My Blog

Differing cultures

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 15:52:45 +0000

Being part of European Union means that we have a choice of staff from any of the EU countries. We have continued to hire staff from Slovakia simply because we know and have supported a few of them in their attempt to gain education and employment in UK. We feel connected and are more comfortable with them. These are the people we can afford to employ - they make our business work.

Yet the differences cannot be more stark. Every other year we have to train staff, some of who have never eaten in a restaurant. We are constantly amazed at the details that have to be communicated from the start. Some examples of their beliefs are -

pointing out an error is viewed as a personal failure
food plates must be taken away from the table as soon as the person has eaten
quantity in food is more important than quality
eat as soon as the food is served, dont wait for the others,
there is one type of glass for all drinks- no problem!
people eat in a restaurant because they are hungry,
one must talk out loud ( some of the staff live in the mountains of Slovakia so I guess they need to shout to be heard !!.) Just a jest!

Some of these examples are culture specific, but boy, do they interfere in training.

We take so many subtle nuances in daily living for granted. Some of these words and gestures hold a mine-house of meaning. Supper versus tea; dinner versus lunch - class, culture, education all embodied in one word or gesture.

In the restaurant we are compelled to use the right words, gestures and symbols to attract the right market. Imagine the complexity of training when you hire staff from diverse cultures with different semiotics for every gesture and word. It certainly makes the work environment vibrant, challenging and rich.

Here is a recipe from my grandmother, a global thinker and my feminist role model, who never travelled beyond India. Her stories travelled the globe as did her ideas. She was a firebrand feminist who thought it her right to challenge the president on political policies. ( now in India that is a real challenge!!)

In the early 196o, post- independence India had strong relations with Russia as it was called. There were public collaborations with Russian government and Marxist study circles held at home meant that I saw a few Russians when I was young. I was mesmerized by the Russian folk dancers, where as a child, their leaps seemed sky-high, magical and hypnotic. I loved this dance form. I still do.

My grandmother, as a sign of the times, made her version of Russian Kootu. It was wee bit different from the Sambar and for some unknown reason had a medley of vegetables instead of the usual one or two.

Adaptation

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:08:48 +0000

No one can say that we are not adaptable. The number of debilitating events, that have presented themselves to us, over the past 5 years could buckle many people down or even direct them towards to the nearest island Priory. Not us. Our hair turns grayer, more facial lines appear, lots of somatic illnesses besiege us. But we flip over, shake the dismaying tides and bounce right back under a new guise.

If all of this sounds gobbledegook, it is only a precursive introduction to the change I have had to make to our business. The Tiffin Room, my third born, grew out of necessity. It is this very necessity that has prompted me to close this venture temporarily.

A daughter diagnosed with several medical conditions, to me means one thing. I need to tip the balance towards being a mother. My daughter needs me now. She needs my support in learning the new habits required to manage her condition, until she can manage this on her own.

Hence, I have to close The Tiffin Room, to wandering visitors as it is a lot more manageable to cater to large parties in one sitting. However, for the guests who stay here just for the food, a small range of South Indian breakfast dishes will be offered.

So from a restaurant that was increasing in popularity to a pared down version. For 2008. All I can do is apologise to everyone and hope that you will understand.

Ebbing businesses

Wed, 7 Nov 2007 13:13:36 +0000

Rural businesses struggle, especially over the winter. This is even more exaggerated for new business owners who cannot fall back on value appreciation of their business that comes with time. With higher overheads than their compatriots, who have owned businesses over several decades and now a failing rural economy, the countryside is the playground for the wealthy. Perhaps it has always been so.

On the Shute alone, where the restaurant is located, properties ranging from £300, 000 to over a million are second homes. From 3 bed apartments to 8 bed mansions. A few 8 bed mansions on the Shute have seen a handful of people stay there in a year ! The large old rectory across was a second home. These homes remain unoccupied for most of the year contributing erratically to the rural economy. The villages and towns are like ghost towns in winter. Large old hotels are selling up to developers and turnover of some businesses are very high. Prices are high to compensate for the shortfall in winter.

The Tiffin Room has a small business over the autumn and winter. The majority of the winter tourists prefer either “Turkey and Tinsel” or slightly more refined European food and most certainly not South Indian food. The few loyal customers who do dine here are too few to justify keeping the business open during this season. So dramatically different from a high street restaurant where the footfall itself brings custom.

My concern remains with the island economy. As tourism is the largest industry here and with the proliferation of second homes, how will the tourism industry maintain its competitive edge ? How will the prices stay low and how do businesses provide good value for money ?

Salutation to Germany - a lesson for the NHS

Wed, 5 Sep 2007 11:29:51 +0100

Cooking is a form of art and for me a highly creative and rewarding process. However, the travails of being a Chef and the toll it takes on physical health is not often written about. Within this whole business of food, restaurants chefs are glamourised and the business seen as a quick and easy way to make money, that the other prickly side is seldom acknowledged.

For example: as an Indian, the melanin on the skin is vulnerable to extreme heat from griddles, fryers and other heat generating gadgets. Pigmentation and reactions such as Rosacea, burns, sliced skin etc is not uncommon. White skin seems better equipped to take this heat.

High stress in the kitchen and a vulnerable public front means that acid stomach and related problems is common.

In my situation, lifting heavy pans and boxes along with age took its toll on my shoulder this year. A biceps tendon problem meant that I could not move my right shoulder and hand at all. The pain was excruciating and the frustration of being unable to do anything, fueled some pretty vile future scenarios.

Fast forward to an NHS which did not see my condition as critical. So, if I was willing to wait another 4-5 months, that is, after it had taken 4 months to see a Consultant and have an MRI, my shoulder may be sorted out. However, it was suggested to me that I may chose to take the private care route, where I could have the surgery with in 2 weeks for a fat fee!

Looking at this situation - a working mother- with 2 children, one dysfunctional arm, unable to work. If I didn't have staff and a husband as a back up- we would have sunk under. There must be several hundred people in a similar situation throughout Britain. What happens to their lives, their businesses? Who helps?

Why does the NHS not offer priority treatment ( along with the other priorities they have listed out) to working people, especially if their physical well being was quintessential to their livelihood ? For all the Government’s talk about “getting people back to work”- the auxillary support service to back this up is non existent.

Fortunately, having a Doctor friend in Germany meant that I could, very cheaply zip over to have my shoulder sorted out.

True to the general notion of Germans being very precise and methodical, my experience of the surgery and after care was one of precision, clarity and thoroughness-an experience that left me almost euphoric. The skills of the doctors, their ability to think laterally without the arrogance I have seen among British Consultants and the exceptional nursing care I received, is very hard to compare. I write as someone who spent 3 days in one of London's private hospital a few years ago.

Mark, who was with me in the hospital room, had 5 star treatment. “Would you like some tea? Herb tea - with honey”, every half an hour. We were both plied with affection, concern and the odd bottle of Bachs Herbal remedy to perk us up.

And the food in the hospital was amazing, for a hospital - I believe Mark gained a stone in 3 days! The range, the assortment of cheeses, yoghurts, teas, meats, fruits. Nothing was too much. I was encouraged to eat tiny amounts of anything - discarding half eaten food, and replacing it immediately with easily digestible ones- all with a smile.

(The picture below shows part of the breakfast. Mark had already eaten a croissant and cheese and there was another plate filled with toast, fruit and jams!)

The response time for nurse - doctor consultation in the event of new developments, was just a few minutes. Quick efficient and flexible.

Our restaurant and hotel sees quite a few German visitors. Some Germans book in to the hotel just to eat South Indian food. Some even request Indian style spiced omelette for breakfast. In salutation to the wonderful team that helped restore the use of my arm here is a simple, healthy recipe for an Omelette.

Public appreciation by Country Life - Editor

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:17:40 +0100

"If the Michelin Guide cared about proper food, rather than the degree of starch in the napkins, it would give Bonchurch Manor a star", says Mr Aslet (Editor of Country Life) in The Times, Saturday, July 28th 2007.

What an accolade !! I am stunned. To say this publicly as well ! Wowee! How often is Indian food recognised as being complex and delicate enough to warrant such grades or even speak of having the quality to deserve one. Usually,this food conjures up slapped on "curry type" cheap gunk. God forbid if you charge "Western Food" prices for dishes that are heavenly !! In such a public climate, I am absolutely honored by Mr Aslets comments. For a white Englishman to make this statement is bold and radical.

If you look at some of the food blogs listed on my Tiffin Room blog you can find the most amazing cooks and recipes. They are ordinary people yet their cuisine is heavenly. And any way should'nt the Michelin Grading be more inclusive- taking into its fold the vast spectrum of people and food from around the world?

Mr Aslet says "I got back to a superb breakfast, made from local, free-range produce. The coffee was excellent". True, True. The experimentation - the errors, the fine toning of the ingredients have resulted in a breakfast that we think is the best. Would you find a breakfast cooked only with olive oil and tomatoes sprinkled with fresh basil in a place which provides accommodation in such a splendid location at £42 pppn !!

Do you know that in 2004, when we were experimenting with presentation, taste and variety, we offered a selection of breads- cheese, pumpkin, aniseed, fruit, plain etc. And guess what? Perhaps 2 people out of several hundred asked for this bread. Everyone else wanted the synthetic plain white or brown toast. And the coffee we served - we had a strange couple who wanted to try every type of coffee we had on our menu. Java, Italian, Blue mountain. Would any other Guest Accommodation provider have allowed this ? We think not.