Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has brought his signature blend of comfort food and vibrant flavours to the City of Joy with the opening of the Jamie Oliver Kitchen Cafe on Loudon Street. My Kolkata dropped in for a visit…
A modern look and feel
Natural light and a modern decor aesthetic create an inviting space, and like the other Jamie Oliver cafes across India, everything is made-to-order at the Kolkata address as well Karo Christine Kumar
The 32-cover restaurant is bathed in natural light, creating an inviting and airy atmosphere. Its modern decor, with splashes of colour, adds a refreshing touch. The Jamie Oliver Kitchen Cafes across India are a strategic partnership between Dolomite Restaurants and Fabindia. “This partnership aims to combine the strengths of both brands, leveraging Fabindia’s legacy in their sector and Jamie Oliver’s expertise in the world of healthy food,” says Hemant Gupta, COO, Jamie Oliver Restaurants India.
Signature dishes
The menu celebrates the coming together of Jamie Oliver’s favourite easy-breezy comfort food recipes that he has developed over the years, and his love for local produce and flavours. While the menu draws inspiration from Oliver’s cookbooks and TV shows, such as Jamie’s Dinners, Veg, and Jamie’s Italy, it has been carefully curated to cater to the Indian palate. The result is an all-day menu steeped in the Jamie Oliver ethos — a celebration of fresh, thoughtfully sourced ingredients.
Some of the signature dishes are The Full Brekkie, The Smashed Avocado Toast, The Sunshine Curry, Acai Smoothie Bowl, along with a selection of loaded sandwiches (or sarnies as Jamie likes to call them!), salads and pastas.
Complementing the food is a range of beverages, including coffee, organic teas and tea blends, cold-pressed juices and smoothies.
Enjoy healthy, hearty meals crafted with sustainable, quality ingredients — from farm-fresh veggies, seasonal fruits to free-range eggs and higher-welfare meats — along with a cuppa or a smoothie on the side Courtesy Jamie Oliver Kitchen Cafe
A cafe with a library
The books in the cafe library have been hand-picked by the team for diners to enjoy over a cup of coffee (or tea). Although they are not for sale, there is a ‘take-a-book, leave-a-book’ policy and you can simply leave a loved book on the shelves and take a new one to love with you. There is just one condition — take care of the books you adopt and leave your book in good condition so someone else can enjoy it, just like you did!
Jamie Oliver’s latest cookbook ‘5 ingredients - Mediterranean’ is one of the many reads in the cafe, which has a ‘take-a-book, leave-a-book’ policy Karo Christine Kumar
Expansion plans
The brand’s expansion plan encompasses three distinct formats: Jamie Oliver Kitchen Cafe, Jamie Oliver Pizzeria, and Jamie Oliver Kitchen.
In the upcoming phases, expect the Jamie Oliver Kitchen format to open in Kolkata. This particular format, occupying around 3,000sq ft, will boast a full bar and an extensive global menu.
“Our overarching goal is to establish 130 restaurants nationwide within the next five years. Currently, 31 of these establishments are already operational, and we anticipate concluding the financial year with approximately 34 in operation,” shares Mukesh Kumar, CFO, Jamie Oliver Restaurants India.
Check out the location of Jamie Oliver Kitchen Cafe, Kolkata, below: