French bred
I'm French, so I have an espresso for breakfast and drive to work in my French car, a Peugeot 206. I drive only French cars.Being head of operations at L'Auberge means that every day is different, but in general I concentrate on looking after our staff. This means that, after doing the usual e-mails and administration at our office in Hampton Hill first thing, I visit each of our five restaurants. I like to visit each one at least once a day to make sure that I'm close to staff and always there to help them.
At the restaurants, we discuss menus, taste new dishes, talk about issues such as recruitment, upcoming events or special occasions, and anything else that might come up. If they're short-staffed, I might be written into the rota or help out in other ways, like driving people around for errands.
It's also important for me to be around to talk to our staff. Many of them are French - about 98% in the kitchen and restaurant, while bar staff tend to be antipodeans. Everyone needs a lot of attention, but it's worth it to create the family atmosphere that we rely on.
Big Christmas dinner
I believe a close relationship between staff is very important. On the night of 25 December we had a big Christmas dinner, which 80 staff attended. We had a special menu and bought a present for everyone. It was a riot - especially as we all now speak a strange combination of French and English.
As well as visiting each restaurant, I also spend a lot of time with our executive chef, Laurent Malnuit. We taste everything - I don't stop for meals, because we tend to be eating all the time.
Sourcing the food we need, and at affordable prices, in England can be difficult. In my former role as manager of the Plough in Cobham, Surrey, I used to go to France once a week. I'd travel through the night to find a better choice of ingredients such as foie gras, truffles and cheeses. After the first time I went we were fully booked, because our customers were so excited to try what we brought back.
Now, another staff member makes two or three trips a week to buy ingredients. Laurent and I go to France only once a month. We buy ingredients and visit a restaurant to keep up to date with the latest food trends.
We also have a monthly managers' meeting, which I call "the scrum", because we hope at the end of it we all push in the same direction. We debate new ideas and sometimes have a consultant in to discuss them with us.
It's also my responsibility to arrange trips to France and Spain to visit vineyards. We take about 20 staff once a year to teach them about the wines they serve.
When I finish work for the day depends on what I happen to be doing. Sometimes I'm at one of the restaurants, sometimes in the office. When you work in a restaurant you have no other life.
Interview by Jessica Gunn
Just a minute…
What's the best thing about your job?
This job means I am always around people, which I love. As head of operations, it's my responsibility to look after and support our staff. This means I can watch them flourish. I also love the fact that, as well as always being able to try new things myself, I'm able to give other people the chance to experience something new.
What's the worst thing about your job?
Living in England and the shortage of quality staff here. I also think it's very sad that there is so little appreciation of fresh food nowadays.
What's the best thing about living in the UK?
In England there's more opportunity to start new projects and set yourself new challenges, because people here are willing to support you.
What's the worst thing about living in the UK?
You can't buy the food you want. I go to the supermarket with my trolley and leave with it empty. There is not enough choice in cheese and yogurts, and the fruit seems to be sugar-free.
Tell us a secret
I started working at the Plough in Cobham, Surrey, as a KP while studying for a maths postgraduate degree. Within a year I was promoted to manager. Before that, I worked as a physicist at Airbus in Toulouse. I'm also the youngest of 10 sisters and two brothers.
L'Auberge
124 High Street, Hampton Hill, Middlesex TW12 1NS
Tel: 020 8977 0633 Web site: www.massivepub.com
Executive chef: Laurent Malnuit
Restaurant average spend: £60 for two (with wine)
