Transcripts

 

Part 4

 

P=presenter J=Jeff C=Clare

 

P

For our first report this week on Family Affair, I went to Brighton to talk to Jeff Jephcott and Clare, his daughter, about the vegetarian restaurant they set up together. Here's how the interview went … [pause]

Jeff and Clare, I should start by congratulating you both on the success of your business. I got here in time for lunch, and I can assure our listeners that the food was absolutely delicious. I'm not a vegetarian myself, but I could see myself becoming a regular customer if I ever came to live in Brighton. And the place was absolutely packed. Business is obviously thriving.
J Fortunately for us it is, yes. Starting up your own business is always a risk, and you stand to lose a lot if things don't work out. But as you saw earlier, we're doing very well. Especially at midday.
P Why do you think that is?
J Well, there are a lot of offices in the area, and we're very convenient. That accounts for some of our business. And then there's the whole health thing. The majority of our customers are not actually vegetarians, but more and more people are watching what they eat these days, and the food we offer is just what the doctor ordered. It's tasty, and it's healthy. That's what people want.
P And it was you, Clare, if I'm not mistaken, who first had the idea for the restaurant.
C

I was the first vegetarian in the family, but it was actually my sister who had the idea of opening up the restaurant. She then got offered this really good job in marketing, which is what she studied, and she pulled out, leaving me, Mum and Dad to go ahead with the idea.
P Is she not just a little jealous of how well it's gone for you?
C Just a little, maybe. But then again she's doing OK for herself, so there are no hard feelings really.
P You mentioned Mum. What's her role in all this?
C Well, before she had us she worked as a hotel manager, which included looking after the catering section. Then she worked part-time for several years, doing the accounts for the local hotel. She's the only one with any experience of running of a business. Without her the whole thing would never have got off the ground. If someone wants to speak to the manager, we send them to see Mum.
P

Right. So tell me, how did the idea to open a restaurant become a reality?
J Well, when Lucy, that's Clare's sister, came to talk to us about the idea, I was all for it. I'm a chef by trade, and the idea of working for myself instantly appealed. But Joan, that's my wife - Clare's mother - was a lot more cautious.
P Why was that?
J

Well, Joan had seen how businesses work from the inside and knew just how hard it can be for a small business to survive, and how much work it can involve. It's no easy option. But we started talking about the idea as a family, and we managed to convince Joan that we were really ready for the challenge and that we'd make a good team. She's an accountant by trade, I'm a chef, though I'd never done any vegetarian cooking before, and though Clare has never trained to be a chef, she's a really amazing cook when it comes to vegetarian dishes. And that's it. Between Clare and myself we prepare all the food, we employ three waiters, and Joan runs the business side of things with the help of a part-time assistant.