town and I'm really keen to make a booking but I can't find any contact details anywhere"
We don't take any bookings for restaurants which are yet to open. All contact details including the restaurant's address and phone number will be live on our locations page on the website within 24 hours of the opening.
http://www.jamieoliver.com/italian/qanda
how do you book? cant find a number anywhere?
Hopefully it will put the overwhelmingky bad Rosso out of business.
thought the whole point of Jamie's restaurants is that you CAN'T book a table or has that now changed after the many complaints they must have received about that policy?
This Jamie's restaurant looks smart, better than the 'industrial/shabby chic' style of the Birmingham one which is beginning to look just shabby. It's definitely going to hit the fading Rosso. On the other hand maybe it will encourage Rosso to get its act together. The more choice the better I say.
Great pics Jonathan, and I love your captions 'cept you did't say 'sweet'. Is it too grand for 'sweet'?
One of my favourite building sin the city, really glad they have kept the feel of the place. I bet it was fun trying to run electrics into the vault too!
Definitely going to pay this place a visit:
www.28dayslater.co.uk/…/showthread.php?t=54328…
Wow! It looks amazing! Can't wait to get stuck into some of those 5ft platters like! Yum.
amazing building. looks like jamies in cambridge, all the hams over the bar etc., no bookings taken there, you just have to turn up. maybe the same in manchester?
I wish Digital Dave would book a table here for his Birthday on the 9th March. Probably too tight though!
Can't say that I'm a great fan of Jamie's cheeky cockney chappie routine but it really is wonderful to see that such a fantastic building has been preserved with most of its features retained
Looking forward to this new eaterrie hope they have opening offers.
So great that Manchester is being recognised as the marvellous and cosmopolitan city that it is & that's its attracting the big names. Makes me proud to call myself a Mancunian. Loving it that J O has paid respect to the fab architecture and enhanced the natural elegance of a magnificent building. Well done, Jamie & good luck with the new venture. Really looking forward to visiting it.
Bookings now being taken online..
I love Jamie & am going to his Liverpool one restaurant next weekend, so I'll be more qualified to comment on his other restaurants then. This one, however, looks amazing! I love that he's kept all the charm & character of the original building & I think its a really modern & quirky idea. Well done!!
I have dined at Jamies Kitchen in Dubai and it was very different but enjoyable. I am however reminded of the Bank Building which was one of my first jobs in 1969 when I worked as an apprentice design engineer for Brightside HVAC company on Princess Street and we did the mechanical system and ductwork refurbishment. I remember being sent down a duct to see where it ended and I popped my head up in a vault like the one in the picture and setting off an alarm. I got a right bollocking from my boss. Good luck with it. Great to see Manchester in the limelight.
Just booked a table, easy on the main website!
As a Jamie at Home manager (his partyplan business) I was lucky to feast with Jamie at the Brighton Jamie's Italian in the Summer - the Manchester team can't wait for this restaurant to open and neither can our customers. The food, wine and service are genuinely great.
If you cant get a table, nip down the road to Destinos, it's brilliant.
Who'd have a private dinner in a morgue?
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO JAMIE'S ITALIAN at 50% off next week... TWICE. Can't wait to have a good nosey round. Love the building, love the interior, hope it's busy and bustling for a lunch time thrill. Welcome to Manchester Jamie's, and thanks once again for TRAINING WEEK! Grrrrrrrrr.
VEGETARIANS.......THEY EXIST...tho' Mr Oliver's menu wouldn't reflect that!!!!!
Was there yesterday - fantastic
Had a preview lunch there yesterday - food was lovely as is what they've done with the space. Will definitely be going back when it opens proper!
Jamie's Italian - great venue but at what price?
Went for lunch at Jamie's new "Jewel In His Crown" last week. Food was fresh and tasty. Atmosphere fab. Great value. Then we hear that the place is being run on 17 hour shifts for the kitchen staff...thought slave labour was a thing of the past. Shame on you Jamie.
went this sunday just walked in and got a table loved it, i will go again, the food was good service also good the food i saw being taken to the tables all looked good, 10/10
Food nice but musherooms with nuts tastles. Cutlery dirty. Having steak will chat after eating it
Steak was great blu full taste good texture vey good.