Behind the Scenes - Dianne Curtin

I have met Dianne Curtin quite some time ago through Slow Food and I was impressed by her passion for food, producers, market and life in general. Her energy is second to none and can put people half her age in the shadow. She is an accomplished foodwriter with 'The Creators' been published to great acclaim. Dianne just re-launched her website. She also worked with me on the Grow.Bake.Cook Award which was a huge success for both of us and we are working closely again to take this award a step further. Her passion is inspiring and I am happy to call her a friend.

Name:
Dianne Curtin

Title:
Chef, Food Writer, Broadcaster

Background:
Dianne began her career in London at Fortnum & Mason. She completed her chef's apprenticeship at Le Souffle restaurant (Intercontinental Hotel Park Lane). After finishing her training, she began to work as a food stylist for some major UK publications. She moved to West Cork a few years ago and has established her reputation here ever since.

She is head of Slow Food West Cork and has a very good relationship with the food producers if West Cork and 'surroundings'.

How did you get your current position?
Through a friend who is a photographer, she was offered the position of stylist where she also had to research recipes and write about them. Her love for writing came through and the rest is - as they say - history.

What challenges did you face at the start?
Getting the nose in the door was the most difficult part as it is very hard to get a footing in the industry. It is also a very demanding industry where you have to be always one step ahead of the competition which can be fierce.

What are the highlights of your job?
Meeting with fantastic producers who all have great stories to tell. Connecting the source of the food with the plate.

The lows?
It has happened to Dianne (and to me for that matter) that you talk about an idea you are working on and suddenly you see this idea in the paper or on TV under the name of someone else. Ideas unfortunately can't be copyrighted.

What would you do if you didn't do what you do?
Writing novels. Writing is a passion of Diannes and she is bloody talented too :-)

Plans for the future?
To write a novel. Keep things happening in the food world that make a difference

How many hours do you work on average?
24-7. Publishers, producers etc have the habit of calling at all times of the day or night. If she got an idea in the middle of the night, she jumps up and start writing, emailing etc.

Is it worth it?
Absolutely. Satisfaction is not about money. It is great to create things that people can enjoy

Would you do it all over again?
Without a doubt

What do you recommend to people who would like to work in the Food/Wine industry?
To learn their trade of food before writing about it. Gather experience.

Would you mind if your children follow in your footsteps?
It would be flattering but very unlikely that they do although both have a high interest in food and cooking. Who knows?

Behind the Scenes - Simone & Trixie

I have met Simone Kelly of Interior Living a few years back at a Slow Food Event (she was the leader of the Cork City Convivium - I have taken over from her since) and I was impressed by her passion for food, the producers and all that was included in the production of good honest food. We kept in touch and I was delighted when I was asked to join the committee. Simone - together with her business partner Trixie - is the owner of Interior Living. You might wonder now, what that got to do with food business......have you been to An Cruibin or Cafe Paradiso lately??? If yes, the complete interior design was done by these two very talented ladies......You also have to pay their shop a visit in McCurtain Street. It is a treasure chest full of gems. The atmosphere alone will make you want to stay. They have a great selection of one-off pieces of furniture (my friend Kate bought a daybed of them and is still smiling about the buy). But here we go:

Name:
Simone Kelly & Trixie Leahy

Company:
Interior Living, 11 McCurtain Street, Cork, Tel.: 4505819, info@interiorliving.ie
How did you get your current position:
Simone & Trixie used to work together for a property developer and their love for creating comfortable and stylish spaces let them progress naturally to open their own business 5 years ago. Although not specialised in restaurants, they have some great successes under their belt and are well sought after when it comes to create the right atmosphere for a restaurant.

What challenges did you face at the start:
Getting a name in the industry was the biggest challenge. But the success they have experienced since their start-up proves that they mastered that challenge.
What are the highlights of your job:
Customer satisfaction. Getting the thumbs-up for a job well done. The creative process from the drawing board to the final product is very rewarding

The lows?
An unhappy customer would be the hardest but so far, it has not happened that they had to face an unsmiling customer. Both agreed that they rather turn a customer down when it becomes clear that they won't be able to meet the requirements of the customer (may it be that the tastes clash or if it is impossible) than to risk an unhappy customer.
What would you like to do if you didn't do what you do:
Trixie (and that is not made up by me......honest) would like to become a taxidermist and maybe even go on a safari.....(I didn't dare to ask for a reason ;-).
Simone is just happy with what she is doing and would - you might guess it - be an interior designer.

Plans for the future:
The company is still quite young, so Trixie and Simone are working hard on the growth. The recession is putting a big strain on their business.
How many hours do you work on average:
What ever hours are necessary to complete a project.

Is it worth it:
Absolutely

Would you do it all over again:
In a heartbeat. The pleasure in creating something special makes with well worth the effort and hard work.

What do you recommend to people who would like to work in the business:
Be brave and follow your dream. Keep up with trends, have fun while doing it and be as creative as you can be.

Would you mind if your children follow in your footsteps:
Not at all but first of all, they should do what makes them happy and they get all the support they need.

Comments:
The biggest challenge for a small business is the recession as people might think they can't afford an interior designer. Sometimes it actually saves money to engage the help of the professional as they know what works and what doesn't. It gives peace of mind that you know that you are in good hands with Simone & Trixie.

Thank you to both, Trixie & Simone for taking the time to talk to me yesterday. When I came to their shop, the phones were ringing, customers came and went and the email inbox seemed to jump out of the computer screen. You are both amazing and I can't wait to see what you did with the new restaurant in Cobh (more about this tomorrow).

Behind the Scenes - Julian Alubaidy

Ever wondered who is behind a name, a business etc? I always do. We take things for granted without thinking what hard word is behind the success of a business. I want to change that. So I will be going behind the scenes in food & wine to interview the people who make or break a business. My first 'victim' is Julian Alubaidy of Bubble Brothers. He is the man behind the Bubble Brothers Blog where you can pick up great tips on wine but also other interesting 'rantings'.

Name:
Julian Alubaidy

Company:
Bubble Brothers (6 people incl. Julian)

Title:
Customer Supplier Service

Background:
He worked as a bookseller (hence his wit), he is a qualified gardener and he played drums (now that is a combination)

How did you get your current position:
He replied to an ad where people with languages were needed. He speaks French and English. That was 6 years ago and the rest - as they say - is history.

What challenges did you face at the start:
Julian had almost no knowledge about wine and had to learn a lot in a short period of time but his training as a bookseller helped him (same principle as booksellers are dealing with agents, distributors and authors - in wine you have agents, distributors and vineyards). Learning about international trading was another challenge and to actually use French in a working environment.

What are the highlights of your job:
The flexibility. No 2 days are the same. The wine trade is a very sociable business and one always continues to learn about wine, countries and people

The Lows:
It is a small business and faces a lot of competition. As a lot of people don't know much about wine, it sometimes needs to be 'handsold'. Also Christmas is a big challenge as the workload is immense (and trust me, I am adding to it big time :-)

What would you do if you didn't do what you do:
Working as a gardener and playing the drums.....

Do you have plans for the future:
None....so far.

How many hours do you work in average:
about 45 - more around Christmas

Is it worth it:
Yes, absolutely

Would you do it all over again:
Oh yes.

What do you recommend to people who would like to work in the wine business:
It can be quite difficult as there is no formal apprenticeship. You need to get involved, learn about wine, get in touch with people in the wine business, join social networks and read as much about wine as possible and of course.......taste it, talk about it and share it. Jobs are not advertised in the normal media, so make sure you read wine publications, blogs and websites.

Do you advertise wine at home:
Very carefully. Mostly he gets approached by friends if they need advice.

Would you mind if your children follow in your footsteps:
If they want to, but he hopes for more (Julian has 2 children aged 4 & 6 - so there is lots of time :-)

Comments:
It is important to keep an eye on the competition and try to stay ahead of them. Bubble Brothers has a policy in which they only source and sell wines that are not otherwise available in Ireland. Decanter is one source of making sure. BB are also very much aware that they have a limited supply of New World wines - a result of careful sourcing to keep shipping costs etc down. They started to stock an Australian wine currently and are still in the lookout for more.

Thank you Julian for your time and the interesting chat. I enjoyed it very much.

My next 'victim' is Simone Kelly of Interior Living. Read all about it on Friday.