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Jamie Oliver's Restaurant Refuses Bill Clinton

BoboBrazil

By BoboBrazil
in Restaurant Life

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BoboBrazil

BoboBrazil

Posted
Posted

Jamie Oliver restaurant snubs Clinton

Even being a former president of the United States isn't enough to guarantee a table at Jamie Oliver's landmark London restaurant Fifteen, it appears.

Bill Clinton was reportedly turned away from the television chef's restaurant because it was full and staff refused to bump other patrons with a booking.

Fifteen, which is staffed by rookie chefs recruited and trained by Oliver in the television program Jamie's Kitchen, is so popular diners have to book three months in advance.

The former US president wanted to visit the restaurant during a recent visit to London and a staff member rang Fifteen on a Thursday, seeking a booking for the following Saturday night.

"It was impossible because that's the restaurant's busiest night," an unnamed staff member told British newspaper The Daily Mirror.

"It would have meant cancelling a booking of other guests who made reservations weeks ago and that just wouldn't be fair.

"If we're full we're full, and there's nothing that can be done about it - even if it is for the former president of the United States."

Fifteen is booked out at night until 2004.

A spokesman for Oliver confirmed that Clinton had been turned away.

"Jamie was sorry the restaurant was unable to accommodate Mr Clinton, but his attitude was c'est la vie," he said.

"Mr Clinton is of course more than welcome to come back at any time but he will have to give the restaurant a bit more notice."

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/Entertainment/s...story_51809.asp

Pan

Pan

Posted
Posted

Kudos to the restaurant for not bumping someone! Truly impressive.

Michael aka "Pan"

 

Gifted Gourmet

Gifted Gourmet

Posted
Posted
Agreed.  That truly is impressive.

I agree wholeheartedly with you, but, that said, kinda depends on what your definition of "is" .. is ... :rolleyes:

Melissa Goodman aka "Gifted Gourmet"

Blondie

Blondie

Posted
Posted

Sounds like Fifteen is milking this for the publicity value.

Sometimes When You Are Right, You Can Still Be Wrong. ~De La Vega

Blondie

Blondie

Posted
Posted
Sounds like Fifteen is milking this for the publicity value.
Why would they need publicity if they are booked through 2004?

Why else would the "unnamed staffer" run and call the Daily Mirror after Clinton's people called?

Sometimes When You Are Right, You Can Still Be Wrong. ~De La Vega

jwagnerdsm

jwagnerdsm

Posted
Posted

The story didn't say that the paper was called by an unnamed staffer, it attributes the quote to said staffer. All that means is that no one wanted to talk on the record. That usually means that management has asked them NOT to talk to the press. I can't tell you how many times I've talked to employees who refused to give me their name.

Blondie

Blondie

Posted
Posted
The story didn't say that the paper was called by an unnamed staffer, it attributes the quote to said staffer. All that means is that no one wanted to talk on the record. That usually means that management has asked them NOT to talk to the press. I can't tell you how many times I've talked to employees who refused to give me their name.

Are you trying to say that you believe this is a legitimate news story that was dug up by an intrepid reporter? Or maybe that Clinton's person called the Daily Mirror (where MSN appears to have lifted the story from)?

Sometimes When You Are Right, You Can Still Be Wrong. ~De La Vega

malcolmjolley

malcolmjolley

Posted
Posted

This is ridiculous! Why does everyone hate Oliver so damn much? I can't believe the pettiness in these posts; the automatic assumption that it must be a put-on or a sinister media manipulation.

Sure, Naked's a media whore. But so what? He's one of the most effective communicators of the Alice Waters/Ruth Rogers & Rose Gray school of using the best and freshest ingredients.

I say, good for him and his staff.

Malcolm Jolley

Gremolata.com

Adam Balic

Adam Balic

Posted
Posted
This is ridiculous! Why does everyone hate Oliver so damn much?  I can't believe the pettiness in these posts;  the automatic assumption that it must be a put-on or a sinister media manipulation.

Sure, Naked's a media whore. But so what? He's one of the most effective communicators of the Alice Waters/Ruth Rogers & Rose Gray school of using the best and freshest ingredients.

I say, good for him and his staff.

It's because of his promotion of the Sainsburys chain of supermarkets in the UK. The advrts are fairly sick making and while he says on his TV show 'Herbs are useless if used more then six hours after picking', his face is plastered all over supermarket herbs that have been picked days ago.

Basically he is over-exposed and people are cynical about him. Since he has a personal fortune of 20 million pounds at last estimate, I think that he is big enough to take the knocks.

The Art and Mystery of Food

Gifted Gourmet

Gifted Gourmet

Posted
Posted
Basically he is over-exposed and people are cynical about him. Since he has a personal fortune of 20 million pounds at last estimate, I think that he is big enough to take the knocks.

if I recall correctly some of the earlier press on Oliver himself, the kudos he has received have been well earned (for his restaurant)...

but I also remember that "Jamie Bashing" was quite the sport in London and their "nit picky" press, some time back, was "on his case" so to speak because he had not done enough charity stuff ...

Melissa Goodman aka "Gifted Gourmet"

Basildog

Basildog

Posted
Posted

Well we turned away Keith Blackwell this week.Who he you ask? I have no idea, but we were full for the night he wanted, but i said that if i could take a name and number, i would call back if a table became free.When he said Keith Blackwell, for some reason it rang a bell, so i asked him was he famous(or more likely had the same name as someone famous)..and he didn't answer straight away and seemed a bit embarressed.Anyhoo, he didn't get a table :laugh:

PS if anyone knows who Keith Blackwell is i'd be obliged

TPO

TPO

Posted
Posted
Do you think he would have done the same for someone like Johnny Depp or Bono? Doubt it.  :hmmm:

Maybe the better question would be whether or not NOLA would bump someone for former Prime Minister John Major.

TPO (Tammy) 

The Practical Pantry

Adam Balic

Adam Balic

Posted
Posted
Basically he is over-exposed and people are cynical about him. Since he has a personal fortune of 20 million pounds at last estimate, I think that he is big enough to take the knocks.

if I recall correctly some of the earlier press on Oliver himself, the kudos he has received have been well earned (for his restaurant)...

but I also remember that "Jamie Bashing" was quite the sport in London and their "nit picky" press, some time back, was "on his case" so to speak because he had not done enough charity stuff ...

Oh sure lifes tough and unfair and all that, but he has made is fortune with being a public figure and that has made him fair game for the press.

He has great smarts though. Set up a production company, film setting up a restaurant with a twist, sell this to C4. Brilliant! People are actually paying him to advertise is restaurant on prime time TV for one hour periods.

The Art and Mystery of Food

malcolmjolley

malcolmjolley

Posted
Posted
Do you think he would have done the same for someone like Johnny Depp or Bono? Doubt it.  :hmmm:

Maybe the better question would be whether or not NOLA would bump someone for former Prime Minister John Major.

Don't go there!

Malcolm Jolley

Gremolata.com

FoodMan

FoodMan

Posted
Posted (edited)
This is ridiculous! Why does everyone hate Oliver so damn much?  I can't believe the pettiness in these posts;  the automatic assumption that it must be a put-on or a sinister media manipulation.

Sure, Naked's a media whore. But so what? He's one of the most effective communicators of the Alice Waters/Ruth Rogers & Rose Gray school of using the best and freshest ingredients.

I say, good for him and his staff.

Ditto!! Good for Jamie

Is the restaurant that good? Was it this crowded before he was on t.v.?

the restaurant has only been open for less than a year so it was not there before the TV shows. I've never eaten there, but reviews of the food were pretty good.

FM

Edited by FoodMan (log)

E. Nassar
Houston, TX

My Blog
contact: enassar(AT)gmail(DOT)com

fresh_a

fresh_a

Posted
Posted

So?

Anti-alcoholics are unfortunates in the grip of water, that terrible poison, so corrosive that out of all substances it has been chosen for washing and scouring, and a drop of water added to a clear liquid like Absinthe, muddles it." ALFRED JARRY

blog

Al_Dente

Al_Dente

Posted
Posted
Well we turned away Keith Blackwell this week.Who he you ask? I have no idea, but we were full for the night he wanted, but i said that if i could take a name and number, i would call back if a table became free.When he said Keith Blackwell, for some reason it rang a bell, so i asked him was he famous(or more likely had the same name as someone famous)..and he didn't answer straight away and seemed a bit embarressed.Anyhoo, he didn't get a table :laugh:

PS if anyone knows who Keith Blackwell is i'd be obliged

You turned away THE Keith Blackwell? :shock:

http://www.southalabama.edu/cwrc/drkeith.html

:wink:

peak performance is predicated on proper pan preparation...

-- A.B.

oh my garlic

oh my garlic

Posted
Posted

hey, i've got a question....(and take into consideration that i'm new to this forum) why is it that many of these posts start off with a pleasant topic and then drivel down to a celebrity chef selling out?

personally i think it is fantastic that slick willy could not stuff his face at the plebeians' expense. and as for jamie, he's got a good show. he whips up some very creative dishes and has fun doing it. who bloody cares how much money he makes?

Blondie

Blondie

Posted
Posted

My point was that this hardly seems to be a newsworthy item. There doesn't even seem to be any proof that it was Clinton's people that made the call. What seems clear is that a phone conversation between a prospective diner and an employee of the restaurant ended up in the newspaper, and it's unlikely the prospective diner called the Daily Mirror to complain.

Sometimes When You Are Right, You Can Still Be Wrong. ~De La Vega

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