Dover sole meunière
demanding and all-encompassing job. But he convinced me that the bullying that once went on is so very different now,” says Rick. Jill tells me that she wanted the boys to choose their own path in life and encouraged them to go off and do other things before joining the company. “We are of course delighted that they are now working with us. They’ve always understood our strong work ethic and have slotted very well into the busi- ness. They are well-respected by the staff and have no sense of entitlement in any way.”
Bearing forward
Looking ahead, it is expected there will be more restaurants on the horizon. Jill explains that a group of seaside hotels has been considered, but ultimately they believe they are restaurateurs rather than hoteliers, despite a collection of well-received bedrooms across Padstow. “We will look at market towns and coastal towns across the south,” she says. Rick says expansion will be steady: “We don’t intend to open tons of restaurants.”
While it is unlikely there will be much fur- ther expansion within Padstow, there is one new project on the horizon. St Petroc’s, the 10-bedroom hotel that became part of the com- pany in 1988, is to be extended to create a gin bar named Rubys with a private dining room upstairs. It’s due to be finished in May 2016.
40 | Best of Chef | March 2016
“The biggest challenge has always been getting the right staff. It has taken us a long time, but we now have some incredibly good main players” Jill Stein
“The recent expansion has been pretty intense,” says Jack. “Whatever we do, it is
important that we maintain the quality” Jack Stein
The boys have all inherited their parents’ cautious nature about over-stretching the business. “The recent expansion has been pretty intense,” says Jack. “Whatever we do, it is important that we maintain the quality.” What is certain is that Rick is now likely to
be in Padstow and the new locations much more than in recent years, having re-located his main home from Australia to Chiswick. Jill is pleased that he will be around more.
“He has always been involved in the big decisions, even when he hasn’t been here.” It is not unusual for marital splits to occur when a husband and wife are working within their own business within the industry – the unsocial hours, combined with the constant need to chase customers, creates extraordinary pressures. What is rare though, is keeping a business together through the trauma of a divorce and coming out the other side.
It has not been without its complications,
but Rick and Jill have worked to ensure the business will continue for years to come. While the sons are ready to take over, it doesn’t look as if their parents are taking any steps to retire. Both now 68, they are as active as ever in the operation, although Rick does concur that it will eventually be handed over. And now there’s a third generation in the mix: the first grandchild – Ed’s son Hugh – is three years old.
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