Restaurants and bars call upon all of the senses, not just taste, to establish an emotional connection with customers. They rely on their architecture and decor to establish a visual identity that reflects ...
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How's this for a truly international recipe for expansion: British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver plans to export his Italian-themed restaurant chain to Asia. Oliver, who first gained fame a decade ago in "The Naked Chef" TV program, has unveiled plans to open 30 Jamie's Italian family-style restaurants in the region, with the first one set to open its doors in Hong Kong early next year, The Daily Telegraph of London reports.
"Why Asia? Of all the markets, it has by far the fastest-growing economy," Edward Pinshow, president of Tranic Franchising, a partner of Jamie's Italian International in Asia, told the Telegraph. "The Chinese have become extremely fond of Italian food, and in Japan, Jamie's become a household name."
Pinshow said the first stage of the expansion was to open six restaurants in Hong Kong and Singapore, followed over the next five years by two dozen locales in China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea. The partners hope to raise $200 million to fund the expansion.
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