Fifteen
Fifteen
Penny Newman, CEO
Fifteen London is the social enterprise restaurant made famous by Jamie Oliver and a series of TV shows. It has survived seven years in the notoriously difficult restaurant business and continues to inspire other restaurants. Fifteen has grown into a global chain with restaurants in Amsterdam, Melbourne and Cornwall.
'Fifteen wants to raise people’s potential and give young people – especially those with disadvantage in their lives – an opportunity to find themselves, grow their self-esteem and their skills - using cooking and a love of food as a catalyst,' chief executive Penny Newman says.
Quick Facts
· Fifteen London is rated as one of the top 100 UK restaurants and as of July 2009 has seen 65 young people from difficult backgrounds graduate as qualified chefs. Of the 65 graduates 74% work in the food industry – only 6% remain unemployed.
· Globally this has resulted in 144 graduates – 81% work in food and only 2% are unemployed.
· Of the trainees taken on at Fifteen London for the 2008/09 apprenticeship programme, almost 50% had drug and alcohol issues, close to 40% were young offenders and almost 10% had a history of housing issues including homelessness.