Jamie Oliver to open second Barbecoa
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has revealed plans to open his second Barbecoa restaurant in St James's.
The announcement comes following the agreement of a lease on the 9,000 sq ft site at 194-196 Piccadilly with The Crown Estate. Expected to open late next year (2015), the new Barbecoa will be housed at the historic Prince's House on Piccaddilly, accommodating more than 300 guests across two floors.
Barbecoa St James's will offer the brand's signature food offer, which revolves around fire-inspired cooking methods using quality cuts of meat, sourced by in-house butchers. The new space will feature a bar area and open kitchen.
Simon Blagden, chief executive of the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, said: "Barbecoa has been incredibly successful in bringing the best British produce together with authentic fire-based cooking to produce an all-round fantastic dining experience.
"St James's status as one of London's top dining districts is well established, so we're excited to have secured this opportunity with The Crown Estate. We're looking forward to bringing the unique experiences and tastes of Barbecoa to even more of London's food lovers."
The Crown Estate kick-started a £500mn investment programme for St James's in 2010, with one of its primary aims to drive the quality dining reputation of the area. Since its efforts began, seven new restaurants have been established including Angela Hartnett's Café Murano and Philippe Le Roux's Villandry, San Carlo Group's Cichetti, and Chop Shop, the first overseas venture from US based Altamarea Group.
Anthea Harries, St James's portfolio manager at The Crown Estate said: "Barbecoa's meticulous focus on delivering food of the highest quality perfectly reflects the kind of exceptional dining experiences for which St James's is renowned.
"With the likes of Jamie Oliver, and Angela Hartnett now among our eclectic mix of restaurant tenants, this is further evidence that our investment is ensuring St James's continues to evolve as London's premier dining destination."
Along with its joint venture partner Oxford Properties, The Crown Estate is currently on site at St James's Market, a £320m redevelopment which will create office, restaurant and retail space around a secluded public square.
