To my surprise, I found that I loved it and I was really good at it. So much so, that I started a vegetarian recipes blog and, from there, decided to start a little vegetarian and vegan restaurant. And The Hidden Veggie Kitchen was born.
The Hidden Veggie Kitchen is in our home and people can come and eat homemade vegetarian and vegan food and meet new people. It’s very sociable, people sit together at our two long tables and they love it. We’ve had so many interesting people visit, from as far as Holland and America. Many of our customers aren't vegetarian, they just want to eat a bit less meat on a weekly basis and enjoy simple, home cooked meals.
How has it been to start a business in
France?
It’s rather overwhelming to set up a business in a foreign country so I got professional help with the Administration as I didn't want to make any mistakes! Jo-Ann Howell from French Admin Solutions helped me fill in the paperwork to become a Micro Enterprise and got me signed up for a 5 day Business course in Limoges. It is definitely reassuring to have someone that you can go to with any questions as, even with reasonable French; it is still easy to make mistakes!
What top tips would you give to anyone wanting to set up a catering business in France?
Well I would definitely say that you should do your research. I asked around and made sure that I would have enough potential customers in the area to make my business worthwhile. Customers travel from far and wide now so they obviously feel it's worthwhile for good food!
I’ve found it easier to set up a business in my own home rather than on dedicated business premises. I’ve started small and grown gradually, rather than jumping in, renting a building, then finding I can't cover my monthly expenses. We’re still growing and we have the potential to extend the dining space into the barn.
How easy has it been to make friends in France?
In our little hamlet everyone is French, with the exception of one British owned holiday home. Our French neighbours have been extremely welcoming. When we first moved in, we had no running water for several weeks and everyone offered us the use of their outdoor taps and even showers! I started a Facebook group, "Get Togethers in the Limousin", and I've hosted several events which has been a big help in making friends.
I know that it can be very hard for a lot of people to make friends when they move to France, especially if they haven’t mastered French. I’ve found that if you make the effort and join French classes, local social groups, yoga classes etc, you will soon meet people.
After eight years in France, I've definitely adapted. When I return to the UK to visit friends I often feel overwhelmed at first by the amount of people. I’ve certainly become used to life in rural France where sometimes, the only traffic I see is a tractor passing by. I’m lucky to have my Mum just 45 minutes away in the Charente and Dave's mum and stepdad live in the Dordogne, so we always have people to turn to if we need help or support.
When we have children, we will make sure that they fully adapt to life in France and are bilingual, as that is such a huge advantage. Perhaps they will help me to gradually improve my French too!