Why do celebrity chefs do it to themselves? They open a restaurant, get a bit of success, then open a further 25 and after falling out with close family members, announce they are closing the chain down, owing creditors millions (who will get nothing) and their staff a livelihood. Hubris, overambition, whatever, they all tend to fall for it. Oliver’s restaurant empire has called in the administrators, putting more than 1,000 jobs at risk. Ironically, they have shut 23, not 15 of his establishments. The company, which includes 23 Jamie’s Italian outlets, plus the Fifteen and Barbecoa restaurants, is understood to be appointing KPMG as administrator. Oliver said: “I am deeply saddened by this outcome and would like to thank all of the staff and our suppliers who have put their hearts and souls into this business for over a decade. I appreciate how difficult this is for everyone affected. “I would also like to thank all the customers who have enjoyed and supported us…
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Don’t you just love made-up figures. Especially when they’re stuck on the side of a bus. Well, apparently pointless meetings will cost the…
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When Alex Ferguson left Manchester United, he said: “It is unfair to try and retain the authority you once possessed. You have to let…
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The title of psychologist, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic’s (and winning Scrabble-hand) new book is, ‘Why do so many incompetent men become leaders?’ It is a…
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It is the most important news humanity has ever received: the general collapse of life on Earth. The vast international assessment of the…
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Part of me wants to smash it all up. I want to see the British bubble burst: the imperial nostalgia, the groundless belief…
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Sainsbury’s has changed one of its central London branches into the UK’s first till-free grocery store. It lets shoppers pay with their smartphone…
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