Jamie Oliver seeks a pukka place for new restaurant

CELEBRITY cook Jamie Oliver looks set to open a restaurant in the Capital within the next year, the Evening News can reveal.

The Naked Chef, made famous by his campaign for better school dinners and quirky catchphrases, has confirmed that he intends to open an eaterie to add to his Jamie's Italian string of restaurants, once he finds a suitable site.

It is thought that the restaurant will open in mid-to-late 2011, and bosses are appealing for local suppliers to come forward and offer their produce.

It comes after the successful opening of Jamie's Italian in Glasgow in July.

Oliver's spokesman, Peter Berry, said the chef hoped to be launching next year, although it could be 2012 if he does not find a site that matches the company's standards.

He said: "We are hoping to move into Edinburgh at some point soon. We are looking at sites in Edinburgh and in various cities around the UK. Edinburgh would be a brilliant place to have one of our restaurants, but we haven't found the right place yet. Hopefully we will be ready to open next year.

"We think Edinburgh would be the perfect place to open up because it ticks the boxes. It is a university town, but it also has a lot of professionals and visitors. It could work really well."

To date there are 14 Jamie's Italian outlets around the UK and a 15th restaurant is set to open in Birmingham in November.

The Glasgow branch has already built up a colourful reputation. On one of its opening nights it attracted such a large crowd that it ran out of seafood, bread and salad and was forced to close early.

It has reported that on its busiest days it can cater for around 800 people daily and has attracted some high-profile names such as singer Paolo Nutini and Scotland goalkeeper Allan McGregor.

Reviews have been mixed, with some describing the fare and service as "wonderful" and others calling it "bland" and "slow".

Malcolm Duck, chairman of Edinburgh Restaurateurs Association, welcomed the addition of the restaurant.

He said: "The city has a wealth of restaurants and there is an increasingly vibrant scene. The big names we have are great and this is a good addition to the list.

"It's not just about the name. Gary Rhodes proved that because he failed to make it.

"However, Jamie comes across as a passionate guy and his good reputation will be an excellent start.

"Edinburgh and Glasgow have very different markets when it comes to eating out. There is more disposable income in Glasgow so demand on Edinburgh income is significantly higher, making it a tougher market."