Private dining events at Jamie Oliver HQ
Discover Benwell House, the home of Jamie Oliver’s Creative Event Space in Islington—an exclusive, review-worthy venue perfect for private dining and unforgettable events in London.
A feast behind the scenes – Jamie Oliver’s Creative Event Space at Benwell House
There are places in London where magic is made behind the scenes. Tucked just behind the Emirates Stadium, off a nondescript bit of Benwell Road in Islington, you’ll find one such place: Benwell House, home to Jamie Oliver’s culinary empire. From the outside, it looks like any other converted warehouse. But step through the modest doors and you’re whisked into a kind of gastronomic Narnia – a warm, inviting realm of open-plan kitchens, big wooden tables, starry lanterns, and the unmistakable hum of something good happening.
What is the Creative Event Space at Jamie Oliver HQ?
This isn’t a restaurant. It’s not even, strictly speaking, a studio anymore – though it still plays host to Jamie’s television shoots and cookbook sessions. What it is, is a private events space with a soul, a space that feels as if it’s been lived in and loved by people who know how to throw a proper bash.
Host Your Next Event at Jamie Oliver HQ in London
This is Jamie Oliver HQ – the Creative Event Space – and it’s available for hire. Yes, you read that right. You, a mere mortal, can host your very own soirée in the inner sanctum of one of Britain’s most iconic chefs.
A Unique London Venue Designed for Memorable Events
The first thing to note is that this isn’t your average “dry hire and deal with it” venue. From the off, it’s clear that this space was designed with conviviality in mind.
Every corner of the event space at Jamie Oliver HQ is filled with beautiful things including specially curated artwork, vintage furniture and stunning seasonal flowers which are all immediately recognisable as part of Jamie’s signature style.
Jamie Oliver’s Signature Style and Atmosphere
Warm lighting glows from above, bouncing off exposed brickwork and polished concrete, softened by vintage rugs and long refectory tables that beg to be crowded with shared platters and clinking glasses. A huge kitchen, fully kitted out, forms the heart of the space – and unlike many event venues that banish the food prep behind a black curtain, here the action is front and centre.
And that’s fitting, because at Jamie HQ, the food is the star.
Exceptional Catering by Jamie Oliver’s Team
Events here are catered by Jamie’s own team of chefs – a point worth lingering on. This is not a case of a branded space with some off-site catering list. No, the cooks here are battle-tested veterans of Jamie’s restaurant kitchens and food media projects, churning out vibrant, ingredient-led fare with the kind of effortless charm and rustic elegance that made Oliver a household name in the first place. Think heirloom tomato salads that taste like a Tuscan August afternoon. Beautifully charred lamb shoulder, slow-cooked for what must be an age, served family-style with a salsa verde so punchy it nearly walks itself to the table. A vegetarian mushroom risotto with truffle oil that didn’t feel like a sad concession, but a star turn in its own right.
And that was just the tasting menu.
Flexible Private Dining and Event Options
The venue is remarkably flexible – suited to private dining events for up to 85 seated guests or drinks events of up to 120 standing guests. Standing drinks receptions are where the space really sings with guests swept up in the best sort of party chaos – think free-flowing Aperol spritzes, platters of crab crostini and smoked aubergine tahini bites, waiters gliding between clusters of guests, and Jamie himself making a cameo appearance to say hello before retreating with a “Right, better let the pros handle it.”
The Jamie Oliver Experience: Warmth, Hospitality, and Attention to Detail
But even without the chef-in-chief popping in, the vibe is pure Jamie: warm, relaxed, inclusive, and unfussy without being scruffy. Staff greet you like old friends, coats are taken with genuine care (not just hung on the back of a folding chair), and there’s a palpable attention to detail in how the space is dressed for each event. Christmas parties can feature long tables were decked out in fairy lights, seasonal greenery, and charming mismatched crockery that feel more “cosy winter supper” than “corporate do”. Summer launches can feature deckchairs in the courtyard and frozen cocktails that made the early August heatwave almost tolerable.
The Courtyard: An Outdoor Oasis in North London
The courtyard, by the way, deserves its own paragraph. Tucked at the rear of the property, it’s a surprisingly peaceful slice of North London sky, perfect for pre-dinner drinks, post-meal lounging, or just escaping the noise with a Negroni in hand. It’s not massive, but it doesn’t need to be. What it is, is intentional – much like the rest of the venue – and it functions as an organic extension of the space, ideal for that magical golden hour moment when everything feels suspended in a soft haze of good food and better conversation.
Modern AV Facilities for Corporate Events and Product Launches
The AV setup is unobtrusive but effective. For those planning product launches or company presentations, there’s a screen discreetly mounted, microphones if you need them, and enough plug sockets to keep even the most slide-heavy keynote alive. But don’t worry – the tech doesn’t overshadow the atmosphere. You can make a big impression without it ever feeling like a conference room at a Heathrow hotel.
Convenient Islington Location with Excellent Transport Links
Location-wise, Islington is just far enough from central London to feel like a destination, without the logistical faff of dragging guests to some godforsaken converted barn in Zone 6. Benwell Road is well connected, with Highbury & Islington and Holloway Road nearby, plus enough Ubers whizzing past to get you home with minimal grumbling.
A Premium Venue for Unforgettable Events
Of course, exclusivity doesn’t come cheap – but then again, this isn’t meant to be cheap. This is for brands with taste, couples with ambition, or companies tired of sad chicken satay skewers and lukewarm Prosecco in beige boardrooms. You come here because you want something memorable. Something that feels real. Something that, dare I say it, makes your guests feel loved.
Book the Creative Event Space at Jamie Oliver HQ
And in that, Jamie Oliver’s Creative Event Space delivers in spades.
It’s a testament to how an event space should function: not just as a blank canvas, but as a venue with its own story – a place that enhances your event simply by being itself. You’re not just hiring a room; you’re stepping into a vibe. A mood. A slice of Jamie-world where the napkins are artfully rumpled, the olive oil is proper peppery, and everyone leaves a little fuller, a little warmer, a little happier than when they arrived.
Book the Creative Event Space at Jamie Oliver HQ
Established in 2008, Private Dining Rooms operates a unique venue finding service for private dining rooms in London of all types of capacities and cuisines and our Events Team may be contacted on 020 7305 5044.
