Jamie Oliver Reveals Canadian Expansion Plans

World-saving British chef Jamie Oliver has plans to open locations of his international chain Jamie's Italian across Canada. According to the Globe and Mail, Oliver will announce a deal this week with restaurant group King Street Food Company to "open as many as 10 locations" of the casual sit-down restaurant. Peter Tsebelis, one of the founders of King Street, tells the paper that they hope to open all of the restaurants in the next five years.

The first Jamie's Italian is slated to open in the Yorkdale Shopping Centre in North Toronto next Spring. The restaurant will have 200 seats and "will be overseen in large part" by Rob Gentile, King Street's executive chef. Diners can expect dishes made with "as much local produce as possible" plus salumi and other items that Oliver has "endorsed."

It looks like Canada should prepare for a heavy dose of the British chef: The restaurant expansion news comes just weeks after Oliver unveiled his first Canadian TV series Pressure Cooker. The Hollywood Reporter writes the show is intended to "help home cooks better use fresh ingredients in their meals" and will premiere this Fall. Oliver is also already an investor and partner in Maison Publique, a gastropub in Montreal. In recent months, Oliver has also announced plans to open locations of Jamie's Italian on Royal Caribbean cruise ships plus Stockholm, Hong Kong, the US, Turkey, and Russia.

· Jamie Oliver to Open Chain of Italian Restaurants in Canada [Globe and Mail]
· TV Chef Jamie Oliver Unveils First Canadian TV Series [THR]
· All Jamie Oliver Coverage on Eater [-E-]