Meet Jane!
Chief gardener, table layer, laundry deliverer, interior designer and mother hen Jane spends each day pottering from The Winking Prawn to Sailor V and Island Street Bar & Grill making sure everything’s just right… and maybe having the odd natter along the way…
What do you do at the Winking Prawn Group?
How do I answer that! We all do everything, from cleaning the loos to doing the wages and waiting on tables. I don’t make cappuccinos though – I refuse to go on the coffee machine! I do a lot with HR, I am the chief gardener but what I really love to do is go into the restaurants and make sure everything’s in its right place. The pepper’s to the left, salt to the right and the restaurants look as they should. I titillate each of the restaurants – that’s what I was born to do.
What does your average day involve?
I always start at The Winking Prawn, hopefully meet a couple of locals for a cup of tea and to sort the world out. Then I check that everything’s in its place, before popping to Sailor V to pick up the laundry or drop it off and say hello to everyone there. Then I’m off to Island Street, where we have our office, to do wages, HR and rotas which is one of the biggest jobs we have. If I’m lucky I might be able to pop back to the Prawn again later in the day.
What's the best thing about working here?
It’s my way of life and although it’s hard work at times, to some extent it feels like the best hobby in the world. I also love working with my family day in, day out – they might not like it all the time, but I think it’s wonderful!
What's your favourite thing on the menu?
It’s got to be the summer barbecue at The Winking Prawn, and then the soup in the winter.
What are you most looking forward to this summer?
Getting all my university students back into the restaurant and finding out what they’ve been up to since last summer. I love them! We’ve known lots of them for years – one of them has been with us for 10 years and is in his fourth year training as a doctor. When they’re here I feel like mother hen to them all. I also love meeting new customers and seeing our regular customers - we have seen many of their families grow over the past 20 years and now some of them up to four generations of Winking Prawners!
When you're not working, what's your favourite thing to do?
I love to be at home with my family, eating and having everyone around me – my grandchildren and my kids all at home. It’s mayhem but it’s lovely.