Now the good...

OK. The good news is, we have a plan, in three parts;


Phase 1. Get a job

Phase 2. Pay the bills

Phase 3. Concentrate on increasing business at the school in the time between working & sleeping


Phase 1 is complete.

Phase 2 is ongoing

Phase 3 is the way it always was. And it's going OK, despite the lack of time & marketing budget;

We continue to get enquiries & interest & feedback from customers is brilliant, so I know the totally hands on concept is the right one.

We had a couple of classes that were hosted by Manju Malhi & Ursula Ferrigno, both of whom have taught at plenty of other schools & both of whom said Just Cook is the best set up & equipped school they've taught in, which was nice.

They also confirmed that we are the most hands on school they know of & both of them really enjoy making sure everyone gets to do as much as possible, which is more confirmation we are on the right track.

So it's good news all round, really.

And first the bad news...

So, it's been a while since I last posted an update. How very remiss of me, I will attempt to rectify the lapse.

First the bad news. Money, or rather, lack of it.

I knew I had overspent. I knew that things had cost more than first quoted & that the unexpected had happened, costing more money. I've even mentioned it in previous posts. But I hadn't ignored the fact. Actually, I thought I had resolved it. There is this scheme run by the government in conjunction with all the major banks called the 'Enterprise Finance Guarantee'. It used to be called the small firms loan guarantee scheme, but after those same major banks screwed us all & needed bailing out, Gordon & Alastair revised it & changed the name.

Essentially, it is a way of the government getting finance to people & businesses who really need it, but don't have the normal security that the banks require. There is even a part of it that says it is inappropriate for a bank to take a charge over your principal residence. Sounded like just what I needed, so I had a quick chat with my bank, who said, "Yep, should be fine. Finish building the school, sort out a cashflow statement, business plan etc & we'll have a chat, but should be no problem."

So, I did all that, met the bank guy at the school. He looked suitably impressed & sounded comfortingly positive. He took my figures & went away, said he'd be in touch. A couple of weeks went by, then a couple more. I started to get concerned so I gave him a call. No answer.

Rang again, left a message. Tried once more, eventually got hold of him. He said "Yeah, sorry, been a bit busy. Anyway, we like your idea but we want to see 6 months trading history & some sales growth before we do anything."

What? Have you even bothered to look at the cashflow forecast? "Of course I have" (this was said a little bit huffily, as if to say how dare you question me?) So I said, well if you've looked at the cashflow forecast, how do you expect to get 6 months trading history when we clearly show a need for funds in the next 6 months? How do you expect any kind of sales growth if we aren't spending anything on marketing, which we won't be able to, if we haven't got any money? What the hell use is this EFG scheme if you aren't going to apply it the way you're supposed to? And why the hell did you get bailed out by the taxpayer, ie me & the rest of the British public, if you aren't going to hold up your end of the bargain & start lending us OUR OWN MONEY? (In case you're wondering, I was feeling a trifle peeved at this point)

Anyway, long to short, the bank weren't forthcoming. Neither were the Government owned bank next door. I'd already wasted 5 weeks waiting for a call that never came, so I thought it would be a good idea to waste another 5 weeks trying to persuade them that I was right & they were stupid. Not a great plan, in hindsight.

I needed a new plan and quick. My wife, sharp as a pin & cutting like a knife said "You don't need a new plan, you need a new job. And quick. Becasue if you get one, you can use whatever is left after you've paid the mortgage & a few other essential bills, to invest in marketing to build the business."

Sounds like a plan to me.

Kids in the Kitchen

Last week we ran our first children's cookery class. The idea was simple - give the kids a couple of hours of cooking time & their mums a couple of hours of me time.

I persuaded Ursula Ferrigno to run the class, I was on hand to run around clearing up & provide drinks, the room was set for the first task - making pasta. All we needed was the kids.

10 of them duly turned up at around 10 to 1, aprons were issued & mums told to come back around 3. Then we were off. Making pasta, kneading the dough, making pizza, kneading the dough, making a mess, chopping tomatoes, making a mess, rolling out the pasta - the time flew by. So fast in fact, we ran out of time & were still waiting for a couple of pizzas to come out of the oven when the mums returned. And my word, what a mess!

But, everyone had a great time. The kids really impressed me with their attitude & aptitude. All of them turned out some great food & I have heard from a few mums that the kids haven't stopped cooking since the class.

Now that's what I'm talking about!

Anyone know Jamie?

Some of you, the ones who have followed this blog from the early days (& thanks for doing so), may remember that I made a promise. In writing. If you head back to January's posts you'll find it, within the entry titled A Vision. Or you could just click HERE.

Anyway, I had promised that when the Just Cook Cookery School was up & running, I would write to Jamie Oliver & offer him the use of the place, for free, because his Ministry of Food project is a great idea & I agree that everyone should be taught how to cook.

Except I don't know him, or where to send the offer so that I am sure he will get it.

I've emailed Dan, the webmeister who looks after all that stuff for Mr Oliver. I've even tweeted @Jamie_Oliver, but 140 characters isn't really enough to express myself. No wonder I've not heard anything yet.

So, if anyone knows the man, tell him to get in touch. There's a free cookery school up for grabs.

Something in the ether

I get a call, out of the blue, from a very nice American girl called Shana (say it Shay-na). She works for the BBC, producing the Dave Monk Radio Show on BBC Essex. Do I want to go on the show & talk about why men are cooking more these days & what's caused this shift in attitude?

Brain stops working in a moment of blind panic. Me, on the radio? What if I make a fool of myself, don't know the answers or swear a lot, goes through my head.

"Umm. Sure. When we're you thinking?"

"Tomorrow, about 10.30."

"Err. OK. See you then"

So, I'm going on the radio. To be the 'expert'. I'm settling down a little bit now, maybe it will be OK, or at least not bad. And I'd quite like to see the inside of a studio & find out how it all works. Quick bit of research on the net & some scribbled notes about what I must mention (website, phone number, courses that are coming up) & I'm set. I tell the wife. She says she always thought I had a face for radio. Nice.

I get there, bright & early. Good job too, because there's nowhere to park. Eventually I chance it in the BBC car park, in front of a sign on a door that reads, loud & clear, "Do not obstruct this door." Oh well, they invited me.

I go in, introduce myself to the very nice receptionist & have a coffee, while getting more & more nervous all over again. This is a long way outside my comfort zone. She tells me not to worry, Dave is really very nice. Shana comes down & says Hi. She's really nice too. Olly comes along and stops for a chat. What do you know, he's really nice too! Except all this niceness isn't helping. I'm in a feedback loop - all these people telling me not to worry is just making me worry. Stop it!

Then I'm left to sit for a bit, because I am early. Apparently that's unusual, but then this radio fame lark hasn't gone to my head yet. Some other parts of me for sure, but not my head.

I try to make some notes, or read my old notes. But in the end, I just sit there wondering why on Earth I agreed to do this. Then, it's time. I'm on. Shana takes me in to the studio, introduces me to Dave who is manning a desk with hundreds of buttons & lights all over it with the skill & speed of a teenager texting, while also talking to his invisible listeners, taking instructions from Shana & scanning his emails. Who said men can't multi task?

Everyone's right though, he is really nice. We have a little chat, he plays some music, then we have another chat, but this time I realise we're on air. Then that's it, it's over, I'm shaking his hand & leaving. Wow, that wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. In fact, I was pretty good.

Except as I leave, the nice lady at the front desk is on the phone to someone who has called in because we didn't read out the web address, or the phone number, or what classes we had coming up. Oh bugger.

Reality Bites

Now we've delivered our first classes, got some great feedback & some nice pictures of classes on the go to put on our website. I feel like we should lift off like a rocket now, only we don't.

I am not sure why, after all, I've just proved we're bloody good at this haven't I? Except we're not really selling that much. Oh, sure, we get a few orders for olive oil, balsamic & truffle honey. We've even sold places on classes in August & September & some gift vouchers, it just isn't performing like I had imagined.

Time for a reality check;

It's a great idea, we deliver a great experience, offer great value & have had great feed back. It's all great except for our sales. Which aren't. Why?

I ask around, I go to seminars & networking events. I talk to copywriters & designers, ad sales people & the one journalist I know. Consensus is that we are actually doing pretty well by some measures - 30 odd places sold from less than 300 contacts is pretty good, I'm told. But by other yardsticks, we've barely got off the ground. Take that 300 contacts. 3 months & "how much money?" to get 300 registrations on our website is quite poor. In fact, it's really really poor. You can't just place an ad & expect it to work, there's a science to it. I should have been gathering names since I first had the idea, before if possible. This is a numbers game & you need a bigger number than 300. Well, when you put it like that, it's obvious.

Sometimes it's easy to overlook the simple things. To miss the wood because of all the trees that are in the way. And sometimes you are so distracted imagining the magnificent forest that you forget all you've really done is plant a few acorns.

Now I need to water & feed them. That means looking at the marketing, which I clearly don't know anything about because what we have tried so far hasn't worked. I need to learn a lifetime of marketing in about a week & become a PR guru even quicker.

Anyone know Matthew Freud?

We're cooking on gas!

Oh boy, that was fun!

Finally, after all that went before, we got it done, dusted & (almost) finished & held our 1st class. & our 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th.

And what a blast they were. I had fun, Tracy (our chef) had fun, but most importantly, all the customers had fun too. We got some some 'whoop de doo' feedback, which you can read about HERE & some great photos of people having a ball while learning something they can use for the rest of their life.

More importantly, we proved the concept works;

• We can deliver the course format in the time limit
  
• Everyone gets enough attention from our chef to be able to create the days menu
  
• We can send our guests home with a fantastic 3 course meal for 4, within the class price
  
• Everyone, including the already good cooks, learnt something to make them better
  

Now we're cooking!

If a picture's worth a thousand words...

... then this is War & Peace!

Sigh of Relief

OK. Problem solved. Not easily, but solved.

In the words of Big E we

"just had to 'nut' the housings down a bit, adjust the under oven drawer a gnat's & then line the cupboard doors up."

Simple really.

So that was that one sorted. Took a while mind, but it's sorted. Big E then got busy doing a few other minor little things, like remaking 2 cupboard doors because the German appliances don't fit in the Swedish appliance housings! This involved lots of big power tools & a bit more of the Big E magic. Blinding.

I wasn't stood around watching during this phase either. I was busy 'adjusting' the trunking so that the dishwasher would fit in the hole. I chose to do this by squeezing my large frame into a small hole & slicing my fingers to bits on the jagged sharp edges. Job well done that.

Only thing left is to convert the gas hob to LPG, connect it up & sign it off. Oh, & install the steam oven when it gets here, but who's worried about that? I just need to get some customers now so I can pay for it all

Spoke too Soon!

Look. Someone's mucking me about now & they'd better stop it, or else.

The ovens have arrived, we put them in the oven housing, which, as the name might imply, is a housing designed for an oven, & they don't bloody fit. We can get them in, but then they push the hobs out of the worktop. Grrrr!

OK. Deep breaths. Calm now.

Checked the install instructions. Again.

For the hobs, they read ' if installing above a built in oven, the minimum worktop thickness required is 30mm.' Measured worktop - it's 40mm. Ovens & hobs are both the same make, from the same range, so I assume they should fit when installed together. But they don't. The hobs are too bloody deep for the oven to fit. Now what do we do?

I'll let you know when we've worked it out. Bugger.

Nearly There

The end is in sight. At last.

Kitchen is looking great - pics to follow soon. Units are up, tilings done, hoods are hanging, sparks are flying. All we need is some cookers to cook with.

We've had the hobs delivered, a fantastic coffee machine, top of the range microwave/combi oven thing and a big fridge freezer. Which almost didn't fit up the stairs. Well, actually, it didn't fit, but where there's a will there's a way, and no way was it going back.

At least we didn't damage it. And if there were some minor 'adjustments' made to the building, well, we had builders on site so we could adjust it back afterwards. Don't think the fridge freezer will ever come out again though.

Still waiting for the ovens, but I've just made a call to the very helpful Anne-Marie, who assures me that delivery is on for tomorrow. Sometime between 8am & 6pm. Guess I know where I'll be then.

Anyway, assuming the ovens do arrive tomorrow, I can start really pushing to sell places on our courses. I've been a bit hesitant until now because I don't really like the idea of having to call people up & bump them to another date - just seems like poor service to me, but despite that we have sold a couple of places already. Good stuff.

So, all that's left to do is... everything else. Plus, find the money to pay for it all.

Not quite plain sailing...

Alrighty. Builders, electricians, plumbers all doing well, when kept apart. The new floor is down & looks fantastic - thanks Brian, Big Shout to you! The kitchen units have arrived & Big E has done a super job putting them in, so it's all looking good, but I haven't got any appliances, damn it!

The deal is done, the money is paid, but the appliances are nowhere to be seen - another unforseen consequence of wanting the best, so, it seems. Demand is high so availability is low, & I need to wait for a boat to get here from Germany. Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!

All this means that our date of May 1st is well & truly out the window. Big E has another job to start, in Scotland, so if the installation isn't done by next week I'm stuffed until the end of May.

Fingers & all other appendages crossed that the boat isn't a slow one from China...

The Sparks are Flying

So, Jules is in. Martin the Plumber is in. Big E the builder is in. They are all flying along & it seems to be going so well, except when it rains (which is often) & they all need to be in the room together. Then they are like cats in a sack. Oh well.

Kitchen units are ordered - Big E did tell me they would take ages, but a quick web check showed everything being in stock. Boy is that misleading. It may all be in stock, but that doesn't mean you can get a delivery within 2 weeks. I can't even get an appointment for a phone call to arrange delivery for 2 weeks! That means I am going to lose at least a week, maybe 2 or 3. And Big E really is insufferable when he is right. Smug git.

I am also getting a bit worried about my deal for the appliances. It is a great deal, for great ovens & hobs, but I haven't had confirmation of delivery or final cost yet. I suppose the kitchen delay gives me (& them) a bit more time to sort this out, but all the same, it's a worry.

Anyway - I can't do much on site while the boys are in there so I've been tasting & testing more stuff.

I have met a chap called Charles Carey who has been importing olive oil for 25 years now. He & I spent a very enjoyable morning tasting all sorts of different olive oils from all over the world. I am pleased to report that I am turning out to be quite the connoisseur - my inexperienced palate picking up nearly as much as Charles'.

I whittled his vast selection down to a far more manageable 8 or 9 and, samples in hand, headed back to Hertfordshire. After a lot more testing & tasting, both with & without food, I have picked 5 that I think are good enough to go in the shop. Not that the others weren't also good, just not good enough. Subjective I know, but there you are. It's my baby & I'll decide what is good enough. Oh, the power!

So, now we have 6 oils, from Greece, Italy, Spain, South Africa & Morocco, which I think are the best of their kind. And 1 which could be the best in the world.

I've also found some nice pasta & antipasti which look promising - updates as soon as my waistline can cope with the task. God I love this job.

Not much news on the sales front - hits to our site are going up, but no one is buying yet. Still, we have a couple of ads going in to Good Food & Olive Magazines next month which should boost traffic a bit more. Hopefully I will have worked out how to create coupon codes for the webshop by then so we can give a pre launch discount.

I am also being interviewed by the local paper next week. That's a bit nerve wracking because it's a new experience for me, but hopefully I will make a good impression and she will give us a good write up. Next stop News at Ten!

I need an extraction

Ok, so it's been a while since I last posted an update. Lots going on but not really achieving anything, if you know what I mean. My cheeky offer for the two units was rejected, so I am proceeding with just the one for now. Surprise, surprise, once I pulled out, they suddenly wanted to do a deal, but too late now.

I reached the grand old age of 40 (on Valentines Day) & survived the party & the morning after. Life begins, so they say, and they may be right - I'll let you know in due course.

Part of the conditions of my planning application was that I submit an extraction plan to the council for approval. I thought it should be pretty straightforward but asked for a meeting with Environmental Health just to be sure, and damn me if it isn't another thing that could cause a delay and will definitely cost more money. Sod it! Now I need to find a ventilation engineer who can move pretty quickly and for sensible money, but no matter how much it is, I haven't got the budget, so something else will have to give.

On a more positive note, I have got some excellent hosts lined up & have booked them through May & June, so now we have a deadline to hit - oh the pressure! Because we now have a deadline, the main website (www.just-cook.com) has gone live, even though it is not 100% ready and Junie B, the Google chick has started to work her magic. She has only been doing it 2 days and we already have our first sale! Woo Hoo!

Jules the super sparks starts work on Monday week, and if everything else falls into place, we should be ready to run some test classes during the end of April, so fingers crossed, but for some reason I am feeling very nervous. Excited, but also nervous. What a great feeling...

Bad Food Britain

I've been reading the book of the title, by a lady called Joanna Blythman, and while she confirms everything I had always suspected and underlines the importance we should place on being able to cook from scratch, it still makes for uncomfortable reading.

Let me give you a few highlights (lowlights):

• 40% of food bought in Britain is never eaten.
• Britain eats more savoury snacks and crisps than the rest of Europe combined!
• Ditto for ready meals.
• By 2020 a third of all British adults will be obese, if current trends continue.
• Only 20% of viewers are encouraged to cook by TV food programmes.

Food for thought, if you'll forgive the pun.

A Warm Feeling

I've just had an email from one of the crazy Kamarianakis brothers - they're the boys behind Artemis Olive Oil, an organic, single estate olive oil that just might be the best in the world.

For those of you who don't know, to qualify as extra virgin, an oil has to have an oleic acid level of less than 0.8% - something to do with how well the oil is made. Treat it badly and you'll crush the pits and up goes the acidity. Work too slowly and the olives will begin to ferment and up goes the acidity.

The other thing that indicates quality is the level of polyphenols, which are anti-oxidants and play a big part in the taste & smell of the oil. Anyway, the lower the acidity & the higher the polyphenols, the better the oil.

The brothers have just released the new harvest oil and it has an astonishing acidity level of <0.1% and a polyphenol count of 190 ppm (typical extra virgin has a level of 150 ppm) which means it is damn good stuff. They achieve this by being fanatical about what they are doing and only produce their oil in tiny quantities, just 1500 bottles this year. I managed to get hold of a few bottles of last years oil. It was delicious and worth every penny of the not inconsiderable amount I paid for it, but then the best things always are. The warm feeling? Oh, well it seems Tim & Chris like what I am trying to do over here and want to help out - here is the body of the email:

"Hey Tim;

Tim (my brother) & I have received so much help from friends and supporters over the past couple of years without which our venture would not have taken off. We feel very strongly about passing that kind of community spirit along where we can. We love your philosophy behind Just Cook, and would like to make a gift to your cooking school of a case of Artemis Olive Oil. We expect nothing in return for this other than the satisfaction of knowing we might have been one of many who helped you get your dream off the ground.

Kind regards

Chris"

That's one hell of a gift and I can't tell you how good it has made me feel about what I am trying to achieve. Thanks boys & keep on keeping on.

2nd February 2009

OK - I had a meeting planned in London but snow has stopped play, so I've got a bit of time to update the blog.

Where are we? Oh yes. Planning approved - an offer has been made, rejected and amended for the premises plus an additional unit next door. It is a cheeky offer, but there is a credit crunch on and I am hoping the current economic gloom may help my powers of persuasion.

Another meeting with the bank - better result this time, some money will be forthcoming. Not as much as I need, but definitely some. Haven't got it yet though, so having to curb shopaholic tendencies.

I have sent out my first bulk email - to all of 30 people, who I believe may be willing to talk to me about hosting a class or two. 5 have already responded so pretty encouraging, just hope they're good enough.

On that note, of capable hosts, there is a lady called Jenny Linford, who wrote The London Cookbook. I recently discovered that she lives locally to me, so thought she might be willing to provide her expertise. Except I didn't know how to get in touch. Anyway, I was at a networking event for the day job and I noticed that someone I knew was carrying her book around. I asked him why & he told me he knew her and wanted to get it signed. He then introduced me to Jenny's husband, who happened to be there. He & I had a chat, he gave me Jenny's contact details, I called, she answered, we meet on Wednesday. Synchronicity.

What else, what else? Oh yeah. The website for the shop has gone live with about 50 products on it - it's at http://www.just-cook.co.uk/ if you're interested in taking a look. It's not the main site for the business, that will be at just-cook.com, but for boring financial reasons (it is cheaper to use a template for the shop than to have a bespoke one designed) we have to exist with 2 domains for a while. Hope it doesn't seem too clunky.

Anyway, that is more or less what I have been up to in the last week or so - I'm off now to build a snowman!

That Was the Week that Was.

Well, what a week it has been. First off, I had to go to the planning committee meeting where, wait for it, approval granted! Yay! But, there was an objection from a neighbouring property, which I hadn't even realised was there. Had I noticed the house (hidden away, behind my property, near the railway line) I like to think I would have knocked on the door and introduced myself. As it is, they are the first people who have been in any way negative about this plan of mine, so I want to meet them anyway. A letter is on its way and hopefully I will get a different point of view. If I can counter those arguments we will be a stronger business for the experience.
I have been testing, tasting, cooking and eating all the Italian products I ordered and I now have some really nice things to put in the web shop. I have tried an awful lot of truffle products and while I do understand what all the fuss is about, there are some things that just should not be paired with that intense mushroom flavour - chocolate for one and sweet sugared almonds for another, I kid you not! You just know they're not going to make it into my shop, don't you? The rosemary and saffron flavoured almonds are nice though.

I have also got some authentic Italian Carnaroli risotto rice, that comes in the proper canvas sack, a few tomato sauces, which, while they will never be as good as home made, are close enough to find space in my cupboard for those days when I just can't be bothered or when the toms in the shops look a little pale & watery. There are a few truffle based things I like, marvellous for stirring into pasta or creamy sauces and a truffle butter which is great on pan fried steak or just with steamed asparagus. I thought it was too expensive at £7.00 or so but a quick google search turned up the same product at £19.95! And that was reduced! Seems I might have a bargain on my hands.

I have also discovered something called Caputo flour, which might not sound that exciting, but it is the same flour that all the pizzeria in Naples use so it is the real McCoy. I used it to make a pizza last night and it really was the best pizza I have ever made - the dough was light & could be rolled out thin, it crisped up nicely on the base but remained soft & chewy in the middle without getting stodgy - all in all, a triumph.

Just Cook Italian

This week I have been mostly eating Italian...

I have had some great, productive meetings with Bruno & Tony, the balsamic vinegar guys, and, when the web shop is ready, I am pleased to say I will be able to supply their Tradizionale balsamic and a few condimentos from their range. I have to say, it has been extremely enjoyable to taste and compare different vinegars and learn all about the centuries old production method. I feel like I am becoming a bit of an expert and now have a goal of visiting a proper acetaia for myself to learn more.

I have also met with Simon & Franco, the other Italians I was introduced to. They are wholesalers who stock a huge range of authentic Italian products that they supply to delis and restaurants in and around London. It's great stuff but an awful lot of it is in catering sizes that are way too big for the home cook. Happily, they also have a new range of products that are available in smaller quantities and look really delicious.

I have ordered up a whole load of samples that my testing & tasting team (hungry friends & family) will be getting our teeth into over the next few days. If everything is up to standard then I'll try and do a deal to get their products in the shop as well.

Feeling well fed and half Italian - Ciao!

News at 10

There's news. It's not good but it's not bad - it's just news. I've spoken to the planning department - they recommended approval (yay!) but a committee member wants to review it (boo).

So, off to the committee meeting next week to see how I get on.

Fingers, legs, toes etc crossed.

Getting up to Date

Now I am talking to everyone I meet, explaining the concept, asking for feedback. On the whole, it is very positive. A few people don’t quite get it, not straightaway. Some say, great idea, but is it the right time, there’s a recession you know? My reply is that since jobs aren’t so secure anymore, perhaps now is exactly the right time.

I go to the Good Food Show and meet a whole bunch of potential suppliers, both for the school and the shop. I spend a load of money on ‘samples’ and a couple of signed copies of Heston Blumenthal’s new book. I think he is one of our most innovative ever chefs and I want the books as prizes for an idea I have for the website.

Bruno and Tony, who bring in a fabulous balsamic vinegar from Italy, are fantastic. They invite me to the Gordon Ramsey show as their guest. It’s nowhere near as good as Good Food, but I get introduced to some more Italians who have some great products, so it’s still worthwhile.

I have meetings with Clinton, June and Karen, who look after web, ads and branding respectively. All good, but I still can’t commit to anything without planning. 22nd December arrives – nothing in the post. 23rd and 24th go by, still no decision. Well, it is Christmas. I decide to not worry about it until next year, but 2nd January arrives and still nothing.

Alright, I think. Monday 5th. The first proper day of the New Year. Post arrives, no decision. As Sir Isaac Newton once said,

“if the apple won’t fall, let's go shake the tree.”

Where's that phone number?

For those of you who have stumbled onto this blog, this and the preceding posts are a brief history of Just Cook, the Captains' Log, if you will, of my starry eyed enterprise.

This post brings us more or less up to date with the conception, now I've just got to get through the pregnancy and give birth!

All advice, suggestions and constructive criticism gratefully received, so please leave your comments.

A Vision

Amateur Chef is dropped in favour of Just Cook. I can’t move forwards with the school until planning consent is awarded. The decision is due 22nd December and what will be, will be. Can’t do much about the power issue either. That needs to wait until Julian (the sparks) is back from Florida.

I start thinking about the whole thing as a business and not just a dream. Where do I want to be in 5 years time? 10? What will Just Cook look like? What will it be? A vision starts to form, and the cookery school is just the foundation of it.

I want to teach people to cook, really cook and not just pop some pre processed, salt laden tray in the microwave. I want to open up their minds to the simple pleasure to be had from the taste of well reared chicken, cooked simply, compared to speed raised mass market fodder, drowned in fatty sauces. I want to teach people how much fun it is to cook, so they will teach their children. I want people to understand how important it is that we support the small, local producer who raises his crop and rears his meat with love, care and attention.

Jamie’s Ministry of Food is on the telly. At first, I think, “you sod, you’ve nicked my idea.” Then I think, “Brilliant. You’ve proved the point mate, there is a need for my sort of business.” Grudgingly, I also acknowledge that Mr Oliver must have had the idea first, or at least acted on it more quickly. I believe in the importance of what he is trying to achieve and applaud his use of his celebrity. I resolve that when I get the school up and running, I will write to Jamie and offer him the use of the place, for one day a week or so, for his Ministry.

I also want to be a point of reference, of trusted advice, for people who want to cook at home. And I should be able to do it. After all, what better recommendation for something than that it has been used day in, day out in the school? If it can survive that test it’s something I don’t mind promoting. So the idea extends to include a web shop, but only selling stuff we use ourselves. And I can include ingredients. Not just mundane, everyday things, but special things, or difficult to find things. Little gems that my cooks and I have discovered and use ourselves. Things like proper, traditional balsamics or extra virgin oils still produced by hand in tiny quantities and tasting so different from more mainstream alternatives. And maybe, we can help those small guys by giving them a slightly bigger market than they previously had. And the revenue we earn might help us get the school built more quickly.

So now, in my head, we’re not just a school but a brand. For everything that people who want to cook at home might need. It may well take a long time to put this jigsaw together, but at least I have a picture.

What's in a Name?

Alright. Building the school is on hold until at least 22nd December, which is when the planning decision is due. Looks like I’ll have to abandon plans to sell gift vouchers for Christmas.

My little sister, who’s left her marketing job and been trekking around South America returns from Peru. I collect her from Heathrow and tell her my plans on the journey home. She doesn’t like the name. Why not? “I don’t like amateur. It sounds low quality.” I am miffed, it’s my idea after all. 'Actually,' I retort, 'it’s French. It means ‘lover of’ and it

“reflects a voluntary motivation to work as a result of personal passion for an activity.”

I looked it up, and it describes me.'

But you said it’s not about you, she replies. She’s right, I thought. It’s not.

We have a brainstorm. Names are suggested and discarded, like chaff from wheat.

What about Cook?
Cook what? Cook School? Bit obvious, don’t you think?
No, not Cook School, Cook, just Cook.
You can’t call it just Cook.
Why not?

Just Cook. I like the sound of that.

Bumps in the Road

Where are we, in the potted history of this venture? Oh yes, the idea had taken root, it’s around mid September and things are proceeding nicely. Well, you knew it couldn’t last.

Problems arise, one after the other. First of all, the quotes come in. It’s going to cost money. A lot of money. More than I had thought, that’s for sure. So, a call to the bank is in order, only there is this thing called a credit crunch, and all of a sudden, they are ominously silent.

Then the plumber calls.

“It’s going to cost how much? Just to extend a water pipe and run a new waste? Frankly my friend, if you didn’t want to do it you should have just said so. I could buy a small car for what you’re quoting me.”

Well at least that problem was easily solved. Another plumber, another quote. Much more reasonable.

The electrician rings.

“You don’t have enough power.”

What do you mean? “You don’t have enough power to run all those cookers. You need the total supply to the building just for you. If you turn all your cookers on the rest of the building will switch off. You’d be real popular with all your neighbours when they found out it was you causing them all that trouble.” Sigh. What’s the answer? “Spend money. Probably a lot of money.” Oh bugger.

I have a hunt around the area for other premises, but they are a lot more expensive. Worst way, it is still less expensive in the long run to put in a new electricity supply than it is to rent somewhere with enough power for my needs. Looks like I just have to accept that I need yet more money.

I look into the regulations. Fire safety requirements aren’t too bad, considering. The builder pops over for a site visit. What about extraction? Building regs? Anything else I haven’t thought of? “No probs. Fitted out a few restaurants in my time. I’ve already costed all that in. Don’t worry.” At last, someone with solutions not problems. And he’s a builder! Faith restored. “What about planning though? Have you got permission? You’re bound to need a change of use.” Aargh!!

I still haven’t resolved exactly what is needed to solve the power issue. Kitchen units, considering I don’t need any fancy gizmos, are pretty pricey. I’ve got a verbal deal on the hobs and ovens and I don’t want to lose it because I delay placing the order. I haven’t got enough money. And now I need to make a planning application. I make a quick call to sparky. He thinks he’s got an idea, but will need to come and have another look. Result. When can you come? When I get back from Florida, I’m off for a month. Damn.

I decide to put in the planning application without knowing if I can definitely solve the power issue. When will I know? 8 weeks. 8 weeks? That’s Christmas! Still at least I’ve done something to move things forwards.

Taking Root

OK. So now it's July and I've got an idea. A cookery school. Offering hands on, practical, one day courses in different skills. A one day course in sushi, bread making, baking, Italian, Indian. The list goes on and on. I'll be able to support local producers and farmers markets. I can demonstrate the difference in flavour between mass produced supermarket fare and carefully nurtured, well reared meat. We can promote sustainable practices and prove that it needn't be expensive to eat good quality food.

And I can see myself, up the front, hosting a course. Teaching people. Sending them away happy and satisfied, having learnt new stuff that they will remember and use. In my mind, I can hear them, hosting their first dinner party and telling their friends about the balsamic vinegar tasting, how they made butter from cream and "of course the bread is homemade - have another roll."

I've even thought of a name - Amateur Chef, and I register the domain. Who is the amateur chef, my wife asks, you? No, of course not. It's the customer. But now a bit of doubt is setting in. I don't know enough to teach all those courses. Bread making sure, but not advanced stuff like brioche or croissants. Indian, Italian? No problem. But sushi? Baking? No chance. And if I can't offer a wide enough range of courses, then the numbers don't stack up. It isn't viable.

The only solution then, is to learn those skills. So, I get on the net and start to look into courses at catering colleges. But they take too long - three years, full time and me with a mortgage? Impossible.

More searching and I find out about Leiths, Tante Marie and Le Cordon Bleu. You can compress a course into less than a year, but what a price! My wife, ever supportive but also a realist, points out that I have given up a pretty good income for a (currently) mediocre one but I'll be giving that up as well if I pursue this. I've still got to support my family and we don't have the savings to pay for the course and a years bills. Another non starter. So I start looking into residential and holiday courses. And I find a few. Things are looking up. But hold on - they are aimed at recreational cooks, will I learn enough? The irony of going to a cooking school so I can start one myself isn't lost on me either. So I give up on the idea.

Except that I can't let it go. It's taken hold of me and I am compelled to pursue it. OK, so I can't teach the courses at the moment, don't worry about that, a solution will present itself. In the meantime, I can still look into all the other stuff that will be needed. Like premises, equipment, regulations, costs. So for the next few weeks, that's what I do. I trawl the net researching areas, property, prices. I compress my sales appointments into one day so that I can make time to drive around looking at potential premises. I spend the evenings drawing up budgets and forecasts. I even go so far as to discuss it with my bank manager who gives me a thumbs up, a verbal agreement to lend me some money.

"Come back when you are ready and we'll do the paperwork."

With that endorsement my confidence is high that I can make this change in my life and make it successfully. I stumble across some premises that look like a great place to start - not quite as big as I would like, but certainly affordable. I arrange a viewing and then another. I put down a deposit so I can have the keys without taking a lease. Now I can start getting some quotes for the installation of a load of kitchen equipment.

Everything seems to be going smoothly. The location I have stumbled across is better than I thought - it's a pretty little village in Essex with thatched roof cottages, it is on a direct link into Liverpool Street Station, there are some tourist attractions nearby, and it's not far from The Cricketers, Jamie Olivers' parents pub. Wow, a ready made foodie connection! Now, if only I could buy the skills I need to run the classes.

Doh! That's it! The last doubts fade away. I can buy the skills I need. All I have to do is find people with the right skills and get them to host the class! I am back to what I know how to do - bringing other peoples skills together to provide a service. Nothing can stop me now.

Planting the Seed

To start my story, to get to where I am now, I have to delve into a little history. Not ancient history – I won’t bore you with tales of my childhood and schooldays, early successes and ignominious failures, lessons learned and advice unheeded, but we do need to go back to the end of 2007 to trace the first steps of this new journey.

There I was, running my own business – an accident repair centre if you’re interested, and, I think, doing a pretty good job. I mean, I’d built it up to over a million pounds in turnover from next to nothing, in less than 10 years, and without actually knowing how to fix a dent or paint a panel. You see, my ability lies in being able to bring other skills together to provide a service, and I am passionate about giving good service. The trouble was, our customers – the ones actually paying the bill – were insurance companies, and, well, they’re not really bothered about service, only cost. That’s reality, and I am not complaining about it, but it made it very difficult to provide what I considered to be the right levels of quality and service and still remain profitable, and gradually my business stopped being a great, fun place to be and turned into a tiring, stressful job that I wasn’t that keen on.

So, when circumstance conspired with fate, and an opportunity came along to get out of the accident repair business and into the wonderful world of technology, I closed my eyes and jumped. At first, it was a pretty comfortable landing – I was learning new things, in a new industry and meeting new people. It was bound to be fun for a while, but then I realised a few things:

I wasn’t really passionate about the product.

Without passion, you can’t excel at what you do.

The fun, for me, comes with the responsibility of being in charge, and I wasn’t.

I really, really, like to be in charge!

The realisation put me in mind of one of my favourite quotes about business, that I had forgotten somewhere along the way.

“If you don't do it excellently, don't do it at all. Because if it's not excellent, it won't be profitable or fun, and if you're not in business for fun or profit, what the hell are you doing there?” Robert Townsend, actor, director, producer, writer.

That’s when I started looking for something fun, that I enjoyed, that I could make a living or perhaps even a business out of. But what? What did I enjoy doing? Reading and learning new things. OK, great, but I couldn’t conceive of a way of getting paid for that.

What about golf? I love golf. But I’ve been playing for 7 years now and have a handicap of 22 – somehow I don’t think Tiger Woods would have much to worry about if I announced my intention to turn professional but I am sure my bank manager would.

There is always the food industry. Anyone who has met me will tell you that my waist size is a testament to how much I enjoy my food, but what to do? Friends suggested a restaurant. Hmm. Risky and expensive. Food critic? Excellent idea. Getting paid to eat out and give my opinion, how cool is that? You can’t even get it wrong – it’s my opinion! But hey, all those jobs seem to be taken already. Bummer.

What about a chef then? Hey, look, you know, I love to cook at home. I’m even pretty good at it. Good enough to know that I’m not good enough, if you know what I mean. I’ve even been on a few cookery courses but although they were fun and enjoyable, they were too much demonstration, too little hands on practical for me. If I ran them, they would be a lot better…