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Ramsay inspires kitchen converts
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| Turning tables: Angela and Brendon Stewart transformed their bar into a Caribbean restaurant |
A husband-and-wife team who set up a Caribbean restaurant in Crystal Palace contacted fiery TV chef Gordon Ramsay for advice on how to build a successful business.
Angela and Brendon Stewart transformed their Westow Hill wine bar, Crystal, into a tropical, Jamaican-inspired hideaway, Island Fusion, after becoming fed up with late nights and drunken revellers.
Just like the people on his Kitchen Nightmares show, the couple turned to the Michelin star chef for help.
Mum-of-three Angela, 37, said: "I sent him an email for advice and ideas about opening up a restaurant. I have read all his books and he is definitely an inspiration to me.
"A lot of the ideas I have used for Island Fusion have come from him, like the emphasis on really good customer service and having a really good person at front of house.
"He has also taught me how to treat my staff and how to get them motivated, in fact on the bank holiday we are taking all the staff out for some team bonding to say thanks."
Crystal Bar and Cocktail Lounge opened in 2006 but Angela said she and Brendon, 40, found it was just not the life they wanted.
She added: "It just wasn't me in terms of the long, late nights and all the drunk people. It became tedious. So we decided to do this instead.
"My dad has always been in the catering business and I was born and grew up in the West Indies and it seemed there was a real shortage of good quality Caribbean food available as a sit down meal, in this area it is all takeaway inspired."
The couple, who married last year, have employed a top chef who has worked at the Hilton in Tobago and Park Royal and are hoping that with their exotic food they can fill what they believe is a huge gap in the market.
4:02pm Wednesday 7th May 2008
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