Jamie Oliver's guide to growing a pucker bank balance
Cheeky chappie, Jamie Oliver isn't shy about telling the world how well he's doing. Some multi millionaires loathe the Sunday Times Rich List, others love being in it and whinge if their wealth is under-estimated. Jamie Oliver goes as far as telling his fans how much he's made on his web site - £40m at the last tally.
Whilst Gordon Ramsay steamed ahead and overcooked his global expansion, splattering expletives along the way, Jamie Oliver bucked the trend and started doing charity work. His Fifteen restaurant chain is a registered charity helping aspiring cooks and he also lobbied the UK Government about dodgy school dinners. Having established himself in the public's conscience as a lovable lad looking after the national welfare he quickly metamorphosed into a cuddly wallet assassin.
Jamie's Italian, his first 'commercial' restaurant venture opened in Oxford in October 2009 and he now has eight around the UK with them now opening at the rate of one a month. I recently visited his Guildford diner on a gloomy March Monday evening and it was packed. 'No Bookings Necessary', says the blurb. 'We want you to visit us when it suits you'. I'd have preferred to book and eat when it suited me, but that's not an option. A 35 minute wait for a table followed. What must it be like on a Friday night?
However the real diamond in Jamie's gem box is the very clever 'Jamie at Home'. It's a genius idea. Delia Smith must be kicking her knickers around the Norwich football ground. Based on the old 'Tupperware party' model, Jamie offers anyone who fancies themselves as a budding entrepreneur the chance to earn a pucker pound or two by hosting parties to sell his kitchen utensils to bored housewives. The concept is simple - have a good girlie gossip and give Jamie your husband's hard earned dosh.
The figures are staggering. Jamie at Home launched in March 2009 and in its first 9 months turned over £6.5m with 200,000 people attending 30,000 parties. By the end of January 2010 he had 2,300 consultants (sales reps) and expects 5,000 by the end of this year. In the run up to Christmas last December one party generated £2,900 of sales.
Where will Jamie be in this year's Rich List? Worth a lot more than £40m, that's for sure.
Whilst Gordon Ramsay steamed ahead and overcooked his global expansion, splattering expletives along the way, Jamie Oliver bucked the trend and started doing charity work. His Fifteen restaurant chain is a registered charity helping aspiring cooks and he also lobbied the UK Government about dodgy school dinners. Having established himself in the public's conscience as a lovable lad looking after the national welfare he quickly metamorphosed into a cuddly wallet assassin.
Jamie's Italian, his first 'commercial' restaurant venture opened in Oxford in October 2009 and he now has eight around the UK with them now opening at the rate of one a month. I recently visited his Guildford diner on a gloomy March Monday evening and it was packed. 'No Bookings Necessary', says the blurb. 'We want you to visit us when it suits you'. I'd have preferred to book and eat when it suited me, but that's not an option. A 35 minute wait for a table followed. What must it be like on a Friday night?
However the real diamond in Jamie's gem box is the very clever 'Jamie at Home'. It's a genius idea. Delia Smith must be kicking her knickers around the Norwich football ground. Based on the old 'Tupperware party' model, Jamie offers anyone who fancies themselves as a budding entrepreneur the chance to earn a pucker pound or two by hosting parties to sell his kitchen utensils to bored housewives. The concept is simple - have a good girlie gossip and give Jamie your husband's hard earned dosh.
The figures are staggering. Jamie at Home launched in March 2009 and in its first 9 months turned over £6.5m with 200,000 people attending 30,000 parties. By the end of January 2010 he had 2,300 consultants (sales reps) and expects 5,000 by the end of this year. In the run up to Christmas last December one party generated £2,900 of sales.
Where will Jamie be in this year's Rich List? Worth a lot more than £40m, that's for sure.
Be Frank: agree or disagree? What do you think?
