People with style FEARLESS DREAMCHASER
Commitment, determination and hard work are second nature to Christianne Whitehouse of Gastronomy – in business and in life
By Roz Whistance Picture Gary Wal l is
Christianne Whitehouse is certainly not afraid of hard work. Opening Gastronomy in Cowes with partner Charlie Ford a year ago, she oversees the business and customer side, while head chef and director Charlie manages the kitchen and staffing. Christianne juggles this with a full-time job as communications manager for OC Sport, and is also the mother of two young boys.
She explains, “When you’re getting any business off the ground, work is the be all and end all. Sometimes it seems like Charlie and I just work or sleep, and the fun stuff falls by the wayside, but we manage because we have to. We still make time for the kids, and things that matter.”
Moving to the Island in 2003, Christianne was at Carisbrooke High School when she became pregnant at 15. She says, “I had a lot of time off and I guess in a way it was hard, because I had to study by myself, but I didn’t have a choice. I had to put my all into getting my qualifications so I knew I could look after my son Louis. He has always been a motivating factor, and maybe I wouldn’t be as driven if I hadn’t had him so young.”
Gaining good GCSE grades, and with support from her family, Christianne continued to excel in education, eventually achieving a master’s degree in arts policy. After working in London for a while, she returned to the Island where she met Charlie, a chef at The Hut in Colwell. Romance blossomed, and their son Elliot was born in 2016. When the opportunity to take on Gastronomy came up, Christianne explains, “Charlie always wanted to be his own boss and we felt we could bring something new to Cowes. I’m a people person, and Charlie is never happier than when he’s inventing new dishes in the kitchen, so with our two skillsets combined we had all the ingredients to make the restaurant work. It was a bit crazy, but we thought we’d never get another shot, so we went for it.”
Gastronomy has built up a sterling reputation. Customers can enjoy sociable dining with globally influenced dishes and cocktails, under the motto of good food, good friends, good times. Christianne says, “We put all our money into buying the business and so started with nothing. Luckily, we’ve had lots of support from people, and our amazing team put their all into everything. It can be stressful working with your partner, but I have my other job so we’re not in each other’s pockets all the time. We’re super passionate about what we do and can also look at things from different perspectives, which is really good.”
Christianne’s day job in communications regularly takes her to places like Oman, China and Mexico and she says, “I wanted to keep something for myself, so I didn’t give up everything for the business. It is hard sometimes, going away and still doing all Gastronomy’s business stuff, but I love what I do.”
She continues, “My kids are what drive me. I want a successful business and career for them, and they see us working, which gives them aspirations too. Louis is only 11, but already wants to go to university and become a surgeon. The work can be hard on us as a family, but the kids definitely see the benefits to them. We’d never be able to afford to do this in London and people often comment about the lack of opportunity on the Island, but if you look, the opportunities are here.
January and February 2019 15
Style is…? I think people with style have passion and drive. They’re dreamchasers - not afraid to go for it.
Money equals success? In business it certainly helps but it’s not necessarily true. Different people have different ideas of what success is.
What does Island living mean to you? It’s a safe haven for our kids, where we can carve out our own space and identity.
Icons or Inspirations? I have lots of respect and admiration for fellow small business owners because it’s hard out there. You’re faced with competition from chains and businesses with lots of money.
Blunders and what you learned? It’s a lot harder than I thought it was going to be, partly because I’m so stretched. It probably wasn’t the best idea to start a business with no money!
Top tips? Know and understand your audience and you’ll develop better relationships with them. Customer service is key in everything you do. You can’t just get away with serving great food; the customer service has to match.
Facing the future? We’ve achieved our year one goal to develop our reputation and brand in Cowes, and are now looking further afield. Our food is perfectly suited for outdoor events and festivals, and we’ve already got weddings booked this year.
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