Jamie Oliver ‘hoovers’ lasagne, red wine at 1800 Lasagne for Sunday long-lunch

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver may be in Australia, but diners weren’t expecting him to walk into this suburban Melbourne restaurant for a leisurely Sunday lunch with friends.

Jamie Oliver visited 1800 Lasagne in Thornbury for Sunday lunch with friends.

It’s no surprise celebrity chef Jamie Oliver loves Italian food.

But diners weren’t expecting the Naked Chef to stroll into Thornbury hipster hangout 1800 Lasagne for a leisurely Sunday lunch.

The TV chef was spotted having a ‘lovely jubbly’ time with long-time mate and former Fifteen Melbourne head chef Tobie Puttock and his family.

Lasagne was on the menu, or so we suspect, with owner Joey Kellock blissfully unaware of what the table ordered.

“I don’t even know what they ate. They hoovered the food before I got there. Plates were licked clean,” he said.

Kellock said customers were respectful of the British TV chef’s privacy.

“Everyone was cool about it in our part of town. They were respectful, but having high-end stars in the restaurant is quite a common occurrence,” he said.

Kellock was warned the superstar would be stopping by.

“Tobie Puttock is a good friend of mine and he reached out very early on with the booking,” he said.

“It’s the first time I’ve met (Jamie) and we got along well and opened a few bottles of wine.”

Speaking of, vino was truly an Italian affair with nebbiolo a firm favourite on the table including pours of barbaresco, a 2017 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, 2018 Produttori di’ Carema Riserva Nebbiolo and unspecified vintage of the Piedmonte red blend Antoniotti Bramaterra.

The day before Oliver was in Sydney for an in-conversation event at the Sydney Opera House hosted by former MasterChef Australia judge Melissa Leong.

Oliver is in Australia to celebrate his almost 10-year partnership with Royal Caribbean cruises.