A CHEFFING graduate of Jamie Oliver has announced the doors of his restaurants will be slammed shut for good.
Cornish cook Ben Ambridge announced the closures would happen with “immediate effect” in a heartfelt post on social media.
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Ben – who graduated from Jamie Oliver‘s Fifteen in 2012 – said that both of his restaurants, The Fox’s Revenge, and Onda, in Wadebridge, will close after admitting he has “nothing left.”
Ben originally opened The Fox’s Revenge in Summercourt in February 2020, turning it into one of the best gastro-pubs in the UK, reports CornwallLive.
Then in 2023 he took over Italian restaurant Onda in Wadebridge, which was backed by cheffing superstar Gorden Ramsay.
But just four years later Ben has had to close both of them up, and stated that a “come back” could be on the cards.
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Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen project
Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen scheme was designed to help young people who were unemployed and wanted a second chance at a career.
The not-for-profit restaurant – Fifteen London – was designed to train up 15 disadvantaged, young, unemployed workers into chefs, which many expected not to be a success.
The scheme went into production to be broadcast on Channel 4 series – Jamie’s Kitchen – and ended with 12 apprentices finishing the intense programme and a restaurant that remained packed out for months.
More locations were then erected over the years in Australia, Holland and Cornwall.
Fifteen Cornwall eventually shut its doors for the last time in 2019 after 14 years of serving locals photo-worthy meals, along with 21 other sites when the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group entered administration.
But the scheme still did wonders for many young people who joined it, with hundreds of young chefs graduating and now working in restaurants all over the world.
In a post on Instagram, he said: “A post I never thought I would have to write, It’s with deep sadness that I announce the closure of both The Fox’s Revenge and Onda Wadebridge with immediate effect.
“I cannot put into words the feelings I have right now.
“Over the past four years I have tried with every ounce of determination to adapt, overcome and succeed, but the time has come where I just have nothing left.
“For the past four and a bit years my whole focus and life has been around trying to survive, a position no business should be in or have to do.”
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“With this said it’s taken a toll on my health and my home life to which I am not willing to sacrifice.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart to all the customers, friends, family and anyone that came and enjoyed spending time with us at both venues.”
Ben went on to offer more thanks to “anyone” he met on his “crazy journey”, as well as staff that “worked their socks off” to make his vision a reality.
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He added: “I truly believe there have been huge amounts of success along the way.”
He also thanked his wife Jess, who “stood by” him throughout, and finished off by revealing his plans for the future.
Ben first met Jamie Oliver after joining the TV chef’s project Fifteen, which was a scheme to offer unemployed Brits the chance to work at one of his restaurants.
The first season was based in London and saw 12 graduates pass the course and land a gig within his newly erected restaurant, Fifteen London.
The show played out on the Channel 4 series ‘Jamie’s Kitchen’, which later travelled to Cornwall, where the Naked Chef star opened a second branch in Watergate Bay, which Ben was a graduate of.
He said: “I am aware that I have a lot of loose ends to sort. Please approach me with compassion during this.
“I don’t plan on this being the end for me, but I need some time before making a come back.
“Thank you all for your unwavering support.”
HOSPITALITY CLOSURES
This comes after a popular Italian chain shocked food fans by closing down one of its Scottish restaurants.
Bosses at Tony Macaroni made the tough call to shut the doors at the branch, one of the last ones in the area.
Elsewhere, a family favourite restaurant chain abruptly closed one of its branches, leaving fans “astonished”.
Cafe Rouge, which is owned by the Big Table Group, has 12 branches in the UK.
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And finally, a third busy food chain has closed yet another one of their branches.
Prezzo, the Italian restaurant chain, had announced that they were closing dozens of branches last year, but it seems they have now been forced to close even more.
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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk
