Jamie Oliver has launched a café and cookery school inside John Lewis’ Oxford Street store, as the retailer strengthens its hospitality offering.
The 4,600 sq ft venue occupies the third floor of the store and features two cookery school classrooms along with a 50-seat café, operated in collaboration with the Jamie Oliver Group.
John Lewis reported a 6% increase in hospitality sales over the past year, with one in five in-store transactions now taking place in its cafés or restaurants.
The retailer plans to open five new hospitality venues in 2025, bringing the total number of cafés and restaurants across its 36 stores to 62.
Ori Caffès, known for their Mediterranean-style menu and currently operating in eight locations, are set to open new outlets in John Lewis stores in Liverpool and Solihull later this year.
Director of services and hospitality for John Lewis, Katie Papakonstantinou, said: “Whether it’s a chance to ponder a purchase, or an escape from the bustle of the shop floor, having a varied and exciting assortment of hospitality offerings within our stores is vital for our customer experience.”
The original Jamie Oliver Cookery School opened in 2016 and is located at the chef’s headquarters in north London.
Ed Loftus, group restaurant director at the Jamie Oliver Group, said: “This is the next step in growing the footprint of the Jamie Oliver Cookery School across the UK and internationally.
“Our Cookery School in Jamie Oliver HQ in north London has seen incredible growth since it first opened and even more importantly, we continue to receive incredible positive feedback from our customers. To see our sentiment scores continually high brings me total joy.”
Jamie Oliver made his return to the UK restaurant scene in 2023 with the opening of Jamie Oliver Catherine Street in London’s Covent Garden.
His international business is also growing, with approximately 80 restaurants across more than 20 markets, all operated in partnership with franchisees.
