British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has announced plans to open his first Irish restaurant this autumn.
Jamie's Italian will open in a 4,500 sq ft unit in the Pembroke area of Dundrum Town Centre in Dublin. The restaurant will create around 75 jobs and is now recruiting for senior chefs and managers.
The Jamie's Italian restaurant chain serves dishes that have been created by Oliver and his mentor, Italian chef Gennaro Contaldo.
Oliver said he would be working with independent Irish food producers to get the finest ingredients Ireland offers, including Irish free-range meats, sustainable fish, fruit, vegetables and breads.
His international operations chef Marcos Georgiou has already begun to visit potential farms and factories around Ireland, along with Irish restaurateur Gerry Fitzpatrick, who will be working with Jamie Oliver on the Irish operation.
Oliver said the Dublin restaurant opening was "a dream come true for me because it's a city I've loved for many years".
He said the restaurant chain was all about delicious, affordable food and great staff. "So we're currently on the hunt for around 75 fantastic local people to join our team as chefs and front of house staff. We'll be sourcing loads of wonderful local produce to give the place a really special feel. I can't wait for us to be open".