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2008-06-13 08:46:21
2 hours, 41 minutes ago
The manager of British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's chic Australian restaurant
was charged Friday with stealing thousands of dollars and burning down the
company's offices.
Thirty-two-year-old Kevin Stralow ran Fifteen Restaurant in Melbourne for the
foundation Oliver set up to help disadvantaged young people enter the
restaurant business, a court heard.
The fire at the charity's offices near the restaurant on June 5 caused about a
million dollars (950,000 US) in damage and destroyed two other offices in the
building before firefighters managed to bring it under control.
Stralow, who has been sacked, was also accused in the Melbourne Magistrates
Court of stealing some 23,000 dollars of the restaurant's takings between April
14 and June 2.
The management of Oliver's Fifteen Foundation said in a statement it was deeply
disappointed and saddened by the case.
"We place great trust in our trainees and we're proud of the fact they continue
to work extremely hard to build their skills and turn their lives around," the
statement said.
Fifteen Melbourne executive head chef Tobie Puttock said Oliver had been in
touch to offer encouragement to the staff and trainee chefs.
"He's basically sent out big hugs and kisses to us and... we can power through
this, so we'll just keep going."
Puttock told reporters the office was also used by trainees as a safe place to
relax.
"For me, that was the biggest loss we had," he said. "A lot of the young people
we have on board don't have maybe such a good home life.
"For them, it was a place they could go and actually hang out, or talk to us or
counsellors or me or the other chefs."
The Fifteen Foundation says it has helped around 50 trainees since the
Melbourne restaurant -- one of four Fifteen Restaurants worldwide -- was
launched in September 2006.
Stralow, who denied the allegations, was granted bail under the condition that
he stays away from the restaurant and is due to reappear in court in September.
Oliver, whose first television series was titled The Naked Chef, promotes
simple, healthy cooking and is known for his campaign against the processed
foods served in British schools.