Jamie Oliver trainee found dead

Published on 24/01/2012 00:00

ONE of Jamie Oliver’s original apprentices from his Fifteen restaurant has been found dead in a garden, police said yesterday.

Kevin Boyle, 26, was reported missing from Purley, south London, last October, prompting an appeal for information from his former mentor.

A body was found in the back garden of a house in Coulsdon, south London, yesterday afternoon. His death is being treated as unexplained.

TV chef Oliver, who trained Mr Boyle as part of the Channel 4 series Jamie’s Kitchen in 2002, said he was “deeply saddened” by the news.

Mr Boyle appeared in the final episodes of the programme, having been recruited into the group of 15 budding chefs when someone else dropped out.

He progressed to working at various restaurants, most recently Vinoteca in Clerkenwell, and had cooked for the Prince of Wales and former prime minister Tony Blair.