A RESTAURANT ranked the best in Essex has been asked to cook for Jamie Oliver when he returns to Southend.

The TV chef has asked Legend-deli, in Market Place, Southend, to serve him, his crew and celebrity friends when he returns to film the next series of Channel 4’s Jamie and Jimmy’s Food Fight Club.

Jamie and Jimmy Doherty shoot the series in a cafe on Southend Pier and have brought with them a host of celebrities over the past fewyears, including Gary Barlow, Gwyneth Paltrow and Usain Bolt.

But now they want to sample the delights of Legend-deli after it was rated the best restaurant in Essex by popular review site TripAdvisor.

Jason Finlay, 34, who runs the gourmet cafe with his partner Joanne Brown, 33, said: “It’s a huge honour to be asked – a real kudos for us to be noticed.

“Since we’ve opened up we’ve relied on word of mouth so that is why we have to be spot on. I’m nervous and it has given me a couple of sleepless nights, but hopefully it will be worth it.

“We were the only cafe in Southend they asked and that is brilliant for us.”

Jason’s tiny cafe has only five staff, but will be serving up food this week and next for a 60-strong filming crew, as well as for Jamie and Jimmy.

Jamie’s entourage have chosen six of Jason’s dishes, including specialities brisket chilli, East Indian lamb and pork goulash.

Legend-deli has gone from strength to strength since opening in Market Place, in March 2013.

Jason added: “We’ve just grown because of word of mouth, through people and the internet. People from Japan, Norway and America have eaten here because they’ve seen reviews online.

“When we moved here the Market Place was dead – but we’ve revitalised the place.

“Henry Burger saw what we were doing and opened next door, and they’re doing well, too.”

Legend-deli is open Monday to Wednesday, from 11am to 5pm, Thursday to Friday from 11am to 10pm, and 11am to 7pm on Saturday.