Life update. (A post I wrote a long time ago and didnt publish.)

I’m currently sat in a friends garden in Hungary with a selection of Palinka in front of me and a cold beer. My wife is in their pool, with said friends family and our 8 month old son Abel. The best Palinka by far is a homemade strawberry one by the way. The beer is called Borsodi, not the best beer Hungary has but it’s cold and the weather is currently 28’C so I’m enjoying it!

We have taken ourselves away for two weeks amid our hectic life at the moment. We are, I think about to open our first restaurant which on it’s own would cause me sleepless nights I think!

The restaurant is set be be in the centre of Cheltenham and we live in rural Wiltshire so we must put are lovely house on the rental market and become landlords. Oh yeah…..we need to find somewhere to rent in Cheltenham and become tenants again all in the next month….. writing this down in words has brought it back to the front of my mind (I pour myself another strawberry Palinka and sip it…)

Since the last post which I realise was a very long time ago, my life has not gone the way I thought it was but has maybe been given a short cut. I was expecting to be offered a job at a new pub (well actually an old pub given a beautiful makeover after being closed for 2 years) that I went for 5 interviews for and got on very well with the new owners. This interview and waiting for an answer went on for 2 months which is a long time. I left the Red lion expecting this job to begin but it didnt so I found myself working at a place in Marlborough which was about to re brand with a plan to open a chain in the next year. The offer was to create a concept that could then be rolled out and I would be the executive chef of said chain. Sounded good right?!

My options were to wait (for what sounded like my perfect job) for the pub or this job in Marlborough which, as good as it sounded I felt it would mean me cooking food at a lower standard than I really wanted. To roll out a concept would mean simpler food and a well organised system. I did like the sound of the challenge, a much different challenge than running one kitchen to a higher standard. After a long think I decided I wanted to help them but over all it’s not something that would keep me happy. I offered to be a consultant for them to get them started while I waited for the job offer to arrive from the pub.

I created a concept for them of small plates for sharing of british food. Something that was new to Marlborough and I think a new concept for a chain restaurant. They had a very small kitchen and wanted one or two chefs maximum so sharing plates lent itself to that because you can send the food when it’s ready rather than wait to cook all of it and send all together.

I also found them a very capable head chef, he got the concept and we were all very positive about moving forward. However as soon as it all kicked off me and my old sous chef paul had our doubts! They didnt explain the concept to the customers and consequently they didnt get it and they wanted the food at the same time which the waiting staff happily offered! That meant carnage to put it lightly and the concept just didnt get a chance to flourish. Paul wrote a great menu which had dishes people knew and would love as well as some more challenging dishes.

After watching it all unfold I was very happy I didnt take the job. Un surprisingly my mate paul decided to leave and after they were quite rude to me I stopped speaking with them. All in all it’s a shame because the place has great potential.

During all of this I was I was invited to cook at the owner of the pubs house. They wanted to try my food and the pub wasnt finished yet so i cooked up a 4 course meal at their home. They loved it and I had a lot of fun cooking it. After the meal we chatted and it all looked good … a month went by….I heard nothing.

However in that month someone I knew told the world on twitter their restaurant was going to shut. I had been to the restaurant and loved it, a very stylish restaurant in the center of cheltenham. I immediately messaged him and asked if I could buy the lease if possible?? They said they would be more than happy to sell it to me!

I decided that this must be some kind of Devine intervention because a week later I got an email saying simply that they had found a head chef for the pub and I wouldn’t be needed! I thought fuck you! I’ll open my own place and make it amazing!!!

So I have been pulling money together ever since and my amazing parents have offered to invest in me. I have been writing a business plan, a cash flow spread sheet and it’s all starting to become very real!

If this all works out then I will be very happy I didnt get that job. I’ve always wanted my own restaurant and I really hope this is the time. I want it to be fun but also amazing food that people dont feel intimidated by. Gareth ward says fun dining not fine dining! That’s what I want. My chefs will bring you the food, the dress code is relaxed and I hope the people of Cheltenham love it!