Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is expanding his empire by opening another business in Brighton.

The chef, who recently opened an Italian restaurant in Black Lion Street, is to open a branch of his Recipease food and kitchen emporium.

Work has already begun in Western Road on the site of the former Field and Track and Carphone Warehouse shops next to Robert Dyas.

The new shop will have a twist in that people can pre-book ingredients, turn up and prepare the meals themselves and then take it hom to cook in the oven.

The store will also sell Jamie Oliver branded kitchenware and will offer cookery lessons to those wanting to improve their culinary skills.

Busier people can simply turn up collect a cold meal to take away and cook in the themselves.

It is thought dozens of jobs could be created by the new food store with a sign outside the shop advertising for permanent full and part-time positions such as shift supervisors, food and retail assistants and food trainers.

The chef, whose wife Jools gave birth to baby girl Petal Blossom Rainbow yesterday, said: “I’ve wanted to create something special like this for a long time – something which offers the support and solutions in the neighbourhood that people need these days as so many people were never taught to cook at home or in school.

“As well as that, people want ideas, hints, short cuts and tips to keep them excited about cooking.

“With Recipease, I wanted to work with the public to make people want to cook because they love cooking.

“By having trained cooks helping the customers, we can really get people excited about food, young mums wanting ideas for the family, blokes wanting to impress the girlfriend, professionals planning a dinner party, everyone.

“Whether you’ve got time or not, we can add a little bit of something extra and teach people in a friendly way, like I was taught.

“I really believe that if the produce and product is exceptional and good value, then people will find this service dead handy.”

The Brighton branch of Recipease will be Oliver’s second following the first which opened in South London in February.

The opening of a store where people can learn to cook is an extension of the chef’s campaign to get ordinary folk back behind the stove.

Oliver has opened a food centre in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, called Jamie’s Ministry of Food, which was also the title of his television series focusing on the campaign.