How much longer, Jamie's Italian?

[jbethel11]

With the undoubted success of Jamie's Italian onboard Anthem, Harmony, Symphony, Quantum, Ovation, Navigator, Mariner and Spectrum of the Seas, it would be hard to imagine the demise of this revolutionary, and quite delicious food chain. However, with the recent reports of Jamie Oliver's restaurants shutting down, I can only ponder on how much longer Jamie's Italian will prosper in the ever developing cruise clientele culinary culture. Without making my claims sound like a thesis statement, allow me to provide the reason for (at least my) concern. Myriad news articles and videos (linked below) have provided a reason to believe the struggle of Jamie Oliver's so-called "empire." If this is the first time this has been brought to your attention, I advise watching a small portion of the video, which attempts to discover the truth behind the doomed enterprise. I now turn to you all, here at Cruise Critic, to hear opinions on whether or not this serves as any sort of concern to some of you.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/may/21/jamies-italian-struggled-for-relevance-as-people-changed-their-habits

 

Edited August 15, 2019 by jbethel11
Misinformation regarding Giovanni's Table and Jamie's Italian.

[Biker19]

19 minutes ago, jbethel11 said:

 I now turn to you all, here at Cruise Critic, to hear opinions on whether or not this serves as any sort of concern to some of you.

No, and this was already discussed in a couple of threads when this first happened 3 months ago.

[alfaeric]

I don't see any reason to worry about it.  The worst that will happen is that the names on the restaurants will change.  Big deal.  They are not going to board up the places, nor are they likely going to get rid of the popular menu items.

 

RCI has had a Italian restaurant on their ships since the early 2000's- this isn't going to impact that what so ever.

[jbethel11]

8 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

No, and this was already discussed in a couple of threads when this first happened 3 months ago.

Oh okay, I searched extensively but did not see any sort of thread.

[Clarea]

11 minutes ago, jbethel11 said:

Oh okay, I searched extensively but did not see any sort of thread.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2664724-jamies-restaurant-chain-facing-collapse/?tab=comments#comment-57517729

 

[BecciBoo]

53 minutes ago, jbethel11 said:

as any sort of concern to some of you.

Absolutely no concern at all.  To be fair, We have never eaten there, but we don't eat Italian now.  Keto! We have a dining pkg on our upcoming Symphony and will not be doing Jamie's at all.  But I'm sorry for you as it seems to be a real fave of yours.  There have been Italian venues on RCCL for years and I don't expect it to change, if not Jamie's chain it will be some other version...se la vie.

[crewsweeper]

Jaime's on RCCL is NOT the same as Jaime Oliver's on land.  "Captive" demographic versus review driven dining and competition from other Italian restaurants in the area.   RCCL signed a contract for use of the name.  Once that contract expires, they could or could not look to renew.  Only a couple of years ago these were all Giovanni's.

 

As far as Keto and Italian, you need to get your mind out of the Chef-Bo-Ardi spaghetti mode.   There are a lot of Keto type options in Italian/ Mediterranean cuisine.  Of course if you follow a Mediterranean diet, you would not need to shift to the extreme stuff ( just My opine).

[ryano]

22 minutes ago, BecciBoo said:

Absolutely no concern at all.  To be fair, We have never eaten there, but we don't eat Italian now.  Keto! We have a dining pkg on our upcoming Symphony and will not be doing Jamie's at all.  But I'm sorry for you as it seems to be a real fave of yours.  There have been Italian venues on RCCL for years and I don't expect it to change, if not Jamie's chain it will be some other version...se la vie.

 

Keto here too since February!  Ive lost about 40#.   Ive got to try the "plank" though!  It looks amazing!  

[Cruisegirl6]

We tried Jaimie's Italian two different cruises, it is not authentic Italian food....the only good thing were the plank meat board, other than that we were 6 adults in both sailings and we tried different things, none of us would go back again.  I like to see something better come in and get rid of Jaimie's.

[BecciBoo]

47 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

  Of course if you follow a Mediterranean diet, you would not need to shift to the extreme stuff ( just My opine).

I've lost 32lbs since January and my doctor has taken me off all diabetic meds and proclaimed me non diabetic.  Don't know how many Mediterranean diet followers can make that claim, thank you very much.  I also know what I can and should not eat at Jamie's,  but just don't want to subject myself to the temptation that is pasta and bread there.  And I see you are really not familiar with true Keto regimen, it is not extreme at all. You should educate yourself before you criticize it.

 

And .....Chef Boyardee????? please...  Isch.  I love good pasta, fresh produce and olives and olive oil, all good Keto components.  I actually make my own Keto pasta from coconut flour...delish.  But you can't get that at Jamie's.

Edited August 15, 2019 by BecciBoo

[brookmill18]

While we were on Symphony at Jamie's we asked if Oasis would get one during its dry dock.  They said no--that would stay a Giovanni's.  DH loves Jamie's but the one thing we miss are the unique tapas you can (or used to be able to?!) get at Vintages when they use a Giovanni's kitchen.  

Edited August 15, 2019 by brookmill18

[Colorado Babe]

One of the worst dining venues on the ships.  I really don't understand how anyone likes this venue.  It's like eating fast food.  Sorry, not a fan at all.

[ryano]

It seems that the Italian has slowly been going downhill since they got rid of Portofino. I remember when people would rave over the filet there saying it was much better than a Chops filet.   I never got to try Portofino but I did get to experience Giovannis table on Freedom of the Seas 4 years ago.  I thought it was wonderful.    I figure there is no way to mess up the wood plank of meat.   That is what Im most interested in at Jamies. 

[BecciBoo]

Portofino's had the lasagna that we loved, now nobody does the lasagna onboard.

Giovannis has an Ahi Tuna appetizer that I flipped over last Sept!  Soooo good and of course on Liberty I ordered a Lemon Drop Martini at Giovanni's and the bartender at the Windjammer bar made them...the best I ever tasted, she wafted and twisted orange peel over the glass then the lemon wedge...just a hint of the orange fragrance and a touch of orange taste made it delectable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I can taste it now....and I hope I will on Symphony!

[TeeRick]

I agree.  My highly subjective opinion based on my experience and preferences:  I would rank Portofino first, Giovanni's second and Jamie's Italian a very distant third.   I have tried Jamie's on both Anthem and Harmony.  I will not go back again so I hope they change it to something else.

[alfaeric]

3 hours ago, Cruisegirl6 said:

We tried Jaimie's Italian two different cruises, it is not authentic Italian food....the only good thing were the plank meat board, other than that we were 6 adults in both sailings and we tried different things, none of us would go back again.  I like to see something better come in and get rid of Jaimie's.

The way I read it, it's not supposed to be.

 

It's Jamie Oliver's version of it.  In all of the actual Italian restaurants I've been to, I've not once seen that kind of design- Milan, Alba, Tuscany, Rome, Florence, Venice, etc- that's a "romanticized" version of someone else's vision.  I've never considered it to even try to be authentic.

 

We like it, but it's also because we can find good low-carb options to eat there.  But if you don't, nothing wrong with that, at all. 

[IzznOll17]

Bring back Portofino! 

 

Eaten at both Jamie's (mainland and at sea) and Giovanni's and neither can touch Portofino .. 

Edited August 15, 2019 by IzznOll17

[Cruisegirl6]

I agree, the best was Portofino....Giovanni's filet is better than Chops filet, in fact, we had too many not good experiences at Chops, we stopped going there.

 

[nelblu]

5 hours ago, crewsweeper said:

Jaime's on RCCL is NOT the same as Jaime Oliver's on land.  "Captive" demographic versus review driven dining and competition from other Italian restaurants in the area.   RCCL signed a contract for use of the name.  Once that contract expires, they could or could not look to renew.  Only a couple of years ago these were all Giovanni's.

 

 

And before that there was Portofino.  If  RCL drops Jamie's & Giovanni they should go back to the Portofino

name.

[taglovestocruise]

15 minutes ago, Cruisegirl6 said:

I agree, the best was Portofino....Giovanni's filet is better than Chops filet, in fact, we had too many not good experiences at Chops, we stopped going there.

 

+ 1, I preferred the steak from Giovanni's over Chops.  Plus Giovanni's had no problem giving a 3rd entree to share at the table. 

[Yorkvillain]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

I would rank Portofino first, Giovanni's second and Jamie's Italian a very distant third.  

 

Agreed.  

[Merion_Mom]

My analysis of the "Portofino comparison".

 

Portofino was "way" better because it existed many years ago, before the budget cuts.

 

If Portofino existed today, you all would be complaining the same way about the food there.

 

Just MO.  YMMV.

[molsonschooner]

5 hours ago, BecciBoo said:

I've lost 32lbs since January and my doctor has taken me off all diabetic meds and proclaimed me non diabetic.  Don't know how many Mediterranean diet followers can make that claim, thank you very much.  I also know what I can and should not eat at Jamie's,  but just don't want to subject myself to the temptation that is pasta and bread there.  And I see you are really not familiar with true Keto regimen, it is not extreme at all. You should educate yourself before you criticize it.

 

And .....Chef Boyardee????? please...  Isch.  I love good pasta, fresh produce and olives and olive oil, all good Keto components.  I actually make my own Keto pasta from coconut flour...delish.  But you can't get that at Jamie's.

that is good to hear about your diabetes. If you don't mind me asking, were you type 1 or 2. I am type 1 and the diabetes specialist told me there is no cure.

[nelblu]

35 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

My analysis of the "Portofino comparison".

 

Portofino was "way" better because it existed many years ago, before the budget cuts.

 

If Portofino existed today, you all would be complaining the same way about the food there.

 

Just MO.  YMMV.

Yes, you are right.  Loved the seafood tower skewer, but then the half lobster tail became the size of a large shrimp.

[legaljen1969]

6 hours ago, BecciBoo said:

I've lost 32lbs since January and my doctor has taken me off all diabetic meds and proclaimed me non diabetic.  Don't know how many Mediterranean diet followers can make that claim, thank you very much.  I also know what I can and should not eat at Jamie's,  but just don't want to subject myself to the temptation that is pasta and bread there.  And I see you are really not familiar with true Keto regimen, it is not extreme at all. You should educate yourself before you criticize it.

 

And .....Chef Boyardee????? please...  Isch.  I love good pasta, fresh produce and olives and olive oil, all good Keto components.  I actually make my own Keto pasta from coconut flour...delish.  But you can't get that at Jamie's.

Anything that forces you to omit an entire macronutrient group from your nutrition is extreme.   I have found absolutely NO research whatsoever that states that a "true" keto diet allows for any carbohydrates whatsoever.   As a lifelong thing, it is completely unsustainable for the most part.