Drugs help for Jamie Oliver chefs

Jamie Oliver trains disadvantaged young people at Fifteen

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is to set up a drugs treatment course for young chefs at his east London restaurant.

Fifteen, which opened in Hoxton in 2002 to provide chef training to disadvantaged young people, will provide in-house drugs support.

The move comes after cannabis was blamed for absence and lack of motivation among the workers.

Those who relapse will not be sacked, Fifteen's Tony Elvin told the drugs charity magazine Druglink.

'Insecure chefs'

Mr Elvin, training and development manager of the restaurant's charity wing, said: "At Fifteen, cannabis has caused poor attendance, lateness, lack of motivation, difficulty in retaining information and insecurity.

"We are helping trainees to access treatment to allow them to stay on the course and fulfil their potential."

Fifteen sought help from drug advisers after trainees who had tried to give up cannabis fell back into their old habits to cope with the challenge of the training.

Harry Shapiro, editor of Druglink magazine, said: "It is encouraging to see a high-profile programme like the Fifteen Foundation supporting young people in dealing with their drug misuse rather than simply dismissing them."

The 2005 Harden's London restaurants guide described Fifteen as "amateurish" and rated it the worst of 32 eateries.