Mmm, there I thought with the café and classes over, moving on with my new full time business as a local Producer of Curry Pastes and Condiments life on the whole will tend to be a whole lot easier.
I told family and friends I’d be seeing a whole lot more of them now….and I harboured thoughts of reading all those books on my wish list (yes, lots of cookbooks too) …I thought I’d have more time for those long walks I’d planned for, I thought I’d spring clean my home, start a huge vegetable garden...Come to think of it all my thought up plans and wishes were ratherWishful Thoughts.
So for those of you wondering how I may be idling my time these days away from the demands of cooking for hungry customers, running a café and cooking classes; well here’s a short interim report.
I start my days typically around 6am...and most days get to sleep at around 12.30am …nothing different from café days…The usual day normally starts with our well-fed cat Asha demanding some brekkie (not home cooked I assure you) and then making my daughter some treats for school which she usually happily swaps with her friends or brings home to hide from me – but that’s another story!
When I’m really good in the mornings I cook my husband and daughter brekkie, otherwise it's cereal or toast and fruit for them. Bad café habit – I must have a clean kitchen so I always wash and clean after brekkie (note to myself – learn to relax, it’s a home not a cafe). Then it’s a quick check (who am I kidding here?) on overnight emails from my lovely team of contract staff. There are always issues that crop up from our warehouse or production kitchen or website to sort through. After this it’s the school run and right after that it’s a store to store run by suburbs to check on orders, stocks etc….My GPS is my patient husband Anand providing directions to get to places. As we’re the new kid on the block, i.e. we don’t have hired reps. so I’m a jack of all trades now - swinging between jobs and roles, learning to change ‘hats’ on the go...all of which can be a rather enjoyable stress.
Then in between all of this daily drama, I pop back into my home office to answer yet more emails, proof read material that may be required from our copywriter, check with Agency on current status of jobs, look into photography, video or website issues, handle phone enquiries, get organised for upcoming weekend fresh markets, get ready for cooking demos at local stores…day dream about new product ideas (quick stern check on myself to stop this quickly) ….work on cookbook development…and before I know it - it’s the school run again.
At this point of the day 4pm ish, my routine suddenly changes quickly to a situation I haven’t faced for 10 years – yes, it’s the usual catch phrase across all homes towards that time of the day ‘mum,dad what’s for dinner?…
The beauty of having a cafe was that the family ate most meals from what was available at the BainMarie or I made up kitchen orders according to their demands…since that’s now history…we are facing similar issues as our customers….
And so I confess to you my dear friends - on busy days I turn to my own products for quick meals but still wondering why I feel guilty doing this??? Oh yes, that’s right I’m supposed to be marketing my products not eating them. (Reminder to self - you simply cannot afford this luxury as yet! Latasha you have bills to pay…)
Yes, it is busy days starting a new business and quite intimidating at times. But I wouldn’t have it any other way now – it’s all so exciting, so frightening yet so fulfilling… I sleep REALLY well now not from exhaustion as I used to but from being fulfilled in my current life work - I know I’m happy and experience deep satisfaction in doing this.
Some people you deal with in this business are so lovely – they share your passion, love their work, they get what you’re about and you quickly form a warm bond. Others I have quickly found out are bored, unsuited for the industry, they don’t get you, they don’t like spices, they lack the essential bits required for being in a food industry i.e. gutsy passion and perhaps this may have been overstretched by the demands of their sometimes mundane daily tasks…who knows?. A small minority at higher levels just lack professionalism, act like god’s gifts to us small producers…they can be truly so arrogant on so many levels its unbelievably astonishing- they keep you waiting, don’t return calls or emails, so aware of their POWER (such an ugly word) as a buyer or decision maker. Thankfully they are such a minority - so let’s hope tomorrow I meet up with some really nice ones – they are out there.
In spite of the small negatives, I do realise I’m one of the lucky ones doing something I love and am passionate about– I hope it ALWAYS enriches my experience as I develop my products and bring them out to you and that in turn our product senhance your experience in the kitchen as you creatively use it. I have faith my products’ honesty is being reflected within the jars I make and that it comes across to each of you, as you open it, smell it and cook with it….
Our list of stockists are constantly updated, we are planning on popping up in demonstrations in a store near you over the next few weeks and months and look forward to a warm hello, hugs and kisses.
I told family and friends I’d be seeing a whole lot more of them now….and I harboured thoughts of reading all those books on my wish list (yes, lots of cookbooks too) …I thought I’d have more time for those long walks I’d planned for, I thought I’d spring clean my home, start a huge vegetable garden...Come to think of it all my thought up plans and wishes were ratherWishful Thoughts.
So for those of you wondering how I may be idling my time these days away from the demands of cooking for hungry customers, running a café and cooking classes; well here’s a short interim report.
 |
| The well fed cat that eats and sleeps all day... |
I start my days typically around 6am...and most days get to sleep at around 12.30am …nothing different from café days…The usual day normally starts with our well-fed cat Asha demanding some brekkie (not home cooked I assure you) and then making my daughter some treats for school which she usually happily swaps with her friends or brings home to hide from me – but that’s another story!
 |
| My husband Anand who enjoys one too many coffees and teas a day… |
 |
| My daughter Sashana who prefers fresh and healthy when it suits her mood |
Then in between all of this daily drama, I pop back into my home office to answer yet more emails, proof read material that may be required from our copywriter, check with Agency on current status of jobs, look into photography, video or website issues, handle phone enquiries, get organised for upcoming weekend fresh markets, get ready for cooking demos at local stores…day dream about new product ideas (quick stern check on myself to stop this quickly) ….work on cookbook development…and before I know it - it’s the school run again.
At this point of the day 4pm ish, my routine suddenly changes quickly to a situation I haven’t faced for 10 years – yes, it’s the usual catch phrase across all homes towards that time of the day ‘mum,dad what’s for dinner?…
The beauty of having a cafe was that the family ate most meals from what was available at the BainMarie or I made up kitchen orders according to their demands…since that’s now history…we are facing similar issues as our customers….
And so I confess to you my dear friends - on busy days I turn to my own products for quick meals but still wondering why I feel guilty doing this??? Oh yes, that’s right I’m supposed to be marketing my products not eating them. (Reminder to self - you simply cannot afford this luxury as yet! Latasha you have bills to pay…)
Yes, it is busy days starting a new business and quite intimidating at times. But I wouldn’t have it any other way now – it’s all so exciting, so frightening yet so fulfilling… I sleep REALLY well now not from exhaustion as I used to but from being fulfilled in my current life work - I know I’m happy and experience deep satisfaction in doing this.
Some people you deal with in this business are so lovely – they share your passion, love their work, they get what you’re about and you quickly form a warm bond. Others I have quickly found out are bored, unsuited for the industry, they don’t get you, they don’t like spices, they lack the essential bits required for being in a food industry i.e. gutsy passion and perhaps this may have been overstretched by the demands of their sometimes mundane daily tasks…who knows?. A small minority at higher levels just lack professionalism, act like god’s gifts to us small producers…they can be truly so arrogant on so many levels its unbelievably astonishing- they keep you waiting, don’t return calls or emails, so aware of their POWER (such an ugly word) as a buyer or decision maker. Thankfully they are such a minority - so let’s hope tomorrow I meet up with some really nice ones – they are out there.
In spite of the small negatives, I do realise I’m one of the lucky ones doing something I love and am passionate about– I hope it ALWAYS enriches my experience as I develop my products and bring them out to you and that in turn our product senhance your experience in the kitchen as you creatively use it. I have faith my products’ honesty is being reflected within the jars I make and that it comes across to each of you, as you open it, smell it and cook with it….
Our list of stockists are constantly updated, we are planning on popping up in demonstrations in a store near you over the next few weeks and months and look forward to a warm hello, hugs and kisses.
