Winners of Jamie's Italian 'Design a Restaurant' Challenge! Wednesday, 2nd November 2016

We would like to congratulate our two DEC work experience students Sam Boone and Jon Haylett in winning the 'Design a Restaurant' Challenge with Jamie’s Italian, open to all secondary schools in the UK. The duo were shortlisted to the final, fighting off stiff competition from co-finalists Drummond High School, Edinburgh, St Ambrose Barlow RC High School, Salford and St Mary’s College, Derry.

The panel of judges included John Field (CIBSE President), Amanda Clack (RICS President) and Chris Chivers (CIOB President), teaming up with the Director of Design and Development for the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, Justin Hardy.

When the judges met at the RICS HQ in London to review the finalists, they were amazed at the level of work the students had submitted with all judges agreeing that the quality of work was on par with that they had seen within the industry. They had to repeatedly remind themselves that the designs had been submitted by secondary school students.

The winning team will be treated to a day ‘behind the scenes’ at Jamie’s Italian Piccadilly restaurant, with a fabulous lunch hosted by Gennaro Contaldo and the Jamie’s Italian design team who will show John and Sam how Jamie’s restaurants are designed from concept to completion and what makes each restaurant a success from an operational point of view.

Bravo e complimenti a tutti e due!