Jamie Oliver Partners with Facebook Game Restaurant City

May 22, 2011
Jo Romero

Jamie Oliver Partners with Social Media Game Restaurant City - Michelle Meiklejohn, Freedigitalphotos.net

Jamie Oliver becomes the first celebrity chef to partner with a social media game as his recipes and brand appear on Restaurant City.

First there were the books, the TV shows and the highly successful range of branded cookware. Then came the Food Revolution and the fight to improve school dinners, fishing reform and pig farming. Now, the Jamie Oliver brand goes virtual as it is featured on the Facebook game Restaurant City.

Jamie Oliver Recipes and Branded Items Appear on Restaurant City for Four Weeks

Restaurant City, a social media game that attracts six million players each month, has struck a deal with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver to have his brand featured in the game for a four week period. In an announcement posted on the chef's website, it is hoped that players will "share in his excitement and passion for inspiring people to cook using fresh ingredients".

The game allows players to manage their own restaurants, employ Facebook friends as staff and also gives them the function to create their own menus. Commenting about the partnership with Playfish, the game's developer, Jamie said "I'm really excited that some of my recipes are becoming part of Restaurant City as its such a phenomenon", adding "I hope that by creating my recipes in the virtual world, the Restaurant City community will be inspired to try making them for real".

Real Recipes and Branded Food Items Available

As well as the virtual branded items that will be available to players, the game will feature Jamie Oliver recipes including Farfalle Carbonara, Meatball Pasta, Basil Pesto Pasta and Asparagus Fettucine. Once players successfully create each recipe virtually, they will then be given a link where they can view the real recipe online.

Jamie Oliver is the first celebrity chef to enter in partnership with a social media game, but it is unlikely that he will be the last. As the world of social media grows, people - and celebrities in particular - will look to this medium for new ways of interacting with their fans and spreading their brand. And developers of social media games also benefit from partnerships such as this one. They can offer their players something exciting and well-known, making them feel that they are interacting with the celebrity chef and their brand. Celebrity chef appearances on social media games could soon be a more regular occurrence. We might even see Jamie's friend and TV farmer Jimmy Doherty on Farmville one day, too.