Jamie Oliver eyeing NZ despite setback

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver says he still plans to open restaurants in New Zealand, even though a businessman hired to find locations is a banned company director.

Pacific Restaurant Group, which signed an agreement in December 2010 to develop 14 Jamie’s Italian restaurants in Australia and New Zealand, is no longer working with businessman David Williams, New Zealand’s Sunday Star-Times reported.

Oliver, who was in Sydney on Sunday for the opening of a Jamie’s Italian restaurant on Pitt Street, was asked by AAP if Mr Williams had been sacked.

“No,” Oliver replied, but before he could elaborate on his answer, he was cut off by one of his publicists at the red carpet media conference.

The publicist told AAP that Oliver was there to talk about his new Sydney restaurant.

A Seven Network reporter then politely asked how the Sydney restaurant was going.

Mr Williams has been banned as a company director and is being investigated by New Zealand’s Ministry of Economic Development’s national enforcement unit.

But Oliver said he was still interested in expanding his chain into New Zealand.

“We’re looking for places but we’re not in any rush to do anything,” he told reporters outside the restaurant.

“If we find the right location that feels right in the right part of town, we could well consider it.”

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