Leadership series: James Brown & Edward Loftus

Meet the industry’s most inspiring leaders in our CORE Leadership Series of in-depth conversations.

We are here talking to James Brown, CEO at Prezzo & Brava Hospitality and Edward Loftus, Global Restaurant Group Director at Jamie Oliver Restaurants.

In this recorded interview, Ed and James are welcomed to discuss their new partnership and the story behind how it came about. 

The conversation explores the practical ambitions of the collaboration, including how many concepts may be rolled out and whether any existing Prezzo sites will be rebranded. 

Ed reflects on the evolution of multi-concept and multi-format restaurant strategies seen in the past and shares what can be expected this time around. 

The discussion then turns to the current casual dining landscape, with James explaining how the business is positioning itself for success in what can be a challenging market. 

As customer demand increasingly shifts toward experiential dining, Ed talks through plans for enhancing the customer experience, including the partnership with John Lewis and whether elements such as cookery school-style experiences may be incorporated into the restaurants. 

James provides an overview of the work undertaken since joining, highlighting the operational and strategic changes that have supported the company’s performance. 

Ed also speaks about the global success of the Jamie Oliver business and potential opportunities for the partnership to expand beyond the UK. 

The interview also touches on future growth plans, including recent appointments and whether the focus will remain on casual dining or extend to acquisitions. 

Finally, the discussion concludes by exploring broader industry trends, with James sharing insights on the UK market and Ed offering a global perspective on where the sector is performing well and the challenges it faces.

Brava Hospitality & Jamie Oliver Restaurants: 

Brava Hospitality are a brand house for restaurants that serve exceptional food, with a focus on delivering genuine warmth and welcome. Their first and largest brand is Prezzo Italian, a dining powerhouse with 25 years of presence on the UK high street. They are investing in the brand’s future, refreshing the well-loved name and reinforcing what Brava represent: hospitality delivered with passion and at scale.

A landmark moment for the business is the return of Jamie’s Italian to the UK. 

In partnership with Jamie Oliver, Brava Hospitality are working to relaunch Jamie’s Italian in the British market, marking an important step in the brand’s next chapter. 

Over the coming months and years, Brava Hospitality also plan to expand its portfolio by adding several new dining and food brands to their stable.